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tjthomas555
01-26-2013, 06:53 PM
I am the owner of a 1989 Honda Accord LX-i. I bought the car as a non-running project, pulled and cleaned the engine and replaced all the seals and gaskets. The engine now runs great... When I can get it running. I had one valve get stuck shortly after I started driving the car. I attributed it to old fuel, and filled filled the tank with new gas and added some Seafoam Cleaner. I have put sixty more miles on the car in addition to about five hours of idling wanting to get the cleaner through the system. Today, I was unable to start my car, and I pulled the valve cover off and have found I now have three stuck valves, even though I ran the car yesterday. I'm a little unsure of how to go about finding a solution to this problem. I plan on working the valves unstuck the same way I did the first time, but I'd like to know if there is a way I can keep this from happening in the future. Has anyone had similar problems and found a solution?

Dr_Snooz
01-26-2013, 09:15 PM
Check the condition of your camshaft. Look for worn and pitting lobes. If you find any, replace the cam.

2oodoor
01-27-2013, 07:05 AM
I like BG intake cleaner and 44K fuel additive. You should try the seafoam in thru the pvc or brake booster vacuum hoses.

tjthomas555
01-27-2013, 03:23 PM
Checked Camshaft, I didn't see any pitting. It doesn't look worn to me. Would cam wear be fairly easy to visually detect? Anyways, while checking the cam I got the valves loosened up. I'll try getting some more Seafoam and using the vaccum-line method. Hopefully, I can get the problem to stop. If not, maybe I can put proffesional rocker arm assembly remover on my resume. :D

tjthomas555
01-28-2013, 05:59 PM
Used the Seafoam in a vaccum line. The car seems to run a little bit better and has a slightly better response. Next step is to let it sit overnight and see if it'll start. Thanks for the tips, guys!

g.frost
01-29-2013, 10:02 AM
put a bottle of Redline SI-1 cleaner (or other high PEA content cleaner) in a tank of gas. Put a couple quarts of Group V oil (..like redline) in the oil to clean from above. Sounding like a redline salesman, so go find another group V oil that cleans so well... I'm wondering how this problem got by the 'pulled engine apart and cleaned'. Were there deposits on the valves when you had it apart?

Dr_Snooz
01-29-2013, 02:18 PM
Checked Camshaft, I didn't see any pitting. It doesn't look worn to me. Would cam wear be fairly easy to visually detect?

Mine was. The cam lobes were all pitted. It was a rebuilt engine I purchased from a shady shop. God only knows how it got that way.

tjthomas555
02-02-2013, 06:41 PM
I'm wondering how this problem got by the 'pulled engine apart and cleaned'. Were there deposits on the valves when you had it apart?

Yes, there was quite a bit of deposits on the valves. We used a wire wheel to clean the valves, and the head was pressure-washed, along with other non-electric parts.

Well, the overnight test for the Seafoam isn't turning out the best. I have sticking valves, but I found I can start the car, rev it a little, then the car runs smooth again. Next steps, I'll try finding some of the suggested cleaners, and maybe a tank of ethanol-free fuel would help during this cleaning process? I'd like to solve the problem, once it's running this car does so well!