Does my F22A4 need replacing?

[Nrets]

My F22A4 has over 309,000 miles. I got the car with 281,000. It was running very well, except it had no oil in the engine. It had been parked for a while, so I figured they just changed the oil and forgot to put new oil in. Turns out it was burning it. A quart every 700. And more recently a quart every 300.
I did a compression test and it was about 115 in the first three cylinders and 60 in the cylinder that is furthest over to the driver side.
I was not phased, as the car was running incredibly smooth.
But it is running rough all of a sudden. It seemed like a miss. I pulled the plug in the cylinder with low compression sure enough it was caked in oil.
I replaced the plugs thinking the car would run smoothly, as my 84 Accord used to do that, no such luck...it is still running rough.
Also the cylinder on the passenger side quickly gives a charred exhaust appearance to the plug. The middle two cylinders are clean.
What could I do next to try and squeeze more life out of this engine?

[deevergote]

The engine needs a rebuild. Your only options are to rebuild, replace, or drive it until it dies.

[JustSomeGuy]

get yaself some rings, main/rod bearings/engine gasket kit, and get to work buddy. don't forget to bring head/block to a machine shop and get cylinders honed, head decked, etc.... do it right and don't half ass it.

[andrew22888]

Also might want to consider a h22 swap. Might as well since you have to pull the engine anyways.

[Nrets]

I would love to drop an H22 in. BUT, this car is my daily driver, and money is an issue. Paying someone to get a swap done right would be costly, and doing it myself would be very time consuming.
I have a GM mechanic friend who cringed today when I told him my understanding of H22 needing a change from OBD1 to OBD2. He had mentioned that if I continue to drive the car as is with 3 cylinders firing, I will ruin the catalytic converter, which could cost a 1000 if it is OBDII, but I remembered what I had read about OBDI, OBDII and H22s as a lurker on this site, and I told him my car was OBDI and that I wanted to upgrade to H22 and that this site would walk me through it.
He thought it sounded like a headache. He was saying things like the cost of computers and whatnot after he heard that. He said tuners probably have custom computers to run the car anyway. I am sure I could find a cheap ECU, but what about the catalytic? I don't know how to weld. I don't like being nickel and dimed, and swaps seem to be good fun if you don't mind lots of unexpected expenses.
I wanna easily pass smog, and have a reliable car with continued 30 mpg.
Rebuilding is too expensive or time consuming if I try to do it myself.
I do know 100 percent that I need a new engine after today. The engine is smoked. Funny thing is the power band is STILL pretty good through all the gears, but we did an old school test where you pull the oil cap and listen for air being sucked massively from the crankcase. My car has emphysema. Looks like I lost a ring entirely, cracked the block, or put a hole in the driver side piston.
My friend has been a mechanic 8 years and has never seen the oil cap test work. Most people don't keep their cars 300,000 miles I guess.

I want an F22. I am debating whether it should be rebuilt, Jspec, off of Craigslist. I have seen them cheap. I may want to put a cam in it, if it is sitting in my garage before installation, but I don't want to have to dramatically mess with timing.
I know this question must have been asked many times, but what low level upgrades I can do to an F22? (hardware costing 100's not thousands)

[deevergote]

The 92-95 H22 is OBD1, and the swap procedure is very simple. Even an OBD2 H22 would only require a few minor modifications. NOBODY converts their car to OBD2... they always convert the OBD2 engine to OBD1.

Look at www.bisimoto.com for the best F22A parts... you'll be able to see their selection of affordable basic parts that don't require a serious rebuild.


Also, if you want a low-mileage Japanese imported F22A, keep in mind that the engine is going to be nearly (or over) 20 years old. If it has low mileage, then that means if has been sitting at an engine recycler for MANY years. All seals and such may be worn and rotted... A high-mileage USDM motor pulled from a crashed (but previously running) car, or pulled for a swap, might be a better choice.

[Nrets]

That is some good advice that I didn't think of at all.
I was not considering the age of the f22 engine. I still think of these cars as new, since I have little to zero interest in newer cars.
I definitely don't wanna buy a low mileage leaky engine.
I was already considering finding an engine in a wrecked car.
But now, I am thinking about the H22 again.
I wonder if the Honda mechanic my friend knows would be willing to do a swap for the same or similar price.
On the other hand, the car was quick already with 130 HP...

[wed3k]

yea the only reason id get a jdm motor is for a good core to rebuild.

id suggest a re-ring but since it ran out of oil, the entire engine needs to be inspected and cleaned.

it probably scuffed a piston if it ran out of oil which would explain the low compression cylinder.

[deevergote]

If you go with an H22A, I suggest going with www.hmotorsonline.com. They aren't the cheapest, but they have a fantastic reputation. Buying from a cheaper source, especially one in Canada (if you're from the US), may result in you getting a bad engine. The extra money spent at HMO is well worth the lack of unexpected headaches.

Honestly, the H22 swap really isn't all that difficult. If you study the procedure before putting a wrench to your car, and set aside a full weekend to work diligently on it, you should be able to get it done and running. The process would only be slightly more involved than a direct F22A swap. Furthermore, the handful of basic performance parts you'd bolt onto the F22A would bring the power output up to the H22A's level at best, probably not even, and the overall cost (engine and upgrades) will likely be the same or more than the H22A swap would be.

[wed3k]

i dont like the h22's because they end up burning oil in the higher miles. results of worn sleeves and loose valve guides.

[deevergote]

True. That's one reason why I would only go with one from a reputable dealer, like HMO. Such wear would normally yield poor results in a compression test.

[wed3k]

one would see results in a leakdown test otherwise wet compression or running compression tests, there will not be a difference.

[Smokey9012]

an f20 bis not a bad idea just look around u can find a engine cheap

[PointBlank]

A thousand dollars for an OBDII cat? WTF?

[Nrets]

1000 dollars for OBDII catalytic is what my GM dealership mechanic friend came up with off the top of his head.
He is the same friend who told me my engine needs replacing based on pressure escaping from the crankcase when we pulled the oil cap.
Turns out all Hondas do this as my parent's 99 Accord which burns a quart of oil possibly every 5 or 6 thousand miles does the same thing.
I looked online and OBD cats are closer to 3-400 rather than a thousand. 3-400 is still a lot of money to me, and that was his point.
I am bummed now that I am find it is possible my engine could have been saved for a while longer as I like to see how long things can last.
I went out and bought a used F22A1 from a reputable Honda dismantler two days ago.
My friends fear tactics probably led to the right decision. The fact is the engine probably has over 300K, burns a quart every 3-4 hundred miles, and has a completely dead cylinder. ( which a Honda specialist neighbor is telling me might be a burnt valve)
Part of me wants to fix the valve and keep driving it...but most likely gonna replace.