so i finally figured it out... one of my pistons are not holding compression... what do i do next?

 

its either rings or a HG... try running the motor, from cold, with the cap off the radiator. watch for any bubbles/steam/spurts of coolant shooting out, and this will be indicative of a HG...

if you do a compression test, and get poor results in one cylinder, try adding a oil-quart-cap-full of oil, through the plug hole, and see if the compression goes up a tad, that would indicate worn rings...

and might i add SHIT!, this is what i was fearing for my motor, just havent gotten the compression gauge up here from home yet...

GL bro, hope its a HG!

 

btw what is HG?! completely clueless...doew it mean hand grenade

 

hahahah head gasket bro....

you got two wearable sources of compression leaks in an engine, the headgasket and the rings.

you can also have bad valve-guides, valve seats, bent valves, cracked or chipped pistons or cylinder wall gouges - all of which may cause compression leaks, but none of which are easily repairable (except the pistons, simple replacement).

so we hope its a HG, cuz thats the easiest, then if its not a HG, we hope its rings, cuz anything else is considered pretty major damage...

 

the guy at discount told me to add a quart of lucas and that might help it, so ill try that bc i have to change the oil anyway...

 

what were your compression numbers? and how fast did the leaky one leak?

 

i havent checked the compression yet...but i can hear it driving down the road, it sounds like a wrx turbo motor......u know how that sounds

 

i do indeed... but check this out:

went to autozone and rented a compression gauge (cuz mine is at home) to test compression. the first one i got worked fine for cylinder one, but then the hose popped off the fitting in the spark plug thread, so i had to go get another one. the gauge on the second one didnt seal on the hose, so i had to use some electrical tape to get the quick-connect to seat, but it seemed to be holding pressure ok... maybe....

heres the numbers, from #1-4:
30-50-40-50

and with a capful of oil, they jumped to somewhere about:
75-90-65-75

so, my motor is completely shot according to this gauge. BUT, when i checked it with the first gauge (cylinder one only, before it broke) it was holding steady at 150. so, either the second gauge was shit, or my headgasket has a big chunk flapping in the breeze that likes to re-seat itself on occasion.

the thing is, it runs ok... stalls alot, idles pretty bad, but has decent power.

so ima check it once i get home on next tues, and then prob rebuild it completely...

***EDIT***
just for reference, the standard for the B18B1 is 199 psi, the minimum is 140 psi, and the max variation is 28 psi...

 

well i def. need to check the compression then, bc my motor probably sounds like urs...at least all the same symptoms...

 

yea apparently people have more problems with B18B swaps than any other swap...

guy at the acura dealership up here who plays with hondas on the side said he actually had to sell one cuz it had so many issues... and if the fuckin acura techs cant fix em, we're all doomed