Damn spark plugs make me appreciate my Civic more
06-30-03, 03:19 AM
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Damn spark plugs make me appreciate my Civic more
Okay, so I decided to undertake the project of replacing my spark plugs and wires on my FD (I'm still a little scared to mess with the car). I read a bunch of great pages on how to do this but in the end I just had to do it the same way I learned to work on Hondas; go in there and just keep removing stuff till I get to what I'm needin to get at. People saying it's a pain to swap these out aren't kidding. They're a bitch to get out, especially the ones closer to the front of the car. Definitely not a 5 minute job like it is for my Civic, it's so easy to do a full tuneup on that car. I went with Magnecor wires and I'm using the 7 leading, 9 trailing NGK plugs.
Anyway, here's the thing. I was pulling off my throttle body to get to the wires and had to do a double take when I saw a pair of throttle plates staring back at me after I just removed the throttle body. Okay, so the plates NOT on the tb are wide open, not closed. Are they supposed to be this way? I'm probably a moron for asking this, but someone please enlighten me as to what these second plates are for/actually do?
Anyway, here's the thing. I was pulling off my throttle body to get to the wires and had to do a double take when I saw a pair of throttle plates staring back at me after I just removed the throttle body. Okay, so the plates NOT on the tb are wide open, not closed. Are they supposed to be this way? I'm probably a moron for asking this, but someone please enlighten me as to what these second plates are for/actually do?
06-30-03, 07:44 AM
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Actually car not running they're open anyways, if they were to "fail" they'd fail open, unless I misunderstood what I read and my car has been modded <which it really didnt look like>. The double throttle is there to prevent you from reving it high and fast when the car is still warming up, basically they stay shut until the ecu feels the car is warm enough and then they open up giving you more or less full power. Alot of people remove them and just take it easy when the car is cold.
06-30-03, 07:56 AM
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The sparkplug job is some sort of a mystery to me..
The first time I did it I spent like 4 hours on it.
Now I do it in under 5 minutes..
Just can't understand why it took me so long the first time. But it actually seems that my front plugs are a lot easier to get to after my rebuild...
The first time I did it I spent like 4 hours on it.
Now I do it in under 5 minutes..
Just can't understand why it took me so long the first time. But it actually seems that my front plugs are a lot easier to get to after my rebuild...
06-30-03, 09:33 AM
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I don't have a problem at all... ~45 min the first time and now its around 15 min with jacking up the car and everything. Replacing the wires takes some time because you have to remove a lot of stuff. FYI, the double throttle (in the UIM) can be removed if you want - I removed mine. Basically its there to keep you from running the motor too hard before it is properly warmed up.
06-30-03, 10:42 AM
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Mine took me a while the first time, but it's a lot easier to jack up the car and do it from there. It also helps a lot to have a friend hold a flashlight or lamp of somekind, or just be there to guide your wrench.
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06-30-03, 11:09 AM
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Originally posted by r0gu3
It gets a lot easier if you remove unneeded accessories such as A/C and P/S.
It gets a lot easier if you remove unneeded accessories such as A/C and P/S.
I have only removed the a/c not the p/s yet since I really want to get a manual rack when I switch over.
06-30-03, 11:49 AM
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I replaced my plugs and fuel filter last week, it turned out the fuel filter was pleasant to replace compared to the plugs. It took about 10 minutes to do the rear plugs, 4 hours to do the front plugs, and 1 hour to do the filter.
The problem with the front plugs is that there was a whole mess of wires right behind the plugs so I couldn't get my socket on solidly. I almost stripped one of the plugs in the process. Is there anything that can be done to move those wires?
The problem with the front plugs is that there was a whole mess of wires right behind the plugs so I couldn't get my socket on solidly. I almost stripped one of the plugs in the process. Is there anything that can be done to move those wires?
06-30-03, 01:17 PM
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Originally posted by jayk
I replaced my plugs and fuel filter last week, it turned out the fuel filter was pleasant to replace compared to the plugs. It took about 10 minutes to do the rear plugs, 4 hours to do the front plugs, and 1 hour to do the filter.
The problem with the front plugs is that there was a whole mess of wires right behind the plugs so I couldn't get my socket on solidly. I almost stripped one of the plugs in the process. Is there anything that can be done to move those wires?
I replaced my plugs and fuel filter last week, it turned out the fuel filter was pleasant to replace compared to the plugs. It took about 10 minutes to do the rear plugs, 4 hours to do the front plugs, and 1 hour to do the filter.
The problem with the front plugs is that there was a whole mess of wires right behind the plugs so I couldn't get my socket on solidly. I almost stripped one of the plugs in the process. Is there anything that can be done to move those wires?
Taking off the AC isn't an option for me cuz them 110 degree days are killer. But then again, I'm afraid to run the AC in my car for fear of making the engine bay hotter than it already is.
06-30-03, 01:42 PM
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Originally posted by Jasooner
Taking off the AC isn't an option for me cuz them 110 degree days are killer. But then again, I'm afraid to run the AC in my car for fear of making the engine bay hotter than it already is.
Taking off the AC isn't an option for me cuz them 110 degree days are killer. But then again, I'm afraid to run the AC in my car for fear of making the engine bay hotter than it already is.
07-01-03, 12:08 AM
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I've found the perfect ratchet to remove the plugs is a snap-on 3/8 stuby with a flex head. Too bad they dont make it anymore at least not the one with the plastic handle. If you use a regular 3/8 ratched the end ends up hitting all sorts of things. Most flex head 3/8 ratchets i've seen are too long for the tight space.
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