Don't forget the spark plug wire harness. They age (and you never know how many years they were on shelf before being installed) and symptoms can be "gremlins" like miss under load.
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Very Odd Engine Problems on my 220k mile '92
- Thread starter johnnymo
- Start date
Another update.
I felt changing all 4 engine mounts to the SOS ones was too stiff with too much vibration, so I exchanged back to keeping the L and R ones stock and the FR and RR units the stiffer SOS mounts. Still some more vibration than stock, but mechanic and I both feel there is less slop in the transaxle.
The engine is running unbelievably well. I mean, holy-crap well after Ramon's rebuild at Niguel Motors. Even he was suprised at how strong it is running. Other NSX factory techs over the years have commented on how they could tell certain C30 motors were 'stronger' than others for whatever that's worth, and this one has been at the far end of the strong scale ever since new.
However, since I've started beating on the car hard since the rebuild, we've noticed a rattling from the tranny, and it seems it's time for a new box. Car was originally in the snap ring range, and the case was changed in '97; now 223k miles on the original 5-speed with lots of hard shifting. In general, I've been good to the transmission, with rare missed shifts and with clutch 1 going at 92k and clutch 2 still having life on it when we changed it at 222k-- in fact pads still looked good, no chatter, and only some wear and play on ONE damper spring (which probably would have been the failure mode in another 10-20k). I've decided to go with the SOS 6-speed conversion with the NSX-R mainshaft to mate it with the higher-performing dual plate clutch. This includes the relay to lock out reverse unless the brake is depressed.
If anyone has any advice on this switch, either a lesson learned after the fact or during the change, please do chime in.
I felt changing all 4 engine mounts to the SOS ones was too stiff with too much vibration, so I exchanged back to keeping the L and R ones stock and the FR and RR units the stiffer SOS mounts. Still some more vibration than stock, but mechanic and I both feel there is less slop in the transaxle.
The engine is running unbelievably well. I mean, holy-crap well after Ramon's rebuild at Niguel Motors. Even he was suprised at how strong it is running. Other NSX factory techs over the years have commented on how they could tell certain C30 motors were 'stronger' than others for whatever that's worth, and this one has been at the far end of the strong scale ever since new.
However, since I've started beating on the car hard since the rebuild, we've noticed a rattling from the tranny, and it seems it's time for a new box. Car was originally in the snap ring range, and the case was changed in '97; now 223k miles on the original 5-speed with lots of hard shifting. In general, I've been good to the transmission, with rare missed shifts and with clutch 1 going at 92k and clutch 2 still having life on it when we changed it at 222k-- in fact pads still looked good, no chatter, and only some wear and play on ONE damper spring (which probably would have been the failure mode in another 10-20k). I've decided to go with the SOS 6-speed conversion with the NSX-R mainshaft to mate it with the higher-performing dual plate clutch. This includes the relay to lock out reverse unless the brake is depressed.
If anyone has any advice on this switch, either a lesson learned after the fact or during the change, please do chime in.
Glad to hear everything worked out for you and hopefully the car can now give you another 200k+ on the roads and tracks!
Did you replace the fuel pump? Bypassing the fuel pump resistor will only cure the problem for some time before the pump runs so bad you'll go lean and risk damage to the engine and the same issues you had before will surface again.
Did you replace the fuel pump? Bypassing the fuel pump resistor will only cure the problem for some time before the pump runs so bad you'll go lean and risk damage to the engine and the same issues you had before will surface again.
Mine is a 92, I bought it 15 years ago. It has 182,000 miles, daily driver, but little track time. After NSXPO 2002 snap ring failure, I had the short gears done as part of the rebuild and liked that upgrade a lot!
I had the 3.8 NA rebuild done at 145,000 miles, only because I was looking for a little more power, and then the 6 speed conversion w/ the same NSX-R twin shaft. As a daily driver I was surprised how much I have liked the 6 speed and would highly recommend it to you.
Great to hear about another high mileage daily driver. I'll try to catch up to your mileage, but probably will not make it.
I just love this car!
I had the 3.8 NA rebuild done at 145,000 miles, only because I was looking for a little more power, and then the 6 speed conversion w/ the same NSX-R twin shaft. As a daily driver I was surprised how much I have liked the 6 speed and would highly recommend it to you.
Great to hear about another high mileage daily driver. I'll try to catch up to your mileage, but probably will not make it.
I just love this car!
Got the car back from Ramon and he did a perfect job installing the new 6 speed. After 15 years of the NA gears, it's taking me some getting used to the new ratios, but the lack of a drop from 1-2 is the way the car should have been AND the car is noticeably quieter, with the car only turning 3150 rpm in 6th gear at 80mph cruise, which used to be 3500. This decrease in engine noise is very easy to appreciate if you've done headers/exhaust mods and makes it worth the upgrade for a daily driver IMHO, plus the car is definitely quicker 0-60.
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