EM1 B16a2 - Munching Fuel / Running Rich

[Micko]

hey guys, today i noticed that after using half a tank of optimax that i have only travelled 160 kms ... i have read other em1 posts related to this and there hasnt been any confirmation to what there issue is.

My car is stock and im going to go out at lunch today and buy new spark plugs, o2sensor.. i dont have any warning lights as such but sometimes i think vtec doesnt want to engage and my temprature seems to be steady at 40%.. im getting black smoke come out after i drop down a gear and boot it..

so far im assuming im running rich, perhaps to rich and i will be able to know after work today when i install my AFR to find out how rich im running.. but as for fuel would this be tied in with running way to rich?

anyone else had this problem in an em1 and what did they do to fix it?
i also have a camera with me today so if you need to see anything i will take shots and post.

thank you for any help you guys can give me.

[barefootbonzai]

There wouldn't be any reason y a stock car would be running super rich. Very strange that you are only getting 160km's though.

Is it just in your head or are you sure? And what do you mean when you say vtec doesn't want to engage?

AFR gauge won't tell you anything unless you got a wideband one which cost quite a lot, and is pretty useless to someone running an untunable stock car.

[Micko]

yeah i know what you mean, its not going to be "untunable" for very long,.
if i knew what to get for my car i would have already bought it and put it in...
but i dont want to do the wrong thing for my car, i want it to be perfect.. without **** ups. /or get the wrong parts

the gauge hasnt been installed yet, but i did buy it for when i am able to tune my car,. as for vtec sometimes it feels like it engages and then some lagg/sluggish might accur(had to explain in words, possible just a fuel issue). im not thrashing my car i'm mostly changing before 5500 RPM when im just going from A to B, so i dont understand why my car pumps out black smoke when wanting to use vtec/power,.

i want to get this car tunable asap, where can i go to buy this gear!?
i've also got a decent laptop is there a way to hook it up and be able to monitor my engines activies? (if it requires after market gear, tell me i will get it)

[barefootbonzai]

I think you need to take it one step at a time bro. Sounds like you are wanting to do it properly though, so that's good. I've sent you a PM.

[Micko]

Thank you mate, i know i get really impatient and i need to be told to sit down and STFU from time to time.. but i will not buy anything else without ozhondas approval :) if it wasnt for ozhonda, i'd be doing ridiculous things to a sexy EM1 .. which is bad cos i dont want that lol

[wynode]

Check out the Fuel Economy FAQ (linked in the sticky of this forum).
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30815

[barefootbonzai]

lol, your choice. I guess i'll leave it up to the e-mechs to show you how to hook your laptop to your engine. Just in case you get the "Danger to Manifold" warning.

[Micko]

lol, your choice. I guess i'll leave it up to the e-mechs to show you how to hook your laptop to your engine. Just in case you get the "Danger to Manifold" warning.
oh, i wouldnt even dare try do it myself, was just wondering if it was possible and if there was some good software monitoring, just use for statistics and etc,. i dont know much about what you can do but i'm sure it would be handy to know realtime engine data..

thanks wynode it was good information, i have filled tank up top and let it run down to half way for a more accurate reading. i have also reset ECU (again) and petrol isnt as bad as before but black smoke still seems to come out exhaust after hard excelleration, im now pointing my fingers at o2sensor..

EDIT: i've goten alot more in travel today which is alot better, but i doubt my ecu would be changing settings on me, is that even possible?

[bennjamin]

Your right foot has a drastic effect on what fuel economy you get :)
Make sure you arent abusing it and sitting in VTEC all the time.


BTW might be your cat has collapsed or the o2 sensor is iffy - any tingy noises at any RPM's ?
Try this DIY ECU test and see if it throws a code too
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8218

[Micko]

ahhaha yeah, i dont like to rev the car unless i have to or another honda drives past me smiling,then i will get up the revs, but other then that i have noticed some sort of noise, i will listen more carefully next time,.
but i have taken it out one night and was giving it some good pokes and after i returned home i got cat system smell...

i will try the DIY once i get out of work. thank you

[aaronng]

I sense that your O2 sensor is giving your ECU a lean signal. Happens the USDM Accord Euros pretty often. Thing is that it doesn't throw a CEL for the O2 sensor. Get another O2 sensor to test out. Also, since you've been running so rich, you cat would have been compromised.

[JasonGilholme]

I sense that your O2 sensor is giving your ECU a lean signal. Happens the USDM Accord Euros pretty often. Thing is that it doesn't throw a CEL for the O2 sensor. Get another O2 sensor to test out. Also, since you've been running so rich, you cat would have been compromised.

True that. Your cat sufferes badly when ya car is running too lean or too rich.

[Micko]

kewl thanks heaps guys, i will just go buy new o2sensor and upgrade cat when i do the exhaust system upgrade.. i will also post back once i check to see if there are any engine ecu error codes.

ta fellas :D

[aaronng]

kewl thanks heaps guys, i will just go buy new o2sensor and upgrade cat when i do the exhaust system upgrade.. i will also post back once i check to see if there are any engine ecu error codes.

ta fellas :D
Wow you're rich. :)

[SINISTR]

O2 sensors are about $150 bucks ... for aftermarket ones.

