how to tell if my car is running rich?

[dsp26]

I do not know if this is a related issue but i just did a full service at k-mart last month and when i went to fix up my new suspension last week the workshop guys randomly checked my engine oil level and was shocked to find that it was only half full! he had to top up 1litre! also, he told me that the wrong oil filter was used. would that be the reason why the engine oil level dropped so much? or is it because my car is running rich? or is it because kmart simply forgot to top up even though they said they did??!??

how much oil have you lost since? know where the loss in oil is going to?

and how do you know your car is running rich without going to a dyno or emissions test?

[VTECMACHINE]

Rich is good. More Torque, engine runs cooler, and it's much safer up high in the rev range. Also if you track, your car lasts longer during each session. Doesn't run out of steam after 2-3 laps like a lean tune does.
Do you know what A/F ratio you are running? I'm running 10.8 it's FTW!

[beeza]

Great to know.

[johnny5]

Rich is good. More Torque, engine runs cooler, and it's much safer up high in the rev range. Also if you track, your car lasts longer during each session. Doesn't run out of steam after 2-3 laps like a lean tune does.
Do you know what A/F ratio you are running? I'm running 10.8 it's FTW!

i'm not sure what A/F ration i'm running as the car came with the VAFC when i bought it. having said that, my car runs very cool and temp hardly goes up. maybe thats an indication of running rich?

Also, i read on another thread about the engine running cool but that had to do with the temp sensors, cold weather, etc... going off tangent here. lol!

I looking for a place that will tune my vafc for me as its currently set to engage vtec at 6000, 5500! Anyone in WA know a good place to recommend? also anyone know how much it would cost to tune? about $200/hour? and the job would take about 2 1/2 hours?

how much oil have you lost since? know where the loss in oil is going to?

and how do you know your car is running rich without going to a dyno or emissions test?

i really have no idea where the oil is going to as i have been placing cardboards under my car to see where its leaking but there is nothing. Two seperate mechanics have checked the underbody and found no leak or trace of a leak.

I'm not sure if my car is running rich thats why i started this thread lol. someone made a passing comment to me that it may be that my car is running rich and just wanted to check on the forum for your opinions.

[beeza]

You could PM 'scyt7e',David,he is over there and will know a good place to tune.

[johnny5]

You could PM 'scyt7e',David,he is over there and will know a good place to tune.

haha yea i know david. thanks. was just wondering if there was anyone else in WA who could help me out as well.

[beeza]

Yeah,top bloke!

[schuebyTeG]

hmmm

I hope its the chip......not the engine screwed or anthing ..? ( cos its stripped and been raped abit im guessing ).

I just dont wanna buy problems.... and the exhaust all over the back end dosnt look good at all.

hmmmm i cant rly uninstall the chip without buying it 1st ...

[94dc2tegz]

running rich isn't a bad thing like people have said. your engine is actually running at a slightly lower temp probably because the fuel isn't burning as efficiently as it should thus not producing as much thermo-energy as it potentially can. but at the end of the day that just = more petrol down the drain, not the end of the world.

this has completely nothing to do with the cool your talking about. your thermostat meter should not move at all! it should warm up in 5mins or so, even longer then for the oil in various places ie gear box and etc etc but lets just say it's a normal day, start it up drive for about 5mins and ur temp gauge should go from it's resting place and creep upto about or just past the 1/4 mark (for me it just sits at the very edge of the water temp picture just touching it) anyway once it's there it doesn't budge unless your over heating. so if ur temp is going up and down depending wen ur driving or stopped at the lights then yes, u need a new thermo. cuz wen ur's is broken ur engine thinks it's always needing to warm up and never allows it to reach full potential so that may be a reason y ur always running slightly rich.

anyway, it's normal to have shit coming of the exhaust during vtec and of course ur running 'rich' during vtec cuz... well thats exactly what it is.. ur dumping even MORE fuel into the engine during vtec. so alot of ppl get a puff of black smoke here and there - nothing to be worried about.

as for oil levels, yes yours are ridiculously low so either they didn't fill up enough or an oil fairy is stealing it from u at night lol. but vtec burns oil like no tomorrow so if your engine is old and ur vtecing at every light ur guna lose a bit of oil so always check it on regular intervals. you don't have to wait till the work shop guys randomly check ur oil levels for you.

end of the day dont' goto k mart man. go find a honda specialist.

[migoreng]

i notice my exhaust tips can't stay shiny for more than 2 weeks...
does it happen to you guys?
lol

[94dc2tegz]

thats so random?

[VTECMACHINE]

running rich isn't a bad thing like people have said. your engine is actually running at a slightly lower temp probably because the fuel isn't burning as efficiently as it should thus not producing as much thermo-energy as it potentially can. but at the end of the day that just = more petrol down the drain, not the end of the world.

this has completely nothing to do with the cool your talking about. your thermostat meter should not move at all! it should warm up in 5mins or so, even longer then for the oil in various places ie gear box and etc etc but lets just say it's a normal day, start it up drive for about 5mins and ur temp gauge should go from it's resting place and creep upto about or just past the 1/4 mark (for me it just sits at the very edge of the water temp picture just touching it) anyway once it's there it doesn't budge unless your over heating. so if ur temp is going up and down depending wen ur driving or stopped at the lights then yes, u need a new thermo. cuz wen ur's is broken ur engine thinks it's always needing to warm up and never allows it to reach full potential so that may be a reason y ur always running slightly rich.

anyway, it's normal to have shit coming of the exhaust during vtec and of course ur running 'rich' during vtec cuz... well thats exactly what it is.. ur dumping even MORE fuel into the engine during vtec. so alot of ppl get a puff of black smoke here and there - nothing to be worried about.

as for oil levels, yes yours are ridiculously low so either they didn't fill up enough or an oil fairy is stealing it from u at night lol. but vtec burns oil like no tomorrow so if your engine is old and ur vtecing at every light ur guna lose a bit of oil so always check it on regular intervals. you don't have to wait till the work shop guys randomly check ur oil levels for you.

end of the day dont' goto k mart man. go find a honda specialist.

Your stock water temp gauge should move around. If it does move, you thermostat is definately NOT broken. Who told you that man?

If you were to look at a Water temperature gauge, it would go up when sitting in traffic up to around 90 degrees (in DC2R), and then when your driving depending on temperature, it will go down to sayd 75-80 degrees. Same thing applies with the stock guage on the clutser. Depending if it's summer or winter, the water temp can vary alot, and the needle will move.

Also VTEC is not a mechanism for dumping fuel into the engine.
And, not all VTEC engines burn oil... only screwed ones. My DC2R on 105,000km's doesn't burn a drop of oil - even on track days. If your burning oil, it's either PCV system, piston rings or leaky oil filter/sump plug/ sump gasket. Take the car to Honda man.

Generally if you are running VERY rich, you can tell. It's normal to blow a bit of black smoke out of the exhaust in VTEC. Not Blue or White though.