1993 accord ex wagon f22a6 noise/misfire, possible engine swap

[Howla]

So, I recently purchased a 1993 accord ex wagon w/ a f22a6. The car ran fine when I first bought it, but with the onset of a cold snap the car would no longer run and began surging heavily and not running. After tinkering with the car for a while it began running again(blocked off air boost valve and warmer weather). So, I go out for the first ride in sometime and as soon as I get on the highway the low oil pressure light comes on. No sooner, I hear a loud metallic noise and scraping. I pulled over immediately and shut the car down. I looked under the car for what I thought would be a dragging exhaust due to the noise, but nothing. I realized the problem was much more severe at this point and had the car towed back to the farm. I tried turning it over once more to pull the car into the garage at which point it made a very loud "tapping/banging" sound from the second cylinder. I performed a compression test. 3 of the cylinders dropped 5-10 psi and the second cylinder had no compression at all.

I am not a mechanic and fairly inexperienced though I am good with my hands. I don't really know what these signs indicate, so hopefully someone here knows a little more about this type of problem. I'm thinking that it's either a bent valve or rod, but again I don't know much. From what I was reading it sounds like it might be time to swap the engine out. The current engine and transmission have 127,000 miles on them and the 3 good cylinders tested between 155-160 psi; the car will still start, but I know it shouldn't be ran.

What are the next steps here? I really need a reliable vehicle for commuting so I was thinking about buying a slightly used jdm engine and dropping it in, but again I know very little about this. If I can replace the engine/transmission, I figured it would be a safe bet to fix whatever problems, but I have never performed a job of this caliber before. I have a basic shop to work in. We don't have a lift but we have an engine hoist. Please someone send me a little light and guidance to help bring my baby back to life. Thanks for ur time and to all the people that make this forum possible. I'm totally new but I can tell there's a lot of love in these pages.

[deevergote]

With no compression in #2, you definitely have either a bent/broken valve, a damaged piston, or a broken rod. The engine may be salvageable, but it'll definitely need a rebuild. A swap might be cheaper and easier, and it'd be a good time to spring for an upgrade!

Keep in mind that even "lightly used" JDM engines can still be problematic. They may only have 35,000 miles on them, but those that do have probably been sitting unused on a shelf since the 90s. Lack of use can wreak havoc on rubber seals, meaning you could have problems if you don't go through your new engine and replace all those things. Of course, once you do that, you should have no problems whatsoever. Just be sure to buy from a reputable reseller, such as hmotorsonline.com. There are cheaper resellers out there, but many of them can be a major risk. Especially the ones located in Canada (since it's VERY difficult to take legal action against someone located in another country).

I vote for doing an H22A swap. OBD1 engines are easy enough to find, and relatively simple to install if you follow the directions found on this site. Pick up a good H22A (I got my own from hmotors, and I couldn't be happier... and that was 11 years ago!) Change all seals, gaskets, and belts. Make sure it's healthy. Take your time installing it, and do everything right.
A 200hp wagon weighing just a little over 3000lbs will be fun to drive.

[Howla]

Thanks for the quick reply Deeve. Unfortunately I am working on a tight budget these days, a.k.a. saving money for fix while squatting in the house across from my job. With that being said, I would love to do an h22a swap, but I need to do this on as little cash as possible. I had looked at an engine/tranny combo off of a Canadian site, but after reading your comment and other reviews I don't want to take the risk. As much fun as a 200hp car would be, I don't need it for now. I don't really know how to move forward. I guess I could pull the head off and see the condition of the valves. I'm not quite sure how to check out the rods, would I drop the oil pan?

