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Hi Moose,
I would think that if it were burning that much oil there would be
significant blue smoke out the tailpipe, but perhaps the
catalytic converter is doing its job and fully oxidizing the oil.
But if it is not leaking or blowing it out, it almost has to be getting
into the combustion chamber and burning it (e.g.,getting into the intake
through a crack or a leaking gasket, or getting past the rings, or through
the crankcase ventilation system, etc.).
Usually the oil scraper rings slowly wear down and oil consumption
increases incrementally over time. It sounds like this increased oil
consumption started suddenly which may not indicate ring wear. It could be
a broken ring or a chipped piston, etc.
I might pull the plugs, take a compression check of each cylinder, look at
the plugs to see if they are oily, etc. If you have a borescope (they
are about $20 now for use with your phone or laptop) and take a look into
each cylinder with the piston at the bottom of the stroke to see if there
are any scrapes, signs of damage, odd wear, etc.
I think the key would be to try to figure out where the oil is going first
before deciding on what to do. These engines are probably good for another
100K miles under normal circumstances, but due to labor costs, rebuilding
the engine may cost more than the value of the car unless you do it
yourself.
If the bore is worn, it probably makes more sense to grab a good junkyard
engine and do the swap, but it would be a shame to do so if the oil
consumption is caused by a bad head gasket or something simple to fix with
the engine still in the car.
On Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 3:59=E2=80=AFAM Moose <eric@megageek.com> wrote:
> I forgot the most important part, engine has about 154,000 miles.
>
> Moose
>
>
>
> My SO has a daily driver of a 2000 Honda Accord EX with a 2.3L I4 F OHV
> engine. She loves this car, and it's in REALLY great shape. She has had
> the car for a little over 3 years and she changes the oil every 3000 mile=
s
> faithfully. The only problem, about a month or so ago the SR5 and check
> engine light came on. I got the codes and it was coming on the evap leak=
.
> As I was looking for into it, it seemed to be a problem to diagnose (need
> smoke generator, computers to turn on an off relays) and my time has been
> split with lots of other projects. So I made an appointment with my loca=
l
> trusted mechanic. Note, recently we also got her another car, so she
> switches between them and this isn't a daily, but semi-daily driver.
>
> Then 2 days ago, the oil light comes on. She checks the oil, the stick i=
s
> dry! She puts some oil in (it takes 3 qts to come up to full.) Then drive=
s
> home. I check it the next morning. A qt low. So we take it out for a
> short ride. No blue smoke under load, no white smoke. Very faint smell =
of
> burning oil. No leaks anywhere. I did an oil change in March, and she
> hasn't put 3000 miles on it yet.
>
> For a last hope, I check the intake hoping to find oil in it and maybe
> it's just an erg valve. No oil. 8>( So, car is burning oil. I do some
> research and find that some Hondas had issues with rings.
>
> OK, a ring job is more than likely more than the car is worth, but here i=
s
> the rub. The car is in great shape, and she LOVES the car. So I'd be
> willing to put money into it, even if it was more than it was worth as sh=
e
> would want to keep this one for a long time.
>
> My questions are...
>
> Is there anything else I can check? (Note, I don't think I'll see a
> problem with compression testing as the oil can still 'seal up' the
> cylinders, right?)
> Could this be related to the codes? (I don't believe so, but I'm not that
> well versed on Hondas.)
>
> Would a ring job be better than a re-manufactured engine?
>
> Has anyone ever put a re-manufactured engine in a Honda? I did one in my
> Jeep decades ago and it went well.
