Short version - I just bought an '03 Element with 200,000 miles and a blown motor. Our local junkyard had a motor out of a '07 Accord with about 200,000 miles. Claims it ran good and will fit using the old plenum and throttle body. The plan is to put the '07 motor in the Element.
I was surprised to see a Honda motor fail with 200,000 miles. The insulator on one plug was stark raving white. One was about half white. Neither had any noticeable green tint. A third plug looked normal but has a fleck of aluminum on the shell. The last one was black and slick looking. Compression was 85, 65, 55, 0. Somebody else looked at it before I got to it so I don't know if the plugs are were in the right order. Radiator and oil were full. Oil pressure light went out spinning the motor on the starter.
The back two lobes on the exhaust cam are scuffed or scored but I think that is common in these motors (bad lifters ?). The cam chain is dead tight. I ran out of time to see if the timing marks are still lined up. My plan is to take the head off to see what the other end of the valves look like.
I don't want whatever killed the original engine to be problem with the second one. With the 'new' motor, checking the exhaust cam seems like a good first step. What else should be checked or replaced to have the best chance for a reliable engine ?
Thanks
Greg
I was surprised to see a Honda motor fail with 200,000 miles. The insulator on one plug was stark raving white. One was about half white. Neither had any noticeable green tint. A third plug looked normal but has a fleck of aluminum on the shell. The last one was black and slick looking. Compression was 85, 65, 55, 0. Somebody else looked at it before I got to it so I don't know if the plugs are were in the right order. Radiator and oil were full. Oil pressure light went out spinning the motor on the starter.
The back two lobes on the exhaust cam are scuffed or scored but I think that is common in these motors (bad lifters ?). The cam chain is dead tight. I ran out of time to see if the timing marks are still lined up. My plan is to take the head off to see what the other end of the valves look like.
I don't want whatever killed the original engine to be problem with the second one. With the 'new' motor, checking the exhaust cam seems like a good first step. What else should be checked or replaced to have the best chance for a reliable engine ?
Thanks
Greg
