1980 Civic Burns Oil After Adding

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:20:57 -0800, "Chris F." >
wrote:

> This project seemed to be nearly wrapped up, with little more than a paint
>job remaining to be done. But as I mentioned in a previous post regarding
>the carburetor, the engine had stopped running and would only flood when I
>tried to start it. I have since taken the carb all apart and thoroughly
>cleaned it, as well as checked for things like leaking diaphragms etc. I
>also changed the spark plugs and checked for other ignition problems. While
>I had the carb out, the thought occured to check the oil level, since I
>hadn't yet done so. I was shocked to find only a drop on the end of the
>dipstick - it looks like the last owner not only didn't change the oil, but
>didn't even bother to check it. So just temporarily, I dumped in a quart of
>5W30, all I had handy, not knowing what type of oil was already in it. Once
>the carb was back on, the engine once again was able to start and remain
>running, though with some idling issues due to the carb being out of
>adjustment (another story). But this time, the engine was burning oil -
>enough to produce a visible smoke. Now I'm worried it may need an engine
>rebuild.... but oddly, it wasn't burning oil at all before - not even enough
>to produce an oily smell in the exhaust. So I'm wondering if it has more to
>do with the oil being dirty, or perhaps having more than one type mixed
>together. It reminds me of an old lawn mower we had when I was a kid, it
>used to belch clouds of smoke every time it was started, until someone
>finally changed the oil (for the first time in 7 or 8 years) and then it ran
>like new again. This car, however, may have been run for up to 17 years and
>over 90,000km without an oil change.... so perhaps the prognosis isn't good.
> Thanks for any advice.
>


Have you posted any pictures of this project of yours?? I have to
admire your dogged determination to keep this Honda on the road.

On Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:46:49 -0500, "C. E. White"
> wrote:

>
>"Steve" > wrote in message
.. .
>> Chris F. wrote:
>>> hange the oil every
>>>> 3-4,000 miles. Enjoy it. Then kiss it goodbye when it throws a
>>>> rod...
>>>>
>>> If I get this project finished, I intend to keep it running for
>>> as long as I'm around - if I have to rebuild the engine, it's not
>>> such a big deal considering how much work I've already put into the
>>> car.
>>> I hate the look of modern vehicles and would never want to drive
>>> one, with the possible exception of the Jeep Cherokee. I like these
>>> old cars, particularly Japanese ones, and I believe it is my
>>> mission in life to preserve as many of them as possible.
>>>
>> Just dang. When did a 1980 Civic become an "old" car??
>>
>> Answer: when I got old :-(
>>
>> For me the 80s were a dark pit of automotive crappiness that I'd
>> never even think about preserving (with the possible exception of a
>> Buick GNX). But I still can't bring myself to think of 80s cars as
>> particularly "old."
>
>Shows that you are getting old! When I was 16 (1969) I thought a 1961
>Ford Starliner was an ancient piece of junk (a freind had one). I
>can't even imagine what I would ahve though of a 1939 Ford back then.
>
>Ed
>


I'm working on a 69 firebird. It's 41 years old yet it really doesn't
seem like an old car. It's always been my feeling that right around
the mid to late 60's there was a major shift in car design that
separates two epochs, the "old" and the "new".

On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:15:21 +0000 (UTC), Tegger >
wrote:

>"Chris F." > wrote in
:
>
>>>
>>> For me the 80s were a dark pit of automotive crappiness that I'd
>>> never even think about preserving (with the possible exception of a
>>> Buick GNX). But I still can't bring myself to think of 80s cars as
>>> particularly "old."
>>
>> They might not be "old" compared to most classic cars, but it's the
>> scarcity of some of these cars, particularly imports, that makes them
>> worth preserving. The first-gen Toyota Tercel (1980-83), for example,
>> is probably one of the hardest to find
>
>
>
>I saw, to my utter shock, one of these in my town of 15,000 people. I
>didn't get a look at the VIN plate, but I'd guess it around 1980. It's the
>ONLY one I've seen in at least 10 years.
>
>And last week I saw a Hyundai Pony. Really. It was moving under its own
>steam down the highway. And a few weeks before that a Plymouth Horizon,
>again from about 1980. And just after that, a ~'75 Mustang II, with
>sprayed-on primer, yet. To my tooth-gnashing frustration, these things pass
>by far too quickly for me to get out a camera and capture them.
>
>You southerners be quiet. In the Rust Belt, older cars are extremely rare,
>especially in winter. Those like me cherish every sighting.