>
> Thanks. _______________________________________________
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
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>
>
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Hi =
Moose,</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></di=
v><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I would think that=
if it were=C2=A0burning that much oil there would be significant blue smok=
e out the tailpipe, but perhaps the catalytic=C2=A0converter is doing its j=
ob and fully oxidizing the oil.=C2=A0</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" sty=
le=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font=
-size:small">But if it is not leaking or blowing it out, it almost has to b=
e getting into the combustion chamber and burning it (e.g.,getting into the=
intake through a crack or a leaking gasket, or getting past the rings, or =
through the crankcase ventilation system, etc.).</div><div class=3D"gmail_d=
efault" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" st=
yle=3D"font-size:small">Usually the oil scraper rings slowly wear down and =
oil consumption increases incrementally=C2=A0over time. It sounds like this=
increased oil consumption started suddenly which may not indicate ring wea=
r. It could be a broken ring or a chipped piston, etc.</div><div class=3D"g=
mail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_defau=
lt" style=3D"font-size:small">I might pull the plugs, take a compression ch=
eck of each cylinder, look at the plugs to see if they are oily, etc. If yo=
u have a borescope (they are=C2=A0about=C2=A0$20 now for use with your phon=
e or laptop) and take a look into each cylinder with the piston at the bott=
om of the stroke to see if there are any scrapes, signs of damage, odd wear=
, etc.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></di=
v><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I think the key wo=
uld be to try to figure out where the oil is going first before deciding on=
what to do. These engines are probably good for another 100K miles under n=
ormal circumstances, but due to labor costs, rebuilding the engine may cost=
more than the value of the car unless you do it yourself.=C2=A0</div><div =
class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div class=3D"g=
mail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">If the bore is worn, it probably ma=
kes more sense to grab a good junkyard engine and do the swap, but it would=
be a shame to do so if the oil consumption is caused by a bad head gasket =
or something simple to fix with the engine still in the car.</div></div><br=
><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D=
"gmail_attr">On Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 3:59=E2=80=AFAM Moose <<a href=3D"m=
ailto:eric@megageek.com">eric@megageek.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockqu=
ote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px=
solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-ser=
if">I forgot the most important part, =C2=A0engine
has about 154,000 miles.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif">Moose</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif">My SO has a daily driver of a =C2=
=A02000
Honda Accord EX with a 2.3L I4 F OHV engine.=C2=A0 She loves this car,
and it's in REALLY great shape. She has had the car for a little over 3
years and she changes the oil every 3000 miles faithfully. =C2=A0 The only
problem, about a month or so ago the SR5 and check engine light came on.
=C2=A0I got the codes and it was coming on the evap leak.=C2=A0 As I was
looking for into it, it seemed to be a problem to diagnose (need smoke
generator, computers to turn on an off relays) and my time has been split
with lots of other projects.=C2=A0 So I made an appointment with my local
trusted mechanic.=C2=A0 Note, recently we also got her another car, so
she switches between them and this isn't a daily, but semi-daily driver=
.</font><font size=3D"3">
<br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
Then 2 days ago, the oil light comes on.=C2=A0 She checks the oil, the
stick is dry! She puts some oil in (it takes 3 qts to come up to full.)
Then drives home.=C2=A0 I check it the next morning.=C2=A0 A qt low.=C2=A0 =
So
we take it out for a short ride.=C2=A0 No blue smoke under load, no white
smoke.=C2=A0 Very faint smell of burning oil.=C2=A0 No leaks anywhere.
=C2=A0 I did an oil change in March, and she hasn't put 3000 miles on i=
t
yet. =C2=A0</font><font size=3D"3"> <br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
For a last hope, I check the intake hoping to find oil in it and maybe
it's just an erg valve.=C2=A0 No oil. 8>( So, car is burning oil.=C2=
=A0 I
do some research and find that some Hondas had issues with rings. </font><f=
ont size=3D"3"><br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
OK, a ring job is more than likely more than the car is worth, but here
is the rub.=C2=A0 The car is in great shape, and she LOVES the car.=C2=A0 S=
o
I'd be willing to put money into it, even if it was more than it was wo=
rth
as she would want to keep this one for a long time. </font><font size=3D"3"=
><br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
My questions are...</font><font size=3D"3"> <br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
Is there anything else I can check? =C2=A0(Note, I don't think I'll=
see
a problem with compression testing as the oil can still 'seal up' t=
he cylinders,
right?) <br>
Could this be related to the codes? (I don't believe so, but I'm no=
t that
well versed on Hondas.)</font><font size=3D"3"> <br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
Would a ring job be better than a re-manufactured engine?</font><font size=
=3D"3">
<br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
Has anyone ever put a re-manufactured engine in a Honda?=C2=A0 I did one
in my Jeep decades ago and it went well.</font><font size=3D"3"> <br>
</font><font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif"><br>
Thanks.</font><font size=3D"3"> </font><tt><font size=3D"2">_______________=
________________________________<br>
<br>
</font></tt>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div>
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