92 Civic VX Spark Plug Fouling?

[cmlamb2vx]

Got 41.8 mpg on last fill up with almost all stop/go driving and short trips (15 min or less). Does this seem about right or should I expect more out of my VX? I just got my Honda tstat installed and we'll see how that goes on the next tank. Need to check and see how my plugs are looking. Will check and post some pictures.

[101mpg]

This is sounding better. If it's city driving, definitely. If you get the hotter thermostat you ought to be back to normal. Let us know what the new plugs look like.

[GasSavers_TomO]

Sounds like it's heading in the right direction for getting better FE, congrats and I'm waiting to hear how the next tank goes.

[Gary Palmer]

You've gotten some great guidance, so far.

On your engine warming up and the electric radiator fan, what your describing is normal behavior. The thermostat serves to block flow through the radiator, until the engine gets up to a given temperature. The heater hoses go directly to the block, essentially, so on any day you might be using the heater, the heater will typically pull enough heat, to keep the engine in it's operating range.

The only time you might typically see the radiator fan even come on would be on a 100 degree plus day, driving at lower speed, up a long grade. Then the engine temperature will have to get above about 1/2 way, before the radiator fan will come on. The fan operates off of a relay, with a thermal switch at the bottom of the radiator.

The only other way you might see it reach a temperature where the fan will even come on is if you do a very tight grill block, run up a grade and don't use the heater, at all.

If your up to 41 mpg, unless it's running rough, I'd leave well enough alone.

[cmlamb2vx]

Well, I pull the plugs and took some pictures. The spark plugs have about 200 miles on them all city, short trip driving. They don't look much better than the previous pictures. Still look like they're fouling due to too much gas. I've not had too much time to troubleshoot the great guidance I've gotten so far, but will try to start as soon as I have time to do so. The forum only allows 97k size pics which doesn't allow much detail to be seen. If you want to see the full size pictures, just send me a private message and I can email them to you.

[jadziasman]

You can try posting the images on www.flickr.com Not sure what the file size limit is though.

[GasSavers_bobski]

Is the engine burning much oil? Have you done a compression test? Excessive blow-by or a PCV issue could be allowing excessive oil vapor or mist into the intake manifold. If it's a PCV issue, the center two intake runners would get the largest dose of vapor.
You could try switching the fuel injectors around (just move them to different manifold runners) to make sure it isn't the result of clogged or leaking injector(s).

[101mpg]

That's what I was thinking. Swap 1 & 2, and 3 & 4 - see what you get. Make sure you have cleaned the plugs right before retesting. New PCV valve is nearly painless to the pocketbook. Do check the PCV hose(s) as well - a cracked hose can hurt too.

How is oil consumption?

Originally Posted by bobski

Is the engine burning much oil? Have you done a compression test? Excessive blow-by or a PCV issue could be allowing excessive oil vapor or mist into the intake manifold. If it's a PCV issue, the center two intake runners would get the largest dose of vapor.
You could try switching the fuel injectors around (just move them to different manifold runners) to make sure it isn't the result of clogged or leaking injector(s).

[kamesama980]

as for hoses....coolant is pumped through the engine, through the thermostat, out the upper hose to the radiator, then from the lower hose to the water pump to the engine again. if the lower hose is cold, GOOD. if it's warm, eh. if it's HOT, start worrying because it's starting hot and will only get hotter!

as for the pics, try www.photobucket.com. max size is 1024x768 unless you use another uploader like flock in which case there is no individual limit. 1 gig total limit, no pop-ups when people click on the links, links readily available, no excess of crap on the site, pretty darn simple and reliable in my experience

[GasSavers_bobski]

Originally Posted by kamesama980

as for hoses....coolant is pumped through the engine, through the thermostat, out the upper hose to the radiator, then from the lower hose to the water pump to the engine again.

Well, in the VX's case, the water pump outputs directly into the engine block. From there, coolant can run through the heater core (if the valve is open), through a bypass hose back to the water pump intake, or through the intake manifold's tiny component heater lines. If the thermostat opens, coolant can also flow out of the engine block through the upper radiator hose, down through the radiator and back to the thermostat housing via the lower radiator hose. The thermostat housing acts as a coolant manifold - it collects all the returning coolant (radiator return on one side of the thermostat, everything else on the other) and feeds it down a roughly one-foot metal pipe on the back of the engine block which plugs into the water pump intake.

Originally Posted by kamesama980

as for the pics, try www.photobucket.com. max size is 1024x768 unless you use another uploader

Take a look at the photobucket uploader window. See the size limitation blurb in the upper right corner? Click options and change it to max 1 MB. You should be able to manage twice that resolution with appropriate compression.