? for Winter 'Luders. - Honda Prelude Forum

indylude18 · 01-30-2010, 04:35 PM

Today while trying to troubleshoot a mystery fluctuating idle problem, (another story for another day) I noticed something that was somewhat disturbing. While playing around in the engine bay looking for a vacuum leak and testing the fitv, I revved the engine a few times to try to locate a problem. I did not bounce it on the redline or anything, just revved to probably ~6K (again, under the hood, can't read the tach) a few times. After doing this, I walked around the back of the car which happened to be parked on some clean white snow. I noticed that there was a trail of black powdery crap about a foot long that shot out of my exhaust onto the snowy ground. I know carbon buildup on the bumper over time is normal...but this is ridiculous. I am just curious if anybody else that lives in snowy areas has noticed this and if it is "normal" or if I've got big problems coming up to figure out?

If anybody else that lives in a snowy area would test this out, I would appreciate it.

I don't have a CEL, and until today have had zero engine problems with the car. I only had a minor bouncing idle problem today, and for now it has gone away, making it harder to diagnose. I will deal with that problem when it comes back.

S-LudeDan · 01-30-2010, 04:57 PM

Do you use an engine block heater to warm up your vehicle in the winter?

Go Colts!

indylude18 · 01-30-2010, 05:05 PM

No, it isn't that cold to need a block header, but I have thought about it. It's ~40 degrees with ~20 windchill right now.

That's soon the be the Superbowl XLIV champion Colts.

dontbuyprelude · 01-30-2010, 05:34 PM

my prelude has 113k miles and when i rev my engine, i also get the black spots/drips on the ground. especially visible on the concrete. so i think your problem is to be expected if you have around my milage. same problem with my old del Sol.

bouckarooo · 01-30-2010, 09:59 PM

i would not be worried, most cars especially older ones will produce a fair amount of soot that will be shot out onto the ground. Only thing is in the snow it looks like alot as the white color of snow offsets the soot, making it more noticable. both h22a and h22a4 that i have both do the same, especiallt eh one with the stock exhaust with older worn cat. Also my integra did it and my winter beater 91 teggy also does it and so did the del sol my roomate has. And come to think of it the accord beater i had also did it.

TheJGB-2KTypeSH · 01-31-2010, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bouckarooo

i would not be worried, most cars especially older ones will produce a fair amount of soot that will be shot out onto the ground. Only thing is in the snow it looks like alot as the white color of snow offsets the soot, making it more noticable. both h22a and h22a4 that i have both do the same, especially the one with the stock exhaust with older worn cat. Also my integra did it and my winter beater 91 teggy also does it and so did the del sol my roomate has. And come to think of it the accord beater i had also did it.

One thing bouckarooo forgot to mention is condensation (moisture). This occurs as the exhaust cools off after a driving cycle. When a cold engine is started it takes a few minutes/miles to 'burn off' this moisture in the exhaust (why a lot of short trip driving (less then 5 miles) especially in the cold winter temps rusts out an exhaust). I am sure most of us have seen a car with water dripping out the muffler tip at a stoplight especially in the winter months because of the longer warmup period when cold.

indylude18 · 01-31-2010, 06:59 AM

Thanks guys. I won't worry about it then.

5thgenlude79 · 01-31-2010, 09:59 AM

i store my car in the winter and eveytime i start it up in march black sut spews out the exhaust lol its just from **** in the exhaust

Cheetoh · 01-31-2010, 06:15 PM

reference your idling problem, might be a sticky/dirty intake manifold. Give it
a good cleaning with carb cleaner. Had the same problem on one of
my vehicles.