rtatsutani

Serious? Awe crap. Will check this last I guess after all the above.

civicking

i can't believe you didn't put a hole through the pistons with it running so lean, yeah do the compression test and also do a leak down test please. i would think you would have at least destroyed the pistons rings, does the oil smell like gas, if you they might be bad because with them holding no compression the fuel is washing down the cylinder walls into the oil. i mean you melted the ground electrodes, that is something to be proud of i have not seen to many cars do that. i would try taking to a place that has a small camers that you can use to inspect the cylinders, it a really small camera and it goes in through the spark plug holes and you can inspect the piston tops, the cylinder walls and if the have one that moves you can inspect the cylinder head too, that is if it gets to that point of needed to do that.

Chopsie

Listen to the Scalb's, he is a wealth of knowledge

and as far as being the first to blow up the J32A2... Anyone remember Sidemarkers story ?
Now that was strange.

ghost_masterCL

any news man?

rtatsutani

Changed the oil and filter with some cheap stuff yesterday just to clean out the possible debris from the blown plugs. Started her up and still spuddering. Runs way way better with the new plugs and oil, but still wants to die and idles really rough. Reset the ECU/PCM and still same problem.

Took it for a spin on the freeway and back roads and the temp gauge read normal (couple ticks below half). Got home and the freakin engine bay was sooo hot the two front fenders were HOT to the touch, on the outside! I have the thermoblok spacers and coolant bypass (warm b/c I live in hawaii) installed. The intake manifold was scorching HOT, which has never happened since I installed my thermobloks. Think my stupid temp gauge is off b/c of my coolant bypass or thermoblok spacers were installed?

I also think my trans is shot b/c even though the engine is spuddering, during acceleration, the car does some weird crap, at the light the trans is not slipping enough and wants to die, so I had to throw it into N a couple of times. Maybe the trans is so sticky it is causing extra stress on the engine while accelerating.

The car sounds (rough idle) kind of cool, feels like my Dad's v8 69 with radical cams, how it just shakes the car at a stop and has that rumpety rump sound. Too bad mine sucks shit!

So bottom line is I'm taking it into Acura on Monday. Gonna uninstall the entire NOS setup and pray for the best. I doubt here in Hawaii they'll have the knowledge to test the block for NOS remnants, but we'll see and pray. I still have the extended Total Care warranty so you guys think I can use this to fix her up whether or not they realize I had the juice in it???

Thanks for checking up guys, appreciate it.

civicking

you know this whole thing might be from a blown torque convertor becasue its in contact with the crank it might make it hard for the engine to run and that might give you all the werid things thats happening, its just a thought. i mean if its putting a ton of stress on the motor it will heat it up a lot, its like putting stress on a electrical device it heats up. but like i said its just an idea.

scalbert

A very hot engine and the misfires could be a sign of a completely blocked catalytic converter.

typeR

from the look of those plugs...id guess the cat is shit too

rtatsutani

After changing the plugs and oil, do you guys think that acura will be able to tell what caused the problem if the cat and other things are shot? I'm just wondering if they'll still allow me to use my total care extended warranty on this pita situation I put myself in?

civicking

they might know something is up, do you have any of the install holes left over, and they are going to wonder what happened if they see the the motor is blown or something, and they might send the car do honda for testing, i have known it to happen especially if its going to cost them a new drive train basically.

rtatsutani

Damn, that sucks. Even all the way over here in the lava fields of Hawaii? They're definitely going to know it was installed. There's way too many obvious signs. NOS gauge on the interior, two toggles, holes in the intake and plastic molding for dual purge, electric , guess that's all I can do.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I'd say let them diagnose it for you, then be prepared to open up your wallet.

scalbert

IMO, it is your responsibility regardless. You decided to run nitrous and have had resulting problems. Acura shouldn't have to pony up for this.

blk2001tlon19s

I'm thinking what could have happened. I had a zex kit on my car for over a year w/ no problems. I was also running a 75 shot mostly while using the zex spark plugs. Hope everything works out for you.

shineynitelite

rtatsutani

My guess is the two loose plugs they left in the back left corner? It had a good 2 turns to be completely seated??? But I'm not sure if that would do it?

rtatsutani

Unfortunately I agree as well. Too bad I took out the two loose plugs they installed for me. At least I would've had some kind of grounds for a slight argument. But like you said, nitrous being installed is just asking for a "Not a chance sucka" response.

All Mine

So what happened?

rtatsutani

They've pressure tested the cylinders and found #2 to hold no pressure at all. Car is still at the shop today. They said they're gonna bill me for 5-6 hours of labor to open up the engine to investigate the problem further. Whether or not the warranty covers it (investigative labor and repair bills), the extended warranty agent is coming down to take a look and decide. I spoke to a local speed shop and they said they've seen a bunch of these instances and there is no way to prove that there was nitrous in the car and that faulty plugs have been know to do stuff like this so I will be ok. I have no clue if he's right, but assuming he is not lying, and he has seen this before, I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and take his word for it.