I saw a real running not particularly beat up Chevette on the road a
couple weeks ago. It had been a LONG time since I saw one of those.
And a couple months ago I saw a Yugo being driven around.

Ashton Crusher wrote:
> On Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:46:49 -0500, "C. E. White"
> > wrote:
>
>> "Steve" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Chris F. wrote:
>>>> hange the oil every
>>>>> 3-4,000 miles. Enjoy it. Then kiss it goodbye when it throws a
>>>>> rod...
>>>>>
>>>> If I get this project finished, I intend to keep it running for
>>>> as long as I'm around - if I have to rebuild the engine, it's not
>>>> such a big deal considering how much work I've already put into the
>>>> car.
>>>> I hate the look of modern vehicles and would never want to drive
>>>> one, with the possible exception of the Jeep Cherokee. I like these
>>>> old cars, particularly Japanese ones, and I believe it is my
>>>> mission in life to preserve as many of them as possible.
>>>>
>>> Just dang. When did a 1980 Civic become an "old" car??
>>>
>>> Answer: when I got old :-(
>>>
>>> For me the 80s were a dark pit of automotive crappiness that I'd
>>> never even think about preserving (with the possible exception of a
>>> Buick GNX). But I still can't bring myself to think of 80s cars as
>>> particularly "old."
>> Shows that you are getting old! When I was 16 (1969) I thought a 1961
>> Ford Starliner was an ancient piece of junk (a freind had one). I
>> can't even imagine what I would ahve though of a 1939 Ford back then.
>>
>> Ed
>>
>
>
> I'm working on a 69 firebird. It's 41 years old yet it really doesn't
> seem like an old car. It's always been my feeling that right around
> the mid to late 60's there was a major shift in car design that
> separates two epochs, the "old" and the "new".

To me it seems to have happened in the early 70's, about the same time
as we got the smog motors etc. Everything got color-keyed and
plushified. I still prefer the older stuff, myself, even though I'm not
old enough to remember it new. My dad still has my grandfather's old
'73 pickup and he knows I'll put him in the crappy nursing home if he
ever sells it

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

=?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?= >
wrote in news
> On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:30:32 +0000, Tegger wrote:
>

>>>
>>> Same here, especially the TE72 Corolla that's WAY overdone.
>>
>>
>>
>> I had two of those, an '81 and an '82. Both were Liftbacks, just one
>> of a staggering SIX body-styles for that generation.
>
>
> I was going to get a Liftback (1980) but went with the Coupe,



I did consider the Coupe (which I found better-looking), but its steeply-
sloped rear hatch cut down significantly on cargo capacity, so the Liftback
it was.



> which in
> Japan was the Treuno (and the same model as my 1985 "Hachiroku"
> Corolla GTS) and was the first Toyota I took over 200,000 miles...WELL
> over. In Japan it got an earlier version of the DOHC engine asan
> option.


Yup. The 2T-GEU, as I recall.


--
Tegger

=?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?= >
wrote in news
> On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:51:01 +0000, Tegger wrote:
>

>>
>>
>>
>>> which in
>>> Japan was the Treuno (and the same model as my 1985 "Hachiroku"
>>> Corolla GTS) and was the first Toyota I took over 200,000
>>> miles...WELL over. In Japan it got an earlier version of the DOHC
>>> engine asan option.
>>
>>
>> Yup. The 2T-GEU, as I recall.
>
> Hmmm...a G series engine, eh?
>
>
>



A T-series engine with a twin-cam head.

The nomenclature, decoded:

2T = T-series engine, second revision

G = "Performance" twin-cam ("F" would be "economy" twin-cam)

E = "Emissions-controlled" (or maybe "injected"; not sure)

U = JDM engine


Our Tercel has a 5E-FE engine. Our old MR2 had a 4A-GE. You can work it out
from there.


--
Tegger

On Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:39:50 +0000, Tegger wrote:

> Our Tercel has a 5E-FE engine. Our old MR2 had a 4A-GE. You can work it
> out from there.

Yup. I had the 5E-FE in a Tercel also. And a 4A-GE in my Hachiroku.
And a 7M-GE (wish it had a "T" in there) in my Supra...

I think the E stands for Electronic Fuel Injection.

