View Full Version : is the zc a gross polluter?
What should I do to make the engine run leaner? Are there certain parts I should replace? The idle sits smoothly at around 800 rpms and on average I get about 30 mpg, but ther's always white smoke blowin and it smells too. My friends with motor swaps in thier civics (i'm the only zc awp though) dont have the excessive smoke blowin. Is it just the zc motor that smokes or is it just mine and what if anything can I do to lessen the smoke?
Chrisfrom1986
11-12-2006, 05:45 PM
White smoke means your burning coolant.
" Low "
11-12-2006, 05:49 PM
needs a new gasket, and or warped head....
95 ZC LX
11-12-2006, 06:28 PM
mine doesnt smoke...you have a problem...
CrazyConscious
11-12-2006, 06:30 PM
Yea, if its white smoke it needs a new headgasket.
If the head gasket is blown it would be losing coolant at a relatively alarming rate but it's not. I remember my original d16a6 losing coolant and that was because of its bad head gasket. The smoke goes away after the motor warms up a bit and usually at its worst at cold temps, its the smell that leads me to believe that the motor is runnin rich. It smells like fuel and it never goes away. Cold weather, warm weather, hard drivin or just cruisin, I always smell fuel.
" Low "
11-12-2006, 08:00 PM
mine was leaking and i barely noticed it was low at all, so it wasnt too ALARMING, as you so eloquently put it....!
95 ZC LX
11-12-2006, 09:08 PM
usually a blown headgasket shows up IN the coolant, remove your radiator cap (when cold of course), start the engine and see if you have a geyser out of it.
you sure its not "blue" smoke, if it goes away after warmed up...maybe its the valve guide seals...
"rich" would be black smoke...are you running a cat? i have a "test pipe" on and my exhaust smells too...but it does not smoke like you said yours is...
Chaos325
11-12-2006, 09:59 PM
its just running rich, all my motors did the same. Get better plugs or msd.
Chaos325
11-12-2006, 09:59 PM
its just running rich, all my motors did the same. Get better plugs or msd.
Chrisfrom1986
11-12-2006, 10:02 PM
its just running rich, all my motors did the same. Get better plugs or msd.
No jackass, white smoke is not running rich. Black/gray smoke is running rich. White is coolant and blue is oil.
K2e2vin
11-13-2006, 08:23 AM
no need for name calling.
DirtyDC4
11-13-2006, 11:09 AM
no need for name calling.
Also no need for telling someone to get MSD and ruin a perfectly good ignition system. (//_-)
usually a blown headgasket shows up IN the coolant, remove your radiator cap (when cold of course), start the engine and see if you have a geyser out of it.
I followed your advice, no geyser, nothing, good flow. I am running a cat. One thing I've been pondering as to the problem is at the headers. I got the headers off of a 88-91 civic lx/dx sedan, my car is a 91 civic hatch si. I recall the grind down job I did on the exhaust manifold ports could have and should have been better. What other symptoms are there for a motor needing a valve adjustment, besides the ticking noise?
JaredKaragen
11-13-2006, 12:50 PM
white smoke=blown headgasket.
it _is_ possible for your head or IM to be cracked/warped and letting coolant in that way. And it does not have to be alot of coolant to cause a huge problem.
one more slight possability that would be checked and replaced during a HG: IM gasket.
so do a HG, it should solve 99% of your problems!
JDMEF7
11-13-2006, 09:13 PM
white steam = headgasket
white smoke = brake fluid.
Have you been losing brake fluid? If your Master cylindar is leaking it can fill the booster and suck the fluid into the engine through the vacuum line.
Makes white smoke and it stinks, great for cleaning your combustion chambers though.
noodles025
11-14-2006, 08:04 AM
Also no need for telling someone to get MSD and ruin a perfectly good ignition system. (//_-)
I was under the impression that MSD ignition systems were great i was gunna get one for my ZC is this a bad move???
CrazyConscious
11-14-2006, 08:07 AM
I was under the impression that MSD ignition systems were great i was gunna get one for my ZC is this a bad move???
There is no need for them. The stock ignition system is fine. In my turbo z6 i run a stock ignition system with step colder plugs and everything is fine. :TU:
JaredKaragen
11-14-2006, 12:39 PM
Honda's ignition works awesome!
One thing you could do is use a replacement coil that fits inside your distributor: MSD and ACCEL make one.
kyle h.
11-14-2006, 02:41 PM
all cars have white smoke/steam before they warm up, usually because of condensation inside the exhaust pipe...especially in cold weather.
and I can't tell you how many times I read a post like this before, your car is fine, it's a honda.
edit: and msd ignition setup it not nessesary.
JaredKaragen
11-14-2006, 07:55 PM
MSD is for domestics.... because they don't properly engineer their shit beforehand.... lol
Volitech
11-15-2006, 04:56 AM
Anyone who says msd is only for domestics is a dumb ass!!! Do you have any info to back that up? I have a turbo charged zc and adding an msd system was the best upgrade I ever made to my honda! with a turbo charged engine they boost pressure can easily blow the spark right out on a stock ignition system weather it's a domestic or import.... Just because someone is to stupid to figure out how to utilize an msd system doesn't mean it's bad....
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