A funny sound and some smoke.

[tony1977]

Hey All, a really long post here, and probably riddled wth spelling mistakes, please forgive that.

Hoping someone out there will be able to help me out with this. I have a 91 Beat - runs well - but is having a few small issues. It does not burn or go through any oil.

1) A funny sound. Sort of a high pitched whine when the engine is below 3k. I heard another Honda Beat and it did not make the same noise, but I have seen videos of others that do.

Here is a couple short and lame videos of it making the sound (only have my mobile here). The loud roar in the first video is a jet overhead.

Video1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YGysDADp1M)
Video2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUXd4BXhwK8)

Here is a video off youtube of another guy's beat. Seems to make the same noise. The poor little beat.

Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXn6v3wRuZ4)

2) I seem to be having a rich running condition. The engine seems to over fuel after revving. If you rev it to 5k and then back off, you get black smoke for a few seconds. Same thing after running it for awhile. Once it drops back to idle, it runs rich again. Now and the it will produce a small backfire, or more of a burp really.

So far I have taken the following steps.

- Checked and cleaned the Distributor cap. Had some buildup on the contacts but cleaned off it is like new. Centre connection is fine.
- Checked Rotor (good shape)
- Set engine timing and idle
- Replaced all Caps on the ECU (they were bulging, but not exploded).
- Checked engine compression. All cylinders are the same (100 PSI /6.9)
- replaced Air cleaner and spark plugs.
- Cleaned the throttle body

The previous owner cut a large hole in the air cleaner cover (I guess to allow higher airflow). I have patched it - but it may leak a small amount of air. My understanding is that would cause a lean condition though. Working on replacing that anyway. I can see it causing problems if the engine has a Mass Airflow Sensor or Intake Air Temp sensor and the head of the intake.

I was thinking of heading in the direction of O2 sensor or coolant sensor (reporting the engine is always cold and overfuelling).

Any advice would be most appreciated.

3) In the attached pic - the circled device (I think it is the idle control valve) there seems to be some green residue around the base of it. Doesn't look like anitfreeze, but I am not exactly sure what it is. What is this device. Does coolant run throuhgh it?


And that brings me to the last and final.


4) Position of Sensor - does anyone had a diagram with the position off all of the engine sensors?

Again any help or advice would be most appreciated.

[Paul w]

Sounds a bit metallic to me, rather than rich running. Waterpump on its way out? Or (dare i say it) Dizzy seizing?

PW

[tony1977]

The engine has both the whine and the rich running condition - I don't think they are related.

I will check out the distributor this week. The noise seems to be coming from the area of the A/C pump. I am going to drop the serpentine belts as well - see if it goes away.

[Siu]

hi, it might be help u, do u change the timing belt? Last time i bought the beat it sound good, but after change the timing belt, it become sound like yours beat. This may because of the belt not really fit to beat. I also no idea to do it and timing belt i bought from Honda Japan. I think it won't damage to your beat.

[Steve_M]

IMO

Noise = Cambelt too tight.

Running problem = ECU damaged (other damage caused when capicitors fail)

Stain = Coolant leak from IACV valve (Idle Air Control Valve)

HTH

[tony1977]

I took it into a JDM mechanic last night, and he said the whine is fine. The problem with my particular car is that the Air cleanner cover has a hole that has been patched with thinner material and it is making the sound louder than it should be. He started another beat on the lot and it made the same sound, just not as noticible. In person the sound is not as shrill as the video sounds.

As for the running rich. The ECU was in fantastic shape when I pulled it apart. No caps had blown, only slightly bulging. They are thinking along the same lines that the O2 sensor is dirty or getting tired. As well I have not been running Premium in it, and they may cause some issues (87 here, equiv to 91 RON). I am runnng 94 now (equiv to 98 RON).


They are pretty good there and work on alot of JDM vehicles, so I am going to take it in for a full inspection, make sure nothing is hiding.

Thanks for your suggestions

[adrianp]

The ECU was in fantastic shape when I pulled it apart. No caps had blown, only slightly bulging.


I'd start thinking about getting them changed, they're easy & cheap to do...

When they blow a couple of things normally happen...

1) the car doesn't run as well as it should,

2) the contents of the capacitor starts eating it's way through the tracks on the board if left long enough... :eek:

Glad you have (hopefully) sorted the noise out though.

Ady.

[tony1977]

Sorry - should have made that clearer, I was pulling it apart to replace the caps. All caps have been replaced.

Glad about the noise as well. The other beat I heard, it has no A/C connected, that may account for the difference in sound as well.