"Honey Badger" Miata: Turbo Track Build (new brakes installed)

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by CleanNeon98

Among doing all this stuff recently I have been neglecting to check my oil (it was low today).

Sorry to hear that man. Hopefully its nothing too bad. I just checked the oil in my 96 Protege last week and realized I was low 1.5 quarts. My car takes 3 quarts, so it was half empty on oil. My engine was burning oil because it needs a new valve cover gasket. Luckily, thats an easy and cheap DIY.

If the engine needs a rebuild and you plan to junk it, let me know. I might be interested.

[StylezTA]

your engine is burning oil cuz it needs a new valve cover gasket.... don't u mean leaking?

[CleanNeon98]

There are a few things that happened from what I can piece together right now.

Typical oil burning in turbo car + bad PCV valve causing valve cover gasket seep + my neglect. I really don't know at this point though. I don't think the tune had anything to do with it because at the boost I was running and what my wideband was showing, it was a fine AFR. It might be something else too I don't know yet. Ideally I don't want to drop an engine in so if it's just a bearing or just a rod, I might be able to get away with a cheaper repair. If I can build the engine for the same price as swapping in a stock one that's definitely the route I'm going, not to run more power but for safety's sake.

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by StylezTA

your engine is burning oil cuz it needs a new valve cover gasket.... don't u mean leaking?

Look up, "Why engines burn oil?" All the search results said a high mileage engine engine burns oil because the valve cover gaskets tend to go bad.

I don't understand it too. ehow.com says the gasket leak causes the engine to burn oil.

[CleanNeon98]

It makes oil leak. Bad tube seals would make it burn. Tube seals come with the valve cover most times and go around the spark plug wells.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Probably lifter tap, but dude stop running it with the AFR that high, your going to lean out super heat and meltdown.

[CleanNeon98]

Is 12.5 really that high?

[DPancoast]

Yes. Even with stock timing, a safe tune should be from 11.0-12 at the most. Anything higher than that is asking for trouble. Especially when you start messing with timing or you get a boost spike or excessive heat.

12+ is too high for boost. Especially above stock. 12.8-13 is crazy lean

[CleanNeon98]

Then that would be my fault on cranking it too high. We'll see what happens. I was very disappointed at first, but I figure if my block and crank are in good shape I'll at least have a platform to start on. Who knows, I might even find a cheapie used engine..either way I can't see myself selling the car, probably the thing to do now is to finish cleaning out the garage, roll it in, and start working little by little.

[blue91lx]

12.8-13.0 is safe N/A territory.

For boost you should be a point lower, on 93 octane.

[CleanNeon98]

A guy on the MSM forum had the same thing when he bought his car and he said it was one of the bearings. I don't know if that's going to make it more or less expensive for me but definitely not driving it anymore so it doens't sieze completely. I really think this started pre-flash I just didn't notice it.

[jpalamar]

Mail order tunes strike again. Thats some horrible AFRs.

[OutToWinPAHC]

I could go back and quote where I said get a real tune, but you live and learn, now without someone hearing the motor and tearing it down don't take what the guy on a forum says. Get a wooden dowel and listen to the motor to see if you can hear exactly where the noise is.

[CleanNeon98]

It ran fine and made no noise at 10psi and 12.5AFR I know that because I put about 100 hard miles on it 2 nights ago. Started it up at home yesterday (no knocking) and I decided to turn the boost up to see what the real AFR were at 11psi (because my wideband was reading much better than the one from the dyno runs), guess I got too greedy. I only heard the knocking when I started the car up to go to lunch so it must have been the ride in that finally did it. My lesson to learn not to beat the balls off a car that's not completely tuned yet.

Until my buddy takes the car for the day and diagnoses it, I'll refrain from posting here.

[JDMTyler3326]

Originally Posted by CleanNeon98

Dude the funny thing is I saw you walking between some of the cars, and I thought it was you but I wasn't sure and wasn't gonna run up and go "are you Tyler?" haha. Thanks man! I didn't even get a good look at your car on your way in.

I dunno who you were hanging out there with but some guys were looking at my car and we were standing like 10 feet away and one of my friends said something to the effect of "don't look so hard its not even fast" to which the other guy proceeded to talk about how my air filter was dirty? I thought it was pretty funny cause it's just red, was that your boy?

Hahaha yeah was gonna come up and talk but to many people I didn't know and plus had my girl with me. And it's only a stock ls Integra nothing special. You guys there a lot? I'll go down next time!

[CleanNeon98]

I'm usually there with the Subaru crowd on Tuesday nights, if I make it up there anytime soon it's gonna be in the daily though. Oh yeaaaaa, VTEC power.

[CleanNeon98]

There is a way to check if its the bearing, pull the plug wire, but it's hard to do on my setup because I have 2 coilpacks and 2 wires, and the way they are configured its impossible to pull one at a time.

[CleanNeon98]

This is what it sounds like when its first started, once it warms up you can't hear the knock at all, only a little if you listen for it through a small exhaust leak, nothing under the hood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5vp1...1&feature=plcp

[Foolinaround]

Good god,drop the pan and take a gander under there before you do serious damage...

For serious check all your pulleys for play,including the waterpump. If everything is tight then its time to check the bottom end

[OutToWinPAHC]

Want me to come diagnose that quick and easy?