So Scal and shiney, you both think I should just be honest and tell them what I did and pay for the damage myself? Or further implying that I should investigate Zex for possibly selling me faulty plugs which may have cracked under average zex nitrous applications, or even a faulty solenoid module? At this point, it is not assumed that using the nitrous caused the failure of the number 2 cylinder, but could be many other things like a faulty head gasket, valve guide/s, debri, inappropriate plug install by acura, etc... Just because nitrous was the obvious culprit, there are many other reasons that could have caused this to happen considering dozens of people use it w/o a problem and that I was running standard sized jets and acompanying hardware, there's no real reason to assume it was.

scalbert

I'm not suggesting either way. But the evidence points to the use of the nitrous regardless of the actual source of the issue. Had nitrous not been used, the problem most likely would not have occurred.

Just FYI, the sulfur deposits may tell a tale of nitrous use. If they see yellow in there you will be on your own.

I wish you the best of luck though in whatever happens.

rtatsutani

Thanks for the wishes, I'll need it. My service agent was not happy since he too is assuming that something else was the culprit.

All Mine

Did you happen to leave the nitrous gauge in there?

rtatsutani

Hell no, took everything related out. Even the toggle switches. Unfortunately I left in the FP gauge and the A/F gauge which the service agent claimed was very suspicious.

shineynitelite

yeah, well somehting was deffinatly not right w/ the motor IMO


i wouldnt tell them, if i can run 125 hp dry on a 4 cyl for months and months w/o any problems, you shouldnt ever EVER have a problem w/ a 75 w/ a lot more displacement

Chemmech

Hopefully just the engine is shot, the cat is pretty expensive $1300.

Allout

That's as much as a shortblock.

shineynitelite

did i hear test pipe..... 50$ max

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

I wish I saw this post earlier. I would say that you probably have blown a ringland or the rings themselves are shot. You said it sounded like a WRX. That is b/c it is misfiring but in all likelihood I bet you they will find that the #2 cylinder has a blown ringland or blown rings. What were the #'s in all the other cylinders? Were they in range of what Acura specs say they should be? Was there more than a 10% difference between any of the cylinders?

Chemmech

Yep

rtatsutani

They said #2 was the only one showing a complete loss of pressure. I assumed that the rest were all within spec or he would've told me? At any rate, if it's the ringland or the rings themselves how much would that fix be?

civicking

well depending on how bad the block is damaged it might need to be bored out, finish honed, and a new bigger piston installed. i would say its a good 10 hour job doing everything by the book.

rtatsutani

Noways, so you're saying it may be under $1000 for labor? If so then I'm gonna go ahead and do the 3.5L swap if warranty don't cover it and get the whole shabang for under $2500? Well, forgot to add the $500 acura is charging me to open up my engine to further investigate the loss of pressure issue.

civicking

well a 10 hour job at a rate of 80-100 dollars an hour, thats about what the labor will cost you. so i think it might be time for the swap.

rtatsutani

k guys, need some info. Acura called me back and said that they know I had NOS in the car. They cannot prove it but there is a couple of obvious signs that I had it in there. 1) hole in intake, FP and A/F gagues. He says I have some options. Chance it, pay acura $700 to open up my engine to show the warranty folks the damage and risk losing my balance on my extended warranty ($800). He claims they have claims people who are smarter than their acura mechanics who know I already had nos by the obvious signs. People claim that it's impossible to trace nitrous but regardless, if I win (he claims no chance) I get everything covered by extended warranty, if I lose, I lose my $700 and also void my $800 credit of warranty. 2) just take my car to a local speed shop, rebuild the motor with 3.5L parts (no clue what the rough cost would be) and get my warranty credit of $800 back as well as pay the $200 for acura's current services. The only thing with this is that I will also concurrently be voiding my 100K trans warranty either way.

Anyways, fill me in guys. If you got solid estimates on my engine repair amount, I may decide to just go that route and say screw acura. Otherwise, I may take that big chance in having them prove I had it installed. Court, chemical testing, I don't know.

typeR

i relocated my IAT sensor from the rear of the upper intake manifold to the intake tube for a more accurate reading of ambient temps ...it's a 12 mm bolt 1,50 thread ...lots of ricers have gauges they dont need...and or maybe you were about to add the super charger

ghost_masterCL

word, nice one type r, wait we're helping him try to get free service for doing somethign eh shouldn't have.... hmmm ethics springs to mind.... then gets thrown in the trash bin.

rtatsutani

Good idea. Thanks typeR. I will tell my service agent I will chance it. What the hell, seems like it's worth the risk! Anybody know if acura is affiliated with Easy Care? If they are, then my service agent's more than strong suggestions would make sense.

scalbert

IMO, they have better laywers and will conclude you have had nitrous in the car.

The question you have to ask is if you want more power. That will direct your next step. Either way, plan on shelling out about $4000 minimum either way. Mostly likely upwards of $5000+.

scalbert

Just FYI, it is reading lower temps, not more accurate temps.

However, relocation could be considered grounds for warranty denial. You have altered the electronic control system as it was designed. Being speed density the IAT is more critical. They could claim that this also caused the damage as the ECU was not responding as it should due to improper signals.

Now, this is obviously not a real issue. But they can make the claim and in court it would probably hold up.

typeR

im not arguing here but the job of the IAT i would think is to read ambient...and not a mix of ambient and the heat soak of the upper intake...alittle furthure proof is that acura relocated the IAT in both the 04 TL and RL ,placing it next to the throttle body