The '83-97 Corolla came with the 4A-GE for the GT-S and a 4A-C (carb'd) in
the sedans and the SR5 models

About 30HP difference!

>
> Have you posted any pictures of this project of yours?? I have to
> admire your dogged determination to keep this Honda on the road.

I suppose it's only fair that I show you guys some pictures, so you can
see what you've been giving me advice on. I haven't taken very many pictures
of this project, but you can still get a general idea
Here are a few pics for your amusement.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_1.jpg
The car as it looked when I acquired it. The worst of the rust is of course
hidden out of sight.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_2.jpg
The interior, before. Lots of material had faded or torn from sitting in the
sun.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_2.jpg
Here's what was hiding under the carpet, after I had chipped away the loose
stuff.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_4.jpg
The floor repairs well underway. Afterwards the floor was primed/painted/and
coated with gravel guard.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_5.jpg
Rebuilding the right rear fender, since it couldn't be replaced. This is the
only way I could figure out how to do it. Once the welding was done I built
it up with figerglass and a Bondo-like filler, and I will eventually sand it
to the shape of a fender before painting.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_5.jpg
Working on the seat upholstery. For the drivers seat (left), I replaced the
vinyl at the sides but left the original fabric in the center, since it was
still pretty good and I couldn't find anything to replace it with. For the
passengers seat, I instead only repaired the existing material rather than
replace any of it, to keep it as original as possible (and to save some
work).
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_7.jpg
A view of the typical working conditions this time of year. I've since
shoveled this out and could now drive the car out if it were ready.
All that remains is to weld the exhaust system, find and correct the cause
of the burning oil, do a paint job, and a few minor things like fix the hood
release. I'd like to see the car completed by spring but with my health
problems I can't guarantee anything. At least if I don't get to complete it,
I won't be leaving much work for the next guy.

On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:35:36 -0800, "Chris F." >
wrote:

>
>>
>> Have you posted any pictures of this project of yours?? I have to
>> admire your dogged determination to keep this Honda on the road.
>
> I suppose it's only fair that I show you guys some pictures, so you can
>see what you've been giving me advice on. I haven't taken very many pictures
>of this project, but you can still get a general idea
> Here are a few pics for your amusement.
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_1.jpg
>The car as it looked when I acquired it. The worst of the rust is of course
>hidden out of sight.
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_2.jpg
>The interior, before. Lots of material had faded or torn from sitting in the
>sun.
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_2.jpg
>Here's what was hiding under the carpet, after I had chipped away the loose
>stuff.
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_4.jpg
>The floor repairs well underway. Afterwards the floor was primed/painted/and
>coated with gravel guard.
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_5.jpg
>Rebuilding the right rear fender, since it couldn't be replaced. This is the
>only way I could figure out how to do it. Once the welding was done I built
>it up with figerglass and a Bondo-like filler, and I will eventually sand it
>to the shape of a fender before painting.
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_5.jpg
>Working on the seat upholstery. For the drivers seat (left), I replaced the
>vinyl at the sides but left the original fabric in the center, since it was
>still pretty good and I couldn't find anything to replace it with. For the
>passengers seat, I instead only repaired the existing material rather than
>replace any of it, to keep it as original as possible (and to save some
>work).
>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_7.jpg
>A view of the typical working conditions this time of year. I've since
>shoveled this out and could now drive the car out if it were ready.
> All that remains is to weld the exhaust system, find and correct the cause
>of the burning oil, do a paint job, and a few minor things like fix the hood
>release. I'd like to see the car completed by spring but with my health
>problems I can't guarantee anything. At least if I don't get to complete it,
>I won't be leaving much work for the next guy.
>

It's a nice little car. I like the red interior. Don't like the
snow. Does it have independent rear suspension?

"Chris F." > wrote in
:


> http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_5.jpg
> Rebuilding the right rear fender, since it couldn't be replaced. This
> is the only way I could figure out how to do it.



You need to start reading restoration magazines, like Britain's Practical
Classics, or like Hemming's Classic Car. They cover restoration projects
that involve metalwork, which gives you a really good idea of what's needed
to form such complex shapes as a wheel well lip. Forming such a thing is
NOT easy OR quick.



> http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...aproject_7.jpg
> A view of the typical working conditions this time of year. I've since
> shoveled this out and could now drive the car out if it were ready.



Yow! You must be /way/ out east. Here in Ontario we've had a big melt-back,
with maybe two or three inches total remaining.


--
Tegger