DIY tune up?

[jamesh23]

I have a 1988 honda accord lxi hatchback with 250,000 miles on it, it needs a tune up badly and I want to do it by myself, so I can learn and save cash, im 16. So what are the parts I should buy and how do i do it? im eager to learn lol lay it on me thick.

[ZeroLux]

I have an '89 LXi, basic tune ups on those aren't really that hard to do. I would recommend spark plugs, distributor cap, distributor rotor, fuel injector cleaner of some sort (seafoam, techron, lucas, etc) new spark plug wires, do an oil change with a new filter, check your air filter (big box behind the intake manifold). The parts are relatively cheap and you won't need a bunch of different tools to do it all. The spark plugs can be a pain to remove sometimes due to the angle they are at in the head. A good basic set of tools should get you by for most things. Be sure to put the plug wires back on in the right order for the firing sequence or the car wont run. This might not solve all of your problems but it's a good start to locating a problem with the engine.

Inspect the old spark plugs when you remove them, their condition can tell you a lot about the operating conditions in your car and are very helpful towards diagnosing various issues like oil consumption or detonation. When installing the new plugs be sure you do NOT cross thread the holes the plugs go into or that will turn into a whole different situation in a hurry.

If you want to go a little bit further than the basics you can do things like checking the compression in the chambers using a gauge. This is easier than it might sound and can also tell you a lot about the car. Compression gauges vary in price range but are not hard to find, a typical one will run you anywhere between $20 and $40. Pulling the valve cover on the engine is only a matter of three 10mm bolts too. If you remove the cover you can take a quick inspection of your top end. Check for valves that need adjusting by seeing how loose the rocker arms sit against the top of the valve stem. Take a close look at the oil that is coating the walls of the head, inspect it for any foreign debris that might be present that could indicate a failed oil filter among other problems. Sludge build up would also be pretty obvious if you find thick black goops of grease up there.

Good luck with it. Download the FSM if you haven't already it comes in handy.

Zero

If I remember right here's what I paid last time I did my basic tuneup:

NGK Spark Plugs: $1.50ea
NGK Spark Plug Wires: $18.00
Distributor Cap: $10
Distributor Rotor: $6
Air Filter: $10
Techron System Treatment: $8

[jamesh23]

I have an '89 LXi, basic tune ups on those aren't really that hard to do. I would recommend spark plugs, distributor cap, distributor rotor, fuel injector cleaner of some sort (seafoam, techron, lucas, etc) new spark plug wires, do an oil change with a new filter, check your air filter (big box behind the intake manifold). The parts are relatively cheap and you won't need a bunch of different tools to do it all. The spark plugs can be a pain to remove sometimes due to the angle they are at in the head. A good basic set of tools should get you by for most things. Be sure to put the plug wires back on in the right order for the firing sequence or the car wont run. This might not solve all of your problems but it's a good start to locating a problem with the engine.

Inspect the old spark plugs when you remove them, their condition can tell you a lot about the operating conditions in your car and are very helpful towards diagnosing various issues like oil consumption or detonation. When installing the new plugs be sure you do NOT cross thread the holes the plugs go into or that will turn into a whole different situation in a hurry.

If you want to go a little bit further than the basics you can do things like checking the compression in the chambers using a gauge. This is easier than it might sound and can also tell you a lot about the car. Compression gauges vary in price range but are not hard to find, a typical one will run you anywhere between $20 and $40. Pulling the valve cover on the engine is only a matter of three 10mm bolts too. If you remove the cover you can take a quick inspection of your top end. Check for valves that need adjusting by seeing how loose the rocker arms sit against the top of the valve stem. Take a close look at the oil that is coating the walls of the head, inspect it for any foreign debris that might be present that could indicate a failed oil filter among other problems. Sludge build up would also be pretty obvious if you find thick black goops of grease up there.

Good luck with it. Download the FSM if you haven't already it comes in handy.

Zero

If I remember right here's what I paid last time I did my basic tuneup:

NGK Spark Plugs: $1.50ea
NGK Spark Plug Wires: $18.00
Distributor Cap: $10
Distributor Rotor: $6
Air Filter: $10
Techron System Treatment: $8

how could I make sure that I dont mess up the plugs and put them back on in the right sequence? what was that mod where you could turn the plugs one way and get more horsepower?

[alanizgod]

how could I make sure that I dont mess up the plugs and put them back on in the right sequence? what was that mod where you could turn the plugs one way and get more horsepower?

Do them one at a time. I just did a tune up about a week ago and the easiest way to remember is unplugging just one...putting in the new plug/wire and so on. Just be careful when you're putting the plug back in. It can be kinda frustrating but you have to do it cautiously or else you'll end up stripping it...and that's going to lead to some shit. Make sure you gap them correctly too...i dunno what the size is though but I'm sure someone else does lol...oh and match the wires with the new ones so they're about the same length.

[ghettogeddy]

Do them one at a time. I just did a tune up about a week ago and the easiest way to remember is unplugging just one...putting in the new plug/wire and so on. Just be careful when you're putting the plug back in. It can be kinda frustrating but you have to do it cautiously or else you'll end up stripping it...and that's going to lead to some shit. Make sure you gap them correctly too...i dunno what the size is though but I'm sure someone else does lol...oh and match the wires with the new ones so they're about the same length.

most plugs come pregaped lol


but i agree one at a time

[alanizgod]

most plugs come pregaped lol


but i agree one at a time

I'm not sure if mine did...I made the changes and for some reason I started smelling gasoline from the AC =/

Seems like my mileage went to crap too...gotta take them out and check them just to make sure. And I think a rougher idle is another culprit in it too lol

[ghettogeddy]

I'm not sure if mine did...I made the changes and for some reason I started smelling gasoline from the AC =/

Seems like my mileage went to crap too...gotta take them out and check them just to make sure. And I think a rougher idle is another culprit in it too lol

what kind of plugs

[alanizgod]

NGK plugs and wires

[ghettogeddy]

NGK plugs and wires
hmmmm what ngk plugs if there jsut the basics you should be fine

[alanizgod]

Shit I'm not sure...I had a choice between one type or the other but the guy said either one was basically the same thing. I'm just gonna take them out and check them out since it's not too hard...if everything's in good shape I'll take them back and slap the douche in the face.

**Didn't mean to hijack the thread lol but I guess if you end up with this problem its pretty much covered already

[ZeroLux]

how could I make sure that I dont mess up the plugs and put them back on in the right sequence? what was that mod where you could turn the plugs one way and get more horsepower?

Uuh... never heard that one before. More horsepower from turning the plugs? Not likely. No I was referring more to the idea of cross threading the plug holes when you put the new ones back in. As I recall the plugs dont go straight in to the head, they are slightly angled towards the outer sides on each side of the engine, kinda like // \\ not || || if that makes any ascii sense. It wont be a very noticable angle but if you try to put them in wrong you run the risk of messing things