Cylinders are Leaking?

irevto9k · Post by **irevto9k** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:27 am

had a feeling it was are u sure maybe u didnt let someone drive it and they mis-shifted it or something? lemme find the directions on how to do a leakdown test for you on clubrsx.com then pending on how good you are mechanically you can find out where the problem is. Yea i got an 03 S

irevto9k · Post by **irevto9k** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:34 am

Not sure if there's any difference doing a leakdown test on a k20 engine as opposed to other engines, I kinda doubt it to be honest. First off, what you should be doing to start is a compression test. This will tell you up front if you need a head gasket. You can find them at Sears or through the snap on guy. Remove the fuel pump relay first so as to not flood the cylinders. One by one remove a spark plug and screw the compression tester line into the spark plug hole. Crank the engine for about 5 seconds or so and record the reading it gives you (see if you can get a buddy to help you out) move on to the next cylinder, and so on and so forth. Unless noted in a repair manual 125psi is good. A difference of no more then 25psi is fine (cylinder 1 @ 125, clyinder 2 @100...) If 2 adjacent cylinders (1-2, 2-3, 3-4) have low reading then its a head gasket and you'll have to remove the cylinder head and send it to a machine shop to make sure the head isn't warped.
Now if it passes the compression test you can move onto a leakdown, however a leakdown test is really for checking for cracks in the block or in valves. Usually a leakdown tester will come with a whistle type device (atleast the one at my work does). Otherwise you can us the pencil idea above or I know Snap On sells a TDC checker/locator. When the cylinder is at TDC and all valves are closed are when you get the true reading. If there is more then a 25% loss in a cylinder then listen to where the air is coming out (take out an injector, an o2 sensor for intake and exhaust, if it comes out there its probably a cracked valve.) take off the oil cap and the radiator cap. you might have a cracked block if its coming from one of those spots. Lastly, you might just have air locks in the cooling system. Find a Vacuum cooling system filler (also known as an air evac/purge) these will create a vacuum, sucking any air out of the system and then all you do is stick the hose into a bottle of coolant and it will fill it automatically.
Hope this helps

irevto9k · Post by **irevto9k** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:37 am

thats just some info i found on clubrsx ima keep lookin for some more info to help u cuz i know there are better directions to help u. And what dealer did u goto and does ur ecu have an engine overspeed code in it? Cuz usually for that to happen there has to be some sort of mis-shift involved. If u really didnt then try a different dealer cuz u should still be under warranty

t-78rx7 · Post by **t-78rx7** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:44 am

Should be warranty. Don't let them sell you bull shit, that you did it to the car. Go back and demand warranty work. Ha Ha I would.

b18b-t · Post by **b18b-t** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:46 am

yeah demand it be fixed.. thats why they have rev limiters.. if its an 04 and has a bad cyl then thats a defect.

irevto9k · Post by **irevto9k** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:50 pm

there is no way they will fix it if he has mis-shifted it that is driver error not mechanical defect. The rev limiter is no use when there is a mis-shift. He says that he didnt but i uno thats usually what causes bad compression tests and if he bought the car used the previous owner may have f*ed it up and just traded it in and the Ecu stores the mis-shift it doesnt store the date though just records highest rpms reached and there is no way to clear the code..yet

irevto9k · Post by **irevto9k** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:51 pm

mis-shifting is more or less a common prob on rsx's kinda easy to do if u hold the shifter wrong cuz the six speed has gears closer together

Stryder04 · Post by **Stryder04** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:39 pm

isnt mis-shifting kind of related to downshifting ... which is used for racing? ex. if u going about 35 (in a rsx) and someone pulls up, so u race ... i would most likely downshift from 4th to 2nd and rev match .... but i guess when u mis-shift you dont rev match so the engine would suffer ... well i dont know where im going with this comparsion lol

irevto9k · Post by **irevto9k** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:02 am

yea mis shifting generally happens when your raceing the most common is when your redling third and you pistol grip the shifter and go for forth gear and go right into second car drop the clutch. The car reves to like 13k or so it can sometimes survive and sometimes not just depends on luck of the draw i guess. Ive heard of it happening to people getting on the freeway little bit harder to go from fifth to second instead of sixth on accident but its happend

Stryder04 · Post by **Stryder04** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:22 am

ohh thats NEVER happened to me before ... ive never had it go further than 8200 and that was only that one time (i was racing a 2002 GT on the highway) i usually shift it at 7600, 7800 if im serious about the race ... but i very rarely race ... in my old age (19) lol ive found out that racing all the time isnt that great ... especially when things start to break ...