Hi all,

Sunday my Check Engine Light came on. Honda World Westminster said it is throwing misfire errors. Valve timing adjusted. Not holding. Cylinder 2 has compression that is a little low.

Honda told me I need work on that cylinder.

Make sense? They said misfires can trigger the Check Engine Light. Car has been a little rough at freeway speeds and occasionally had bad hesitation from a stop (thought that was maybe the MAP sensor).

2004 with 111,000 wonderful miles.

Thanks!!!!!!

Mike

 

It's POSSIBLE.... but there's way more to have a look at before you tear the whole motor down.

Honda is very often completely wrong, such as with my buddies motor just a few weeks ago..... I'll wait on that story.

I see no reason to have low compression at 111,000 miles honestly though it is possible.

First things:

1. What were the compression numbers for each cylinder?
2. Spark plug condition?
3. Map sensor checked? It's famous for hesitation as described ESPECIALLY after a recent rain where the connection gets fouled.

I'm betting strongly on the MAP sensor especially with the hesitation being at a stoplight and even more so as we just had a rain and the humidity was high for a bit.

Post the compression numbers if you could, low compression engines still fire fine, my jeep starts at 8:1 unlike the 11:1 S2K and as you can imagine it runs fine so it'd take a damn serious compression failure to equate to misfires.

-Greg

 

Have Alex (Balladesport) do a leak down and compression test http://www.balladesports.com/
one cylinder was low on my car, new double springs and keepers, new cam tensioner

Letting the dealership could be a several thousands $$$$

 

Hi Greg!

Need to get the compression numbers from Honda but my advisor is out today......

Mike

 

Thanks Bill! Car is at Honda now. Quote was not as bad as you mentioned, luckily hahaha....but we are not sure what the issue is yet...

Mike

 

Bill,

Alex sold you dual valve springs and new keepers? New keepers seems reasonable if the old ones were worn but why dual valve springs I'm curious, though I assume the valves weren't sealing well and it was a band-aid fix.

Mikey,

I doubt you've valve problems but you may have some cylinder ring wear, there's some fairly easy options to fix low compression as long as it's minor. Get the comp numbers when you get a chance. The key is not the number itself so much as it is the difference between each cylinder, generally 15% difference between two cylinders implies a problem.

 

Mike,

Regardless of who you end up using to diagnose and repair you car. Feel free to give me a call. I see this problem with S2ks everyday. I can have a definite answer of why your motor has low compression in an hour or two.

here is a thread with plenty of info:
https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/889...#entry21506758

 

A compression test only tells you part of the story. You need to have a leak down test done to find out if it is a head or block issue. Good luck!

 

I had one cylinder at 205 and other 230. maybe a tapped valve. when he replace the springs he said the problem one was
very loose valve could have been a poor valve adjustment 20-25000 miles ago.
The dual spring as I was informed was near the same compression rate but dual help close and keep closed. My OE
tensioner was chattering on start up so Alex had a modified one to install. All done 4000 miles and 6-7 month ago.

 

^This!

Mike,
Heading over to the shop will mean a real answer, rather than taking Honda's word for it, a much smarter move. You'll at least know the problem and your choices about fixing it etc.