1 Lucky Texan

Rear anti-sway bar (18-20mm), wheels/tires, lightened pulley set, fun sounding muffler, maybe lightened flywheel(if MT). SERIOUS gains (over 10%) likely would require cams, and they come with their own peculiarities. Or save for a turbo'ed engine swap! Still, don't ignore suspension improvements.

Setright says it takes 600 miles to get all the air out of his soob. I'd check the level, refill as necessary, maybe put the front up on ramps and run with heater on untill the fans come on. Let it cool, refill. Then watch it for a few weeks. If it doesn't change and there are no other symptoms, it may have just burped itself. BUT, if you're sure you've put in more than system capacity, try comparing the appearance of the plugs to each other, an internal leak may alter their surface coatings from normal and you'know it's an internal HG leak. very odd. good luck

Makes sense - that's what I assumed. thanx

OK - I have a good guess but don't really know - um, what is the power distribution to the front and rear when the 4EAT is in reverse?

I've read that one indication of the tensioner being the problem is a 'rubbed' spot inside the cover. Sorry I never read specifically where. Might be worth double checking.

Seems possibly 2 different problems. strange Would it be possible to smell the 'smoke on startup'? If sweet,caramel like smell, that is coolant and a definite issue to be examined immediately. Actually, now I think of it, your dealer is putting you off I think. If they are telling you it's normal, have them start one up and show you the smoke. It can really only be 4 things, fuel, oil, condensed water or coolant. 3 of those are not good in a newish car.

Could respond well to a thorough fluid flush and refill. When the engine is hot, the tranny fluid is too. has the vehicle had good maintenece? Is the fluid 'burnt' smelling or extremely dark? Proper level?

I forget what year they change fro P1 - P2 - sorry. Also, does your heater occasionally blow cold? That seems to be a symptom in some soobs when air/combustion gases start getting trapped.

Dunno with the pinging but everyhting else sounds like a clogged cat. can you give more details/history on the car?

Possibly being sprayed or 'boiled' out when driving and blowing back under the car. Though it seem like it would also be on other components. Have you looked at your coolant level? How long since you had a new rad cap? Any overheating or other probelms lately? What mileage,history,mods,etc? I think your engine is prone to external headgasket leaks, exacerbated by cold weather.

Maybe if you found a niche - like aftermarket stuff for the Baja and OBS - stuff kinda overlooked.

New tires? Rubber compound might change characteristics with low temps. Any dents/damage underneath or on the pass side? Loose belt? (I'd expect squealing - not howling) When it is present, will it change with speed or time or wind or road conditions?

No question they'd be expensive - BUT - wouldn't some coveralls be cool!

My answer won't be what you expect but; 1. I want to call and get an answer - not an answering machine. 2. I don't want to increase your profit margin by overpaying for 'shipping and handling'. 3. I don't expect you to be perfect, but own up to mistakes and fix them so well I brag about it to my friends. 4. I want knowledgable assistance with my purchase but don't want to be wheedled into something because you make more money with it than another item. 5. I don't want to hear "You'll need to contact XXXX to get warranty service - it's not my problem now - I just sell 'em" 6. If I use a CC for purchase, it'd be nice if your company's name actually shows up on the statement instead of me trying to figure why someplace called 'Mumble dogface at the Banana patch' got $462.97 from me. 7. Superior packaging - I mean, stuff can't bang into other stuff in the box and is an inch or more away from the inside surface of the box. NO PEANUTS! 8. Clear, easy, return procedure. If I think of any more I'll get back to ya! Carl 1 Lucky Texan

"Mr Stubbs! Start the tryworks, we shall go forward laden with fire!" (I'd double check the spare tire(s), take a couple road flares, gloves, flashlight(s), some premixed coolant, if the other wagon has been sitting for a while maybe some Heet additive. Make sure the wipers are in good shape too. Watch for semis with antennas and pace 'em. Definitely slow down when they do.) good luck man!

OK - this might be a crazy idea - but I say its a tire. Most every other item will either be cool (like the brakes/rotors) or pretty hot very quickly (like 15-20 minutes) on the freeway BUT tires might take 45 minutes to get warm. Do you feel it in the steering wheel? How is it perceived?

Probably do a search on coolant refilling too, soobs like to 'retain air'. Tricky sometimes to purge it out.

Well, the creation of multiple revision HGs obviously shows us the REAL problem is elsewhere in the design. But the only approach to the problem is HGs. I've read the 'open deck' design on the 2.5l may be a little TOO 'open' and the 'jugs' move around too much - thermal creep, vibration, whatever, something is compromising the HGs - it's not the gaskets per se.

something flammable get onto the cat?

Not really, unless you might consider some cams. Even those are hard to locate and there may be some tradeoff in reliable idling or something. Lighter crank,alt pulleys will 'free up' a few ponies. Lighter flywheel. trust me, there is damn little for the NA 2.2l .

more likely O2 sensors (at least the front one) if they've never been replaced.

Never got more than 5 years and that was stock Honda batt (Yuasa) in '78 Civic. Most batts here are doing good to get much past 3-4 years. I think in cold you need CCA, in heat you need 'reserve capacity'? something like that.

I believe there was a thread on polishing the pitted,yellow plastic - don't recall the outcome. maybe a search?

We ALWAYS have questions about interference - the above post should be stickyed or otherwise added to info. about which MYs or engines are/are not interference. good info - thanx and sorry about the 'threadjack'.

If you look you can usually get 90%(IIRC) Isoprpyl on the shelf of the drugstore. But I think some denatured alchol (mostly ethanol with methanol added to poison you on purpose if you try to drink it) from the paint depertment would work and be a little cheaper than dry gas from the carparts place.