Rushing air sound and loss of power?

[TridenT]

So my car is making weird sounds under heavy load. It is like the sound of a turbo/blow off valve that is tuned poorly. If I slam the throttle it might start out fast and actually do fine. But as it climbs into 5000 rpm and goes to 6600, it makes psh psh psh sounds with rushing air between the psh psh's (like a blow off valve psh). It's like a blow off valve going off with a turbo, sorta. However my car has neither. It's a civic. I can't tell what the fuck is causing this sound. It's starting to make the car lose power whenever it happens now. It started at high rpm and now it happens at mid(3500-5000) sometimes. But it's not as severe in sound.

I can't tell if anything is leaking out or in or whatever. This is really hard to duplicate when not in gear or under heavier loads. It seems to be under more intensive engine strain the worse it is. It can start at 70mph at about 3000rpm if I am trying to maintain speed on a slight incline.


I just noticed this today. Got any ideas? I will have to take it to a mechanic because I am actually on vacation in SoCal right now.

 

[LTC8K6]

Sounds like a vacuum hose is leaking.

 

[iamwiz82]

Could be vacuum hose or some plastic/rubber along the intake has failed, or perhaps is collapsing.

 

[JCH13]

^ What those guys said. Sounds like an intake/vacuum leak.

 

[Mutilator]

Wow I came in here expecting to see people saying stuff like "LOL it's a Civic, VTEC must be broke yo!" or "It's a Civic, you never had any power to lose!"

But instead I'm greeted by actual realistic answers. I'm so proud of you guys.

 

[satyajitmenon]

Wow I came in here expecting to see people saying stuff like "LOL it's a Civic, VTEC must be broke yo!" or "It's a Civic, you never had any power to lose!"

But instead I'm greeted by actual realistic answers. I'm so proud of you guys.

You're right. Time to fix that.

@OP

It's a Civic, VTEC must be broke yo!

Also, It's a Civic, you never had any power to lose!





There. Now the world is back to normal.

 

[slatr]

Deleted

 

[CraigRT]

Could be vacuum hose or some plastic/rubber along the intake has failed, or perhaps is collapsing.

This was my first thought.
I had a friend with a Protege5 and his intake plumbing rotted and left gaps in the bellows. It did the same thing as RPMs rose.

 

[phucheneh]

If the car has a MAF, the leak would need to be on the air filter side of it, though. If it was a cracked intake boot between the MAF and throttle, you'd probably get a CEL from the unmetered air (fuel trim code). If the leak is behind the throttle, you'd be experiencing a high idle, as well.

 

[Jimzz]

Yep loose hose from the VTEC system, your VTEC is probably tripping. What does your butt dyno say in the car?

 

[TridenT]

I'm thinking it's a bad head gasket. I smell oil when I rev in park enough.

Sounds like a really expensive repair. How much do you think it will be?

 

[phucheneh]

Why do you think it's a bad head gasket? Combustion gases rarely escape externally. Usually it's into another cylinder or into a water jacket. Wherever the gasket has the least material around its steel sealing rings.

 

[Theb]

My eyes are tired and I thought the title " Rushing air sound and loss of..." was in the L&R forum. Now that I see where it actually is I'm relieved and a little disappointed.

I'm thinking it's a bad head gasket. I smell oil when I rev in park enough.

Sounds like a really expensive repair. How much do you think it will be?

I'm thinking the first three replies sounded pretty good, but you're the expert apparently so I'll defer to your experience.

 

[TridenT]

What is a vacuum leak then? I figured they were all talking about air intake. If I am smelling oil and the engine is shaking whenever this happens then I'm assuming the engine is leaking oil from the head gasket failing.

 

[TridenT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmoNRBlUKmc Here's my discovering the problem yesterday.

Here's it a few hours ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcHcbYv45F8 It's probably hitting 5,000 rpm with full throttle (And usually not going much above). Redline is 7,200 and normal shifting occurs at 6600.

 

[CrackRabbit]

What is a vacuum leak then? I figured they were all talking about air intake. If I am smelling oil and the engine is shaking whenever this happens then I'm assuming the engine is leaking oil from the head gasket failing.

I had the PCV breather hose rot out on my Ford, caused it to run really poorly (no power, very rough idle and smelled like oil).
I would look for it, not sure if Hondas route it to the air filter box or back to the TB though.

 

[TridenT]

Googling this problem more. Lots of possibilities. However, intake manifold leak sounds very possible.

I can't remember how my intake manifold normally sounds, but there is a slight high-pitched whir/whine near the back of it. And that's /about/ (Hard to tell when the engine is revving and I am afraid of the damn thing exploding into my face) the same area where the "Psh-psh-psh!" sounds come from.

 

[JCH13]

A head gasket failure would generally present with VERY different symptoms. Overheating, severe coolant loss, maybe oil loss, white exhaust smoke, etc.

A blown/damaged/leaking element in the PCV system would explain the sound, lack of power, and (new) oil smell symptom.

 

[phucheneh]

I would say it's about a 95% chance that the noise is excessive crankcase pressure escaping somewhere. Does the dipstick like to push itself out of the tube by any chance? If not, pull it out yourself and see if the noise changes.

Also adjust your damn valves. That's all I hear in your second vid, aside from you banging on the rev limiter.

 

[Zenmervolt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmoNRBlUKmc Here's my discovering the problem yesterday.

Well, I'm just spitballing here, but since the CEL is obviously on in this video, why not pull the goddamn codes and find out what's wrong? Or did you think that the check engine light was just there for decoration?

Plug in an OBD-II scanner and find out what the stored codes are. Then come back.

As others have said, based on what you've told us it sounds like the PCV system is over-pressurizing and venting to atmosphere, which it shouldn't. But you're best to start by actually checking the stored codes that are triggering that CEL.

ZV

 

[TridenT]

Well, I'm just spitballing here, but since the CEL is obviously on in this video, why not pull the goddamn codes and find out what's wrong? Or did you think that the check engine light was just there for decoration?

Plug in an OBD-II scanner and find out what the stored codes are. Then come back.

As others have said, based on what you've told us it sounds like the PCV system is over-pressurizing and venting to atmosphere, which it shouldn't. But you're best to start by actually checking the stored codes that are triggering that CEL.

ZV

It was on earlier from a different problem. I thought it was just the same old problem that isn't a real problem. But I got the codes pulled for free (hard to get a place todo that apparently). I will post them later. I am out right now.

 

[jaha2000]

It was on earlier from a different problem. I thought it was just the same old problem that isn't a real problem. But I got the codes pulled for free (hard to get a place todo that apparently). I will post them later. I am out right now.

Hard to get them pulled for free? There are no less than 4 parts stores less than 5 miles where i am sitting that will do it for free. Dont have Autozone, pep boys, o'rileys, advance or any other big box parts store near you?

I would say that it is most likely something to do with the PCV system.

 

[Howard]

Warning!!!

Danger to manifold!

 

[Phanuel]

Warning!!!

TridenT is a Danger to manifold everything!

Adjusted for reality.

 

[Zenmervolt]

It was on earlier from a different problem. I thought it was just the same old problem that isn't a real problem. But I got the codes pulled for free (hard to get a place todo that apparently). I will post them later. I am out right now.

Why wasn't the CEL cleared after the "old" problem was fixed? It's starting to look like you're just not fixing the car when it has a problem and that your concept of a repair is mostly wishful thinking.

ZV