Honda charges about $400 for an O2 sensor...

[JasonGilholme]

OMFG! :eek: you serious?!?!?!

[JohnnyVtec]

How ya goin micko,

M8 you might wish to take the car to honda and have them check out your dizzy+internals of it.

Cheers,:thumbsup:

[Micko]

How ya goin micko,

M8 you might wish to take the car to honda and have them check out your dizzy+internals of it.

Cheers,:thumbsup:
Yeah, theres a service comming up, so this weekend im going to take it down early to southside honda and get them to look at it,.

and guys i will spend whatever it takes to make my honda purr like it should!
instead of coffing out black shit everytime i wanna put my foot down....

[Limbo]

yeah your car is extreme, even if i vtec all the way i still get like 350km per tank

[aznpsuazn]

have you actually finished a tank of fuel as of yet? i dont think using the half-mark is an accurate way to measure your fuel consumption. mine seems to be a bit excited in the top half of the tank and drop quickly, but by the end of the tank im still getting satisfactory mileage despite what the needle may indicate.

[czy_sol87]

the black smoke might just be condensation, cause u said ur self that u dont vtec it alot, but when u do black smoke comes out, but then again all hondas, blow smoke when reved to redline
i was at a honda dyno day recenctly and every honda blew smoke

[DOHCTR Coopz!]

yah what czy_sol87 said.. my EM1 blows quite alot of black smoke too! i see it on most of my mates cars too..
ur fuel consumption also depends how u drive it as someone else mentioned before... u rev up to 5500rpm for daily driving?? i personally dont find the need to rev that high for daily, 3500-4000rpm is more then enough to get u from A to B. well it does for me neway.. :)
and yeah.. u seem like stinkin rich!! lol

[wassup]

aside from the other suggestions you might also want to consider replacing the plug wires. Its actually recommended that they be changed every 2-3 years and this is not part of any honda service.

Have mine replaced on my previous EM1 after 5 years and the fuel consumption and power improved noticeably.

[zco]

check your tyre pressure. low psi = more fuel consumption leave it above 35psi

[JohnnyVtec]

Anything above 32psi is Overkill, unless you drive a tractor.




Cheers,

[Micko]

problem solved, apperently where the fuel rod is, there is a screw under that.. is had a few turns done to it :/ ****s me why that was done
i'm getting heaps more mileage and a better spark :)

but my honda service is the major service at 200,000. apparently/or so they tell me they practically replace everything they can. this service is going to be over 1 grand :E

thank you all for helping me out with my issue i am very greatful, k3! yall

[zco]

Anything above 32psi is Overkill, unless you drive a tractor.




Cheers,

not really. i drove on 33psi and get 400kms. changed it to 39psi and i get 520kms per tank. an extra 120kms per tank. do that on 4tanks and i save my self more than 50bux. no problems gripping. you wont be able to launch, but i dont hoon on the streets..

[JohnnyVtec]

not really. i drove on 33psi and get 400kms. changed it to 39psi and i get 520kms per tank. an extra 120kms per tank. do that on 4tanks and i save my self more than 50bux. no problems gripping. you wont be able to launch, but i dont hoon on the streets..



I'm not going to argue. Talk to someone with the time to educate you on tyre ratings,tyre sizes,tread patterns,radial belted tyres,tyre pressure,parasitic horsepower loss,traction,suspension damage,bushing damage,bearing damage. etc.


but hey, you save more than $50.00 so go for your life!


Cheers,

[aaronng]

I'm not going to argue. Talk to someone with the time to educate you on tyre ratings,tyre sizes,tread patterns,radial belted tyres,tyre pressure,parasitic horsepower loss,traction,suspension damage,bushing damage,bearing damage. etc.


but hey, you save more than $50.00 so go for your life!


Cheers,
LOL, don't try to pull the wool over people's eyes by using complex jargon. There are cars that need over 32 psi of tyre pressure and they either have soft sidewalls, are narrow tyres or have low profile. Your generalisation of 32psi does not hold water when you are looking at a car equipped with something low profile like 205/30 R15.

[christmas]

Don’t know if it’s been suggested already but it might be worth giving the ECU a reset you can find a article in the DIY section.

It will reset the ECU to factory which will be ideal for you as the car is stock the other thing to check is all your intake connections and stuff as we as throttle body.

[JohnnyVtec]

LOL, don't try to pull the wool over people's eyes by using complex jargon. There are cars that need over 32 psi of tyre pressure and they either have soft sidewalls, are narrow tyres or have low profile. Your generalisation of 32psi does not hold water when you are looking at a car equipped with something low profile like 205/30 R15.


M8,

You drive an accord, enough said........:wave:

[bennjamin]

M8,

You drive an accord, enough said........:wave:

No need for any sillyness mate. Keep the replies on topic.

Its a fact that less resistance = more km's per tank...that might be from less weight or better header/intake or even higher PSI in tyres.
There is always a drawback to every "mod" tho.