Help!!! a20a3 / overheating / burning smells

[87AccordLXiHB]

Hey everyone, I just discovered this website about 2 weeks ago and it has taken up most of my time since. It looks like there are a lot of knowledgeable, friendly people and a very low lameness level in most of the threads so I might ask you guys a few questions...

I've got an 87 Accord lxi hatch, and it has performed amazingly well in the past but it seems to be going to crap these days. When I push the rpms a bit in first gear(like around 5000) it gets really mad at me and decides to get really hot and turn the fans on... I can feel the heat coming through the firewall and around my legs... and it's more than ever now. Sometimes I don't even drive that fast and it just gets hot very quickly. The other day, after pushing the rpms a bit in 1st, the car started to smell like burning food... kind of like the nasty smell of a burnt out motor in an old fridge. I checked the motor and everything and didn't notice anything visually wrong right away, but the aux fans were blowing and intense rushes of heat were coming at me... had to step back to avoid getting my face burnt off nearly ! I checked the coolant and it didn't seem to be leaking or anything, but was a little on the browner side...

Also, I've been having another problem lately... having to do with the power steering. For say, a night of cruising around (for me typically around 3-4 hours), I have to put a whole thing of power steering fluid in. When I take quick corners at slightly high rpms, maybe around 3000, or I nail the accelleration right after a corner, I have gotten a burning wax smell... it's on and off weirdly enough.

And finally, in the front of the car, on the bottom of the bumper right under the vents... theres a spot right in the very middle where it seems there is tons of oil caked right on... doesn't seem quite right to me.

But with all these problems, the oil checker guys at jiffy lube were still blown away by how well of condition the a20a3 motor was in (only 150k just now)... it had no apparent leaks, nothing. The only thing the guy told me was that I needed a new cylinder head, maybe new spark plugs, and definitely new ignition wires (I still have the original stock ones). I'm wondering if any of those could be the problem... or if maybe it is something else. I know jiffy lube guys probably aren't the most reliable sources of info... so that's why Im asking you guys about it. Sure, I could take it to a reputable mechanic... and I have in the past... they fixed the little minor problems. lol, I was so happy and all that it was fixed, til I got to the light and noticed the car was revving to 4000 rpms while idling something had to be done about that... and finally a very bright kid at this "reputable" mechanic place, not the "reputable" mechanic himself , bent the throttle linkage and the problem was actually fixed! It seems that all these mechanics know chevy's over here in Kansas, but not hondas... but will act like they know a honda so they can totally rip you off

I don't have a lot of money to spare, or knowledge of hondas yet, and I would be ETERNALLY grateful if you guys could maybe point me in the right direction with this stuff. I'd like to be able to maybe fix these things myself... because I simply cannot afford the ridiculous labor charges I've been reading the do-it-yourself section as well, and have been considering building that AEM CAI possibly... think that could help my problems a bit? Thanks a lot!!!

[A20A1]

Glad you're here... you sure had a lot to say. And we all enjoy the compliments... welcome.

Anyways I don't know the fuel injected model of the accord too well... I'm a carb nut. You may want to rethink the title of your post though... I will change it for you if you have a suggestion... hopefully something more related to the problems you're currently having.

[87AccordLXiHB]

Wow, that was a quick reply. Yeah... I just thought about the title of the post... a but too late ... is there any way I can change it to something more specific quickly?

[87AccordLXiHB]

Oh, whoops... I'm sorry I read too fast :lol sure, I have a suggestion... how about Engine troubles... overheating and burnt food and wax smells!!!

[AZmike]

It sounds like your power steering cooling line is where your PSF is going (or leaving). That would explain the oil caked mess.

Is the brown coolant old or is there oil in it? If you're not sure it might be worth the $10 to flush it and see. Oil means it's time for a new head gasket. If you have a multimeter you can test your ignition wires. If I remember right they're supposed to have a maximum impedence of 25k Ohms.

When was the timing belt last replaced?

[87AccordLXiHB]

Thanks a lot for replying AZmike! But the problem with the power steering cooling line... is there an easy or semi-easy (not having to take apart the whole engine) fix for it? How much would this cost to do myself?

[infecto]

when your saying its overheating are you looking at the temp gauge and noticing going higher then halfway? And is there any smoke with this burning?

[infecto]

And if anything it might be the high pressure ps line that runs across the front those seem to leak easily as they age. Check that line that runs in the front from the power steering pump and see if its wet at all?

[87AccordLXiHB]

Infecto, no, the temp guage seems to be right below the middle... which is fine from what I know. But when I open the hood, it seems hotter than ever, and doesn't smell too pleasant. Sometimes heat comes through the firewall around my legs like I was saying before.

[87AccordLXiHB]

Oh! I just noticed another thing that might help you guys help me... the power steering fluid in the PSF resevoir smells a bit burnt... can't be good can it?

[infecto]

You confuse me man if the temp gauge isn't high then the engine is not overheating lol. Engines do tend to be hot man...but heat coming through the firewall?? seems kind of fucked up I don't even see how that can happen. And psf burnt??? How can it burn? Did you check your high pressure ps line? I am pretty sure if something is leaking in the ps system thats it. heh

[87AccordLXiHB]

I don't know much about the layout of the motor, where is the high pressure ps line at specifically? And if it was the ps line, how hard would it be to repair myself, and how much would it cost?

[87AccordLXiHB]

I don't know where the power steering pump is either.

[infecto]

the pump is like right next to the res. The high pressure line runs right in front of the valve cover off the pump and runs towars the back of the engine...should look like its wrapped up in tape.

[A20A1]

Originally posted by infecto
You confuse me man if the temp gauge isn't high then the engine is not overheating lol.

That can't be intirely correct... the temp for the guage on the cluster is taken at the radiator and is not the temp of the fluid inside the block.. plus the guage itself migh have deposits around it causing it to read lower then it actually is.

You might want to replace your thermostat...