danimal

Help! I have a 2001 S2K with 197,000. I've been having all kinds of issues for a year now. First it started with running rough, backfiring and misfires. After much hassle with finding out the hard way to not by cheap Chinese coil packs that can't keep up with the revs I finally got rid of the misfire/sputtering for a little while... With BRAND NEW JAPAN made HONDA Coil packs all four.

Then a few months later more problems with misfires and bogging and stuttering/sputtering. So replaced fuel pump and filter myself. Helped a little.. Then I replaced the CAT with a HONDA cat. Helped a little. Then I replaced the Second o2 sensor the one that's actually mounted inside the cat/post cat. Helped a little. All throughout these months the codes have ranged from o2 sensor low voltage or out of range to random misfire or specific cyl misfire to ignition sys general problems to exhaust system general problems. To even TPS sensor low voltage. So i swapped the entire THROTTLE body/with TPS Sensor with a used motor I bought for spare parts. The problems persisted.

Unfortunately for some unknown reason a local shop changed my oil with 5W-20 oil instead of the normal 10W-30. (just to note, i don't know if that's causing more problems)

Replaced the VALVE COVER gasket and VTEC Solenoid Gaskets.

Then recently its been bogging when floored and when idle dying constantly. Have to give it alot of gas to NOT die. still misfiring and backfiring. The only CODES it's thrown recently is T.P.S. Sensor voltage is LOW.


Then last night I tried to drive it home from my local mechanic after he said if I don't have him order the HONDA $800 THrottle bODY and sensor and him install it that I can NEVER BRING It back to him to fix. So I drove away never to return to a mechanic i trusted and used for 3 years and gave at least $7500 in total repair costs. which included a total transmission rebuild with all new gears and synchros.

I immediately noticed a high pitched whining about the engine I've never heard before that was kinda loud and annoying that went higher in pitch with the RPMs and sounded like what you hear on AM Radio when your alternator is BLeeding thru the broadcasts.

The engine was boggy/ hard to keep running, died at every light.... and was not happy. I barely got home... tried to keep it running at the driveway and after less than 2-3 minutes of attempting to keep it running/idling by giving it enough gas to stay above 2K it just died HARD and INSTANTLY with somewhat of a nasty poop fart plop sound.

I couldn't restart it since... the battery was very low.... oh and BTW.. during these last few days of using the car and trying to start it whether successful or not.. it's been progressively tougher and tougher to start.. with a seemingly deader and deader battery with slower and slower and weaker starts with progressively more dimming and completely turning off dash/display/lights as I attempt to start .

I got out of the car and looked at the engine.. immediately noticed something I've never seen before white smoke coming from the intake. Took off the OIL fill cap and huge plooms /puffs of WHITE SWirly and thick heavy slow to disapate smoke come out and the entire crank case/valve area is filled with this smoke.


The battery was charged overnight with outboard charger.. still won't start and then AAA came and same problems. They say the battery is marginal but the car might have fuel/ignition issues preventing it from starting.

On all these recent attempts to start the car it barely turns over more than once and wont continue to turn over till you let go of the start button and try again.

The only codes I have from the OBD for the last week is TPS Sensor Voltage is LOW.
I even watched all the live engine data the entire drive home last night and didn't notice too much weirdness except maybe the fuel TRIM WAS REALLY HIGH the Timing was somewhat more advanced than normal, and the o2 sensor voltage was constantly fluxuateing from high to low to high quickly... and the MAP Sensor was high


PLEASE HELP PEOPLE...

what's going on with my engine. Why won't it start, why is it so bogged and where should I start... after already replacing the fuel pump, ignition coils, CAT, and trading out the THROTTLE BODY/TPS??

RacerXI

Pull the plugs and see if there is a strong fuel odor. Also check the oil to see if it smells like fuel. I wonder if you have an injector issue. I'm stuck at the fact you've replaced so much. Also, if you have a multimeter, check to see what voltage you're seeing on your TPS.

2002AP1

i'm mainly a diesel guy but white smoke out of the oil cap is typically blowby (rings).

danimal

Thank you guys... I"ll post more when I find out more. Anyone else's suggestions welcomed!

If I can't get it started at all what does that mean?

zeroptzero

Dump the oil and see what it looks like, open up the radiaotor cap and see how the coolant looks. Pull the spark plugs and see how they look, take a look down into the plug tubes and check out the tops of the pistons. If you can pull the oil pan that may help too.

