MajorCommonEngine

Honda Accord: F23A Piston Ring Oil Consumption

F23A Piston Ring Oil Consumption is a common engine fault on the Honda Accord on the 1997–2002 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 55 documented faults on the Honda Accord.

Vehicle: Honda Accord
Engine: F23A
Years: 1997–2002
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Honda Accord as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Honda Accord faults55 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Catalytic converter yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The F23A 2.3-litre four-cylinder fitted to CF/CL Accords is documented to develop piston ring wear that allows engine oil to enter the combustion chamber. Consumption rates of 1 litre per 1,000–2,000 km are commonly reported on engines above 150,000 km. The failure is progressive: worn rings allow blow-by gases to contaminate the oil, accelerating wear. Prolonged neglect causes bore glazing and fouled catalytic converters. Honda New Zealand service records from this era reflect this as a known consumable failure on high-mileage examples.

What you would notice

Blue-tinged exhaust smoke on start-up or under hard acceleration
Oil level dropping 1 litre or more between 2,000–3,000 km service intervals
Spark plugs showing black oily carbon deposits
Persistent oily residue around the PCV valve and intake

How to check it

Where to look. Engine internals — piston rings, cylinder bores

Check the oil level and ask when it was last topped up.
Start from cold and watch the exhaust for blue smoke during the first minute of running.
Inspect spark plugs for oil fouling. wet with oil added) isolates ring wear from valve seal failure.
Remove the oil filler cap with engine running — excessive crankcase pressure (puffing smoke from the cap) confirms ring blow-by.
If a workshop inspection is possible: A compression test (dry vs.

Parts involved: Catalytic converter.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“How often does the engine need oil top-ups and approximately how much between services?”
“Has the engine ever been rebuilt or had piston rings replaced?”
“Does the exhaust produce any blue or grey smoke when first started?”

Now check the Honda Accord you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Honda Accord buyer questions

Is f23a piston ring oil consumption serious on a Honda Accord?

We rate it major and common on the Honda Accord. The F23A 2.3-litre four-cylinder fitted to CF/CL Accords is documented to develop piston ring wear that allows engine oil to enter the combustion chamber. Consumption rates of 1 litre per 1,000–2,000 km are commonly reported on engines above 150,000 km. The failure is progressive: worn rings allow blow-by gases to contaminate the oil, accelerating wear. Prolonged neglect causes bore glazing and fouled catalytic converters. Honda New Zealand service records from this era reflect this as a known consumable failure on high-mileage examples.

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda Accord?

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Honda Accord years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1997–2002 Honda Accord. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Check the oil level and ask when it was last topped up. Start from cold and watch the exhaust for blue smoke during the first minute of running. Inspect spark plugs for oil fouling. wet with oil added) isolates ring wear from valve seal failure. Remove the oil filler cap with engine running — excessive crankcase pressure (puffing smoke from the cap) confirms ring blow-by. If a workshop inspection is possible: A compression test (dry vs. Look here: Engine internals — piston rings, cylinder bores