I'm living paycheck to paycheck and am really in a bind at this point and need to make some kind of move. To be honest I don't really know what to do. I don't have $2g to put into a motor right now, but I know that I could sink money into rebuilding the engine and make one little mistake and be back at square one...Is there any networking on here for parts/engine exchange on here? I'm literally scraping together every dollar I can and eating ramen until this thing is back together, but it's taking a toll on my blood pressure, lol. I realize sometimes things aren't easy, but whatever help anyone could offer would mean the world to me right now. As much as I'd love a 200 hp hell wagon, I'll settle for the 140 hp ma' wagon. I am very much a newb but I'm motivated and want to break my horns in. This is more about function than form for the time being. I need to get from a to b as economically as possible, I'm broke...If I had the dollars, I'd totally drop a H22a in right now, but the only way that'll happen is if I grind out and eat ramen for the next 2 months. S.O.S.

[deevergote]

Honestly, don't even bother pulling the engine apart. If money is tight, and you just need to get the car running again, find yourself a cheap stock replacement.
When you get 30 posts, you can access the classifieds section on this site. You can also try the Facebook page for buying and selling CB parts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/385270931580336/

I don't normally suggest that for people, but in your case, it might end up being a good option.

[Howla]

Thanks Deeve

[Howla]

What is the most likely consequence of intermittent oil pump failure? Seized piston, broken/bent valve and or rod? I don't understand the f22a6 in full as of yet, but I'd like to know what potentially has happened to Izzy's engine. This is unconfirmed as of yet, but I believe that the oil pump failed, or perhaps the screen located before the pump clogged. Either way the oil pressure light came on, and then there was a loud metallic noise. The oil flow through the engine is unknown to me, but I saw that there were ports in the cam for oil delivery/lubrication. I know it would be a guess, but what do you guys think would be the first part to fail in a fairly well maintained engine that lost oil pressure? My first thought is a seized piston and broken/bent rod, but again I don't know much about these engines and I'm guessing. Currently flipping through the Haynes manual and calling junk yards

[Howla]

Just found an f22a1 at the local yard down the road for $350. It supposedly has 108,000 miles on it. I'm off to the swap section...

[deevergote]

Swap your camshaft, intake manifold, and exhaust manifold over, and it'll essentially be the exact same engine you have now.

[Howla]

I know that I should replace the seals on the engine going in, as it's a '92 and as stated earlier it has 108,000 miles. What are the essential steps to take before dropping this motor in? I've been reading through as many posts as I can in my free time but I'm certainly not retaining everything. If this was your ride, aside from it being an h22a, what would you be replacing? Thanks for all the advice Deeve, and to everyone else that makes this wealth of information possible. Much respect and appreciation.

[deevergote]

Rear main seal, balance shaft seal, cam seal, distributor seal, and spark plug tube seals. Inspect the oil pan for leaks.

[Howla]

Got the accessories pulled off the new engine and finally cracked the crankshaft bolt, not so easy out of the car...I've got the timing belt and waterpump, but I need to pick up the rest of the seals; hopefully tomorrow. It's so sad pulling what is a deceptively clean engine. It looks so much nicer than the one going back in. The f22a1 has definitely been sitting around for a while.

If I swap the cam from the a6, do I need to swap the springs over as well or will the a1 hold up? The a1 doesn't have IAB. I realize Deeve recommended changing over the intake and exhaust manifold but I'm a little hesitant. Between my budget and timeline, I want to get this engine in asap. If it can go in as is, I can sacrifice a few hp for now. So my question is can I use the a6 ecu and just plug the vacuum hose running to the IAB? On the a1 the plastic housing to the tps is cracked. This cracked housing is rivoted to the throttle body. Can the tps be replaced or do I need to replace the throttle body? I can swap the throttle body from the a6, but I may as well use the intake from the a6 at that point.

[kapone]

if you haven't gotten the seals yet . get them from the dealer they are surprisingly cheap (the whole kit cost me $30) i would trust the honda seals a lot more than the aftermarket ones any day considering the relatively small price difference.

and get the part that connects to the block and holds the balance shaft seal in place while your in there also. (there was a recall for it on latter models but not our engine despite it was the same exact part failure)