Plumes of white smoke is a bad sign, it sounds like multiple issues at work here, from a possible coolant leak, or spark plugs that have loosened, to a spun rod bearing (whirling noise), and possibly scuffed cylinders. Very hard to diagnose over the internet but you are going to have to dig deeper into the engine I'm afraid.

s2000maniac

I know this probably wont help much butHave u done a valve adjustment?

danimal

ACtually The last thing I had my mechanic do just a week or two ago was replace the valve cover gasket, and the VTEC Solenoid gasket and to check the valves for adjustment if necessary. He says he either made slight adjustments to the valves or they were still in spec... i can't get a firm answer out of them now that they suddenly after years of service and money said they will never work on my car again because they are tired of me coming to them with parts to install vs. having them order the parts and mark them up.. and bringing the car to them after I tried to fix something and couldn't or only fixed it partially.. and or just constantly bringing it with little specific things to do vs. just pay them no matter how much to fix everyrhing until it's TOTALLY fixed...

So YES I just had a VALVE ADjustment and THIS REPAIR IS when it just started WHIRLING high pitched and for the first time since I've owned it 9 years ago it won't start just THUDS.

s2000Junky

Sounds like weak spark. Have you checked/replaced your alternator?

danimal

I'll check the alternator next. Good suggestion! thanks.

danimal

OK. I don't have it solved just yet but I'm getting closer.

Thanks to your suggestions and countless hours checking into a million possible problems and causes for dead battery, dead alternator, dead hid ballast, non-starting, but ran rough and backfired misfired just before it died, just had valves adjusted, just had vtec solenoid gasket replaced, changed Throttle body/s and TPSs, and much more...


and after all this... a year or so worth of hell, hassles, and money lost or wasted.. I'm about to verify if my Alternator is dead or severely failing...and I believe it has been causing my year long spark and misfire and burned out coil packs issues... (not to mention DO NOT BUY AFTER MARKET CHEAP CHINESE MADE HONDA 'oem' Coil Packs.. THEY WILL NOT WORK!!! They will idle fine, but if you try to drive above 3400RPM's they are RETARDED)....\



IF MY Alternator is dying or dead,,, it probably caused my battery to fry, and it also probably caused my Drivers' side HID Ballast to FRY, and it probably also caused my ECU to freak out...

and if this is the case.. Then The Alternator was KILLED by a unfortunately severely overdue VTEC SOLENOID Gasket replacement because of the untold months and months of oil spraying all over my lower engine and transmission and exhaust....

and if that is the case...

Then the OIL LEAK VTEC KILLED my o2 sensors and Cat.... all of which i've replaced twice in 2 years.

And If I'm wrong on most or all of this... There are only a few unlikely remaining sensor and reset / simple and or / free ISSUES I can attempt before I have to start facing the unthinkable reality that maybe....

maybe my engine is toast due to oil starvation for the second time meaning 3rd engine replacement time....
and or a valve was dropped/ fried during or after the recent valve cover gasket replacement and valve adjustment which was performed by a well qualified and experience ASE more AMERICAN motor Mechanic definately not honda man.... after which he mysteriously told me after 2 years of nearly $8,000.00 in business to never return to him again unless I was going to leave my car there and have them check the entire engine out, and order the HONDA Direct parts to fix it for the last time no matter the cost or time which included a $700+ HONDA Throttle Body just for the TPS.......


OR that the Engine is some how TOAST / FRIED / SEIZED due to too many months of driving it RICH and misfiring uncontrollably, and with a 'sound port' hole cut out of the exhaust just past the cat, and allowing the engine to get a few quarts low on oil several times a year for the last 1-2 years because of the leaks, the laziness and the stupidity of this owner.


BUT I HOPE TO GOD it's the f@#king alternator! and maybe a TPS, MAP, IACV, o2, cat, Knock Sensor, or twitchy ECU.


Cross your fingers peeps! And Go ahead and say shame on me for letting the vtec leak and low oil issues occue for too long... that's definately a big FUBAR on my part. and for that I withdraw my man card for the Forum.

So.. If there is anyone in DALLAS FORT WORTH NORTH TEXAS that is a good S2K Mechanic or tech or guru and you would like to be my last consult before declaring the engine toast if the alternator and little things i'm about to try can't get it started and running again.... PLEASE CONTACT ME... and After I give up.. I'll tow it to you or your shop or wherever.. and pay you a reasonable FEE/WAGE anything within reason...... to do the Final check on Compression/ Valve / Crank / Oil pan Floated Metal of Doom check... and then ill be on here looking for people and parts to start over for the third time