getting burned

[dirty89lx5sp]

Hey what's up...I'm sure you guys are tired of my newb posts...but those who have responded have been extremely helpful and thank you. First off I'm taking my '89 LX 5 sp to the honda dealer here and having them run a diagnostic on the whole car...It's going to run me 35 dollars but I feel safe that they will be able to tell me exactly what is wrong and right with my car so'z I can know my options...my question is how much is involved in getting a new (to me) engine from a junkyard or something...is it worth it...or if whatever they can find can be fixed...how much is too much to pay for mechanic work on a car...I have an extremely tight budget (read tight enough to turn coal to diamond overnight). I'm willing to dump up to 3-400 hundred into it at a swath...but I fear the worst....I looked up and found that it seems only A20A1's are in '89 accord LX's and they are carbed...I could be wrong...but I can't seem to find any info under the hood...I really am that much of a newbie...any suggestions or words of wisdom are extremely appreciated as I am so frazzled with worry over my poor 3g.:bh:

[POS carb]

drop in any 86-89 accord motor in there and you're good man, it's just how much trouble you're willing to go through. Since you have a 5 speed LX the easiest swap would be to get the motor from ANY 86-89 motor with a carb, if you get an LXi/SEi motor oyu're going to have to change a few things, even if you keep using the carb.

You can grab a carb from the u-pick yard for around $30
oh and $35 sounds kind of cheap to me, i don't know how thorough they are going to be, most mechanics around here would probably charge twice as much.

[jim]

Figure at least 1 grand for a used low mileage engine/ (tuneup/timing belt/water pump/thermostat)/rear main seal etc/ possibly new clutch etc/hoses may need replacing etc. Is it worth?...I'm having this done by my mechanic 92,000 mi 180 day warrantee on engine from the supplier. My engine has a cracked block from a nasty episode of overheating originating from a cracked hose. It's a long story... along with a new radiator $300

[dirty89lx5sp]

I'm actually hoping to avoid the new engine route all together...basicall from what I can tell you is that the car idles roughly at initial start up...I can smell fuel a bit....the rought idle (1200-1600) continues till it sets it's cold idle at 3000 then I can push the pedal and it resest down to 1k....it wavers a bit at 1k and then when I do anything else...apply brakes...headlight...heater...the idle drops to about 800...Now whilst it is sitting...I hear a "pop" from the back end and the valves clack loudly the whole time...umm what else....oh yeah did I mention the smoking? Whafting oil burning for the first 5-8 min at startup then disappears until it sits for 8 or mor hours....when I put my hand near the exhaust...it feels quite damp...

Where the heck do I start to fix anything?!? :wtf:

[dirty89lx5sp]

any suggestions?

[dXsquared]

well it has syptoms of running rich and running lean... the pop is a backfire... that is usually cause from lean mixture... and the wet exhaust and the gas smell is from rich ness... the oil is probably a combo of things that will basically need a rebuild to fix. i would sugest a rebuild or a new motor... that will solve all ur problems!

Travis

[dirty89lx5sp]

Which is the cheaper way to go?!?

[dXsquared]

i would say that a rebuild with a weber carb would be the best way... about 700 bux if u know how...
if u dont know how to tear apart a motor, then i guess it will be closer to 1200... but i know that if u can or want to rebuild it ur self... with a weber instead of the shitty stock carb, it will be at least 700 bux!

Travis

[dirty89lx5sp]

Yowza! what about just tuning up my carb and driving the hell out of it? Until I can save the money for a new engine...or rebuild? I wonder how long I have? Maybe we should start a betting pool after I get the specs from the diagnostic...giving me 1/4 of the proceeds to go towards rebuilding my engine or purchasing a new one...I was just looking new about 1200 bucks for the engine....If i went to a junk yard...how can I tell if one of those engines are good?

[dXsquared]

i would get a parts car that runs strong, but needs other shit then just swap motors... thats waht i did...

Travis

[dirty89lx5sp]

did I mention :barf:

[dirty89lx5sp]

buy the whole car? or can I find in junkyard?

[dXsquared]

u can find it in a junk yard, but if u cant fire it up and see how it runs, it is more risk! the best way to get a motor is witht the whole car and take it for a test drive! then u can see what it does when u stomp on it or what ever...

Travis

[dirty89lx5sp]

right on....hmmm.this all sounds so shitty...how long can a car like mine as described above...provided I adjust the lean/rich on my carb can run? at least until I save up a sizeable chunk of change?

[dirty89lx5sp]

http://www.jspecjdm.net/oem.htm

I found this for 600....hmmm I wander what it cost to put in?!? I just need a lottery ticket...that's all just 10-15 mil and I'd be happy!

[dXsquared]

that looks ok... i would sugest gettin a Weber carb when u get a new engine as it will help tunig... i think u have a lot of miles left... just cuz it runs shitty, dont mean it will die... but i could verywell die tommorow... so just tune the carb and hope for the best!

Travis

[dirty89lx5sp]

yeah...either way I'm stuck spending money on it...I guess do some minor stuff ...use it for around town...save about 1500....keep looking for new (or good used engine aroun 400-900 and try to find someone competent to put it in....I hate being "grown up" . You work and work and work and you barely make any head way!

[dXsquared]

sorry u feel like that... i think you could kill alot of ur problems by installing a Weber carb... u loose all the vac lines adn u get a brand new carb! b4 i put the new weber on, i had backfire and miss problems and it was runnin real shitty! i put the new carb on and BOOM! it works fine!

Travis

[dirty89lx5sp]

is it expensive? and is it worth it if the engine farts on me? Can I do this myself? I have only minimal experience with mechanics...changed cv joint...oil...plugs...valve cover gasket...just little things....

[dXsquared]

if u have changed a CV joint... u can change a carb!
and if the engine takes a shit, put it on the next one... they are 350 bux approx.

Travis

[HondaLuxury]

Sell the car, buy a reliable, ECU code-free Accord LXi...

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Originally posted by DXHATCHBACK
well it has syptoms of running rich and running lean... the pop is a backfire... that is usually cause from lean mixture... and the wet exhaust and the gas smell is from rich ness...

Well that explains it then. I need to make the air/fuel a little more rich. I didn't know if I was tuning it right or not. Thanks a lot DXHATCHBACK

[dirty89lx5sp]

If I wanted to check ECU codes on my car where would I look?!?

[rocky2]

If your running total rich mixture(bad carb) gasoline can get into oil. To check for this: Pull dipstick out,try to ignite the oil on stick with flame ....if it lights up.....you have bigtime fuel mixture problems this could be good....then alll you need is a carb and tuneup.