B18C1 Help!!!! - Honda Forum / Acura Forum

Franki Jones · 07-07-2006, 07:30 PM

Hey guys,
I just bought a 94 Civic Hatch w/ B18C1 swap.
I was looking for something smog legal,I thought the car ran strong 3rd gear chirps, nice sound...total sleeper! Well i took it to Kiwi motorsports in socal for a valve adjustment. The car has a rough idle and the midrange is kinda weak and hesitates a little, but then at about 5500rpm it wakes up and pulls through 7500 rpm. They told me that the #3 cylinder is dead. 80% leak . They recommmend pulling the head off to fix it. $900. Is this price fair? Since the head is off is there anything else i should do that is smog legal in Cali? I havent had this car a week!
Thanks
Frankie

Franki Jones · 07-08-2006, 03:30 PM

No engine Gurus here? ....Little help here!?

Syn Inside03 · 07-09-2006, 12:15 PM

well if your goin to pull the head off, and fix the problem...the question is how much you want to spend...what are your goals....are you ever goin to spray the car.....you ever goin to go turbo...and how much you want to spend, and if i forgot to mention....how much do u want to spend?

Franki Jones · 07-09-2006, 04:08 PM

Well it is a daily driver....but since the head is off already what is the best price per horse power upgrade? Is there anything else i can do for a couple hundred more dollars? Im already up to $900 for this job. Any suggestions?

Franki Jones · 07-09-2006, 04:10 PM

I will never add nitrous and i dont think i will turbo either. The car is already squirly enough as it is. Oh and what ever i do has to be California smog legal.

Thanks

Sirfallsalot243 · 07-09-2006, 07:23 PM

Id go with a 1 ply head gasket, or some head milling for now to get the compression up a bit. When you get cash, go with a stage 2 cam, and springs and retainers. That should give you some good power.

Franki Jones · 07-10-2006, 01:33 AM

Hey thanks for that ill let you know what i do.

Im going to check it out tomorrow!

Sirfallsalot243 · 07-10-2006, 10:03 AM

Good luck bro.

kommon_sense · 07-10-2006, 10:22 AM

How in the world did they determine that you had 80% leakdown from just doing a valve adjustment? That isn't possible.

They would of had to do a leakdown test in order to do a leakdown percentage and people don't typically do a leakdown test for no good reason. Also 80% leakdown is basically a dead cylinder. You should also get some really low compressoin numbers with that type of leakdown.

I'm not saying that they aren't legit, but with the information given, I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to get over on you.

Franki Jones · 07-11-2006, 10:06 AM

Well the mechanic said that because of the rough idle that led him to believe that one of the cylinders were dead,so he began to run the test on the vehicle and thats what he came up with. Does that sound right? I spoke to him this morning and he said the valves were bent in the #3 cylinder . Would raising my compression make me fail the NOX part of the smog test? What about bigger valves?

ALL C5 · 07-11-2006, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franki Jones

Well the mechanic said that because of the rough idle that led him to believe that one of the cylinders were dead,so he began to run the test on the vehicle and thats what he came up with. Does that sound right? I spoke to him this morning and he said the valves were bent in the #3 cylinder . Would raising my compression make me fail the NOX part of the smog test? What about bigger valves?

If you are not going forced induciton, no need for bigger valves, waste of money.

Franki Jones · 07-11-2006, 12:29 PM

Ok cool. What about porting and polishing the head? will that still pass smog? Is it worth the money?

ALL C5 · 07-11-2006, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franki Jones

Ok cool. What about porting and polishing the head? will that still pass smog? Is it worth the money?

It should not affect smog...the only thing with porting and polishig is that I would only do it at a place that has a flow bench and will promise their work to be good...With heads (but espeically honda heads), to much taken out in any area will completey screw up power (and it does not take mush to take out to much). I think it is worth the money if it is done right, it will always help...Food for thought, the ITR head is the same as the B16, but with a port and polish.

Franki Jones · 07-11-2006, 06:51 PM

cool THANKS guys. Im new to the scene. I definately look at our cars with a different perspective now. I had no idea what kind of power to weight ratios you can get out of these cars.

later

Frankie

shaolin_style · 07-17-2006, 02:36 AM

I live in so-cal and have delt with all the smog shit too man. I have only owned b18's and can tear them down no problem. What you should do if its just a bent valve is take the head off and take it to portflow and have tom do a valvejob for you. Pulling the head is free if you do it and he'll fix you up for probably under 400 bucks. If you dont feel comfortbale pulling and installing your head I can do it for you for cheap. I can pull a head in an hour and put it back on it 2. Lots of practice haha. And You can learn by hanging out while I do it. Also that $900 dollar quote is jsut them pulling the head not fixing anything. They'll pull it and say you need this done and quote you for that work most likely. If you pull the head yourself you bring it in to them and ask what they thing saving you money. let me know if your interested.