In 2006, the Japanese company Honda presented Civic of the next generation, which received an atmospheric engine with a cylinder capacity of 1.8 liters. The 16-valve unit with an aluminum block was deprived of hydrocompensators, having received the i-VTEC system. The principle of variable geometry was realized on the inlet.
Motor R18A2 was used exclusively on Civic, and only in Europe, while other markets and models used almost identical 1.8-liter R18A1, deprived of oil control sensor in the sump.
Powertrain reliability
The engine reliability figures are simply phenomenal. There is no doubt that Japanese engineers were able to create an excellent engine, capable of passing 500 thousand kilometers and even more before “overhaul”.
Belt tensioner loosening
One of the common problems of Honda Civic with R18A2 is the loss of the belt tensioner of the attachment belt of the necessary tension, occurring over time. The cause is the breakage of the mounting bolt or “slipping” of its threads. The problem is accompanied by a knocking sound caused by the idler pulley pin losing its immobility. There is a possibility of the belt snagging, but it is extremely insignificant. In the latter case, it is no longer possible to start the engine until the problem is corrected.
The remains of the authorized bolt will need to be drilled out, cutting a fresh thread in the seating hole. This process will require lowering the engine with the subframe to get close to the bolt location.
Hydraulic motor supports
The right one of the supports is hydraulic. The average value of the onset of its wear is about 150 thousand kilometers. With prolonged use, it loses its abilities, which is expressed in loud percussive sounds emitted by the stops.
The cost of such a support is about 190 dollars – bites. You can use non-original options, but their service life does not exceed 30 thousand kilometers. In some cases, folk craftsmen use dampers from the BMW E46 engine, independently assembling a support on their basis.
Oil leaks
The probability of oil leaks from the engine is possible for the R18A2 motor in only a few places. Leaks from under the valve cover are eliminated by replacing the worn gasket. Leaks from under the plug at the rear of the engine are eliminated by replacing the O-ring, which is drying up over time. Another place is the i-VTEC control valve. In this case, the gasket located under the valve must be replaced.
The process of sweating crankshaft oil seals can be observed in some Civic at a mileage of about 200 thousand kilometers.
Throttle valve
There are no special problems with the throttle, but periodically the flaps should be cleaned of fouling. About significant contamination can be indicated by sagging at the parking lot when the clutch of the air conditioner compressor is triggered.
Ignition coil
Failure of this element is associated mainly with old age. Speaks about the problem of unevenness of work “on cold” and a sharp drop in revolutions when starting from a place, turning on the air conditioner or heater, and when switching to “neutral” the engine practically stalls.
The problem is eliminated by replacing the coils with new ones.
Thermostat
The thermostat is one of the problem places of the engine, and in most cases its jamming occurs in the open position, worsening the possibility of heating the power unit. Jamming in the closed position is rare, and in this case it is necessary to monitor the temperature to exclude engine overheating and jamming.
The radiator quickly becomes dirty, so its cleaning with a periodicity of once every couple of years should become a tradition for car owners.
EGR valve
Sometimes the problems of R18A2 engine lie in the malfunction of the EGR valve, expressed in the appearance of the corresponding error and unevenness of the unit with a pronounced loss of power. It is not very difficult to clean the valve, after which the motor operation is fully restored.
There is an opinion about the risks of damage to the cylinders after the destruction of the catalytic converter, but this problem is largely far-fetched, and the probability of such a development of the situation is close to zero. At the same time, the catalyst is located near the intake valve, so the probability of getting crumbs through it into the engine is much higher than through EGR.
i-VTEC
The main purpose of this system is to increase the fuel efficiency of the engine. It involves increasing the period of time the intake valves are in the open state when the engine is running without a heavy load. As a result, a portion of the charge is forced into the intake under piston pressure. When the load increases, the operation of valves is transferred to the standard mode with timely opening/closing of flaps.
In general, there are no complaints about the reliability of the i-VTEC system, and it fulfills its tasks, making the R18A2 a really economical motor.
Valve thermal clearances
Checking the thermal clearances is recommended by the manufacturer after a mileage of 40-50 thousand kilometers. As on other engines of Honda brand, the adjustment process is maximally simplified, and can be performed by one’s own efforts with the simplest tools. In the cold state for inlet/outlet the value of gaps is 0.2/0.25mm. Valve cover gasket replacement is required on average in one out of three thermal clearance checks.
Transmission timing chain
The chain installed on the engine is characterized by very high reliability. On average, the resource is about 300 thousand kilometers, but with the regular use of low-quality oils, this indicator can be reduced by 1.5-2 times. Check the condition of the chain can be simultaneously with the adjustment of valves, when their cover is removed.
A signal about the time of timing chain change is the appearance of ignition skips and non-synchronous data from the crankshaft and camshaft position sensors. For the hydraulic chain tensioner piston, the maximum protrusion should not exceed 14.5 mm.