Increased PSI resulting in engine working harder? Discovered Dent in oil pan

[add|ct]

Well, for rolling resistance improvement I just increased my PSI to 40 on my front and 36 on my rear tires(manual calls for 35/32; max allowed on current tires 44/36)...but I didn't like the strain on the engine. Just those 4/5 PSI added on each the front/rear respectively, it had the engine shimmering when under full load(VTEC) w/ AC a little earlier. It definitely felt like the engine was working harder anyway.

So, with the amount of miles on the car and not being on a full synthetic yet, I'm just not sure if I want to do higher PSI until I go full-syn for at least 1 oil change interval if its going to cause my engine to work this hard.

Also, my oil pan has a relatively small dent about 2-3 inches from the front bottom lip on the oil pan leading towards the back/drain plug. I could take a pic later. Previous owner probably ran over something. Anyways, it looks like it has a small scar about 1-2 inches in the center of this 'dent'(perhaps a small 1/2 inch of pan is raised upwards toward engine block). Since its not level across this may be causing some of the seepage I'm having of oil, or not. I sorta want to replace the entire oil pan now. The scar in the center of the dent is bare metal, no longer the black coating.

Thoughts on PSI and increased engine wear? Sure, it wouldn't hurt if no VTEC or full-engine load, but I want to be able to drive the car hard at times if I need to without second thoughts of my engine wearing faster.

[theholycow]

I don't understand. How would increasing your tire pressure increase your engine load? It doesn't make sense, and I've never heard of it working that way for anyone. My guess is that it's a coincidence with something else or your perception is off.

If it somehow is increasing the load on your engine, then it will decrease your fuel economy. In that case you'll definitely want to stick with normal pressure.

[imzjustplayin]

I was thinking the same thing as theholycow.

[GasSavers_Krayzie]

increasing tire pressure is in no way related to how the engine is operating. fact.

[cems70]

100% impossible for increased tire pressure to increase the engine load. Like HC said, it's a coincidence with something else going on or your perception is off.

[imzjustplayin]

maybe there is something up with his axles or CV joints. When you add enough pressure, it changes the relative position between the transmission and the wheel, causing it to act funny. I have no idea as it's speculation but it does seem strange that adding air could even cause such a thing.

[jmf]

I've been running 45 psi on my vx(I think the tire max is 44), and it works fine. The increased pressure does make the bumps harder.

[add|ct]

Wow, you guys are completely spot on. I know my outer tie rods need replacing and its probably out of alignment. My thoughts were along the lines of it feeling like a rougher ride just after inflating some. I suspect that isn't much of a change in hindsight to have affected engine performance in the way I was suggesting.

Really I'm having problems with another area happening all together here. My car has been acting differently since I put on my new drive belts. It kinda 'shutters' and the idle RPMs will drop below that 500 mark and I hear this 'click-click-click' or 'tick-tick-tick' sound; if you will, coming from the transmission/clutch(behind the radiator/fan to the passenger side of engine bay)?

My battery was recently discovered to be low on fluid, though, and as mentioned new drive belts were installed just after topping off the fluid. Though, battery acid wasn't added, only distilled water so my mixture is probably at a low-acidity level. I had to jump start a 6 cylinder Honda van the other day, perhaps 2 weeks after I had filled my cells back up. That was only a week after the radio reset the time again. I'm trying to do longer trips and wait to use the AC until I'm well into a trip.

Perhaps the feel of the car change is to do with an electrical problem? The alternator or battery not able to keep up with energy demands when AC running or like tonight the sound was when idling in the driveway after returning home. Headlights, AC on, and in neutral w/ park brake applied. I popped the hood and got out to listen for the clicking sound's location, as the compressor kicked on/off and both fans were running/drive belts making their own 'norm' noise. I surmised it to be coming from the tranny clutch, but why would the transmission or clutch be making clicking sounds while parked?

I've checked all of my fuses under the hood and under the instrument panel, they seem good. At first I thought the 80A Battery fuse might have been blown under the hood, I guess its the only one of those kind that have a black colored wire thingy(lol its late) instead of a copper one? At least when compared to the other fuses with 30A+ in that fuse box next to the battery. I took some pictures earlier of the engine with a HD camera. I'll post them up later.

I've only had the M/T fluid changed for less than 10k miles. I learned how to shift without the clutch, as this is my first manual, but only ground the gears 2 times in that process and didn't force it afterward. I don't actually drive that way, but wanted to learn how to do this(shift without the clutch). Yes, I still use the clutch. Could that have thrown my tranny off somehow? It has a different feel while shifting normally now. Not as smooth as before trying the 'no-clutch' thing. I don't have much experience working on a car, but I don't have any problem wrapping my mind around technical things and I'm trying to avoid going to the mechanic for that unless I have to.

The symptoms seem to occur with heavy acceleration or electrical load. So, I don't think the timing is off and I get good compression/performance overall.

I may just need to bite the bullet and get a new battery. I wanted this one to last until the winter, though.

Any thoughts? Could this just be a weak battery?

[Philip1]

most likely you have several things against you... the worn out tie rods and poor alignment that will inevitably result will have your tires trying to go down the road sideways. a battery that is low on water could be a sign of an overcharging alternator. These two alone can make the car feel sluggish but combined they will make it feel like you are trying to push a wall.

[add|ct]

Originally Posted by philip1

most likely you have several things against you... the worn out tie rods and poor alignment that will inevitably result will have your tires trying to go down the road sideways. a battery that is low on water could be a sign of an overcharging alternator. These two alone can make the car feel sluggish but combined they will make it feel like you are trying to push a wall.

Astute deduction sir. Thank you. I believe the battery is indeed simply old, but it was low at the hot post and lower at the cell on the other side next to the negative terminal. My dad used to work in the 80s servicing for Interstate Battery. I could do an Alternator test to be sure, though. I say this because we had trouble starting in the winter, though it always finally would, and left the headlights on a couple of times for 15-20 minutes because we simply didn't hear any indicating alarm with this car. Must be spoiled with newer cars. Ugh.

...as for the alignment, I know my MPG will stink more for it, but I may just have to drive these old Via2s into the ground, since they are simply old, and when I need a new set, finally get the outer tie rods/boots/alignment all at once.

Those things are indeed putting a strain on the engine, as far as feel at least, than anything else. I wasn't connecting the two before, so focused on the tire pressure change. Maybe it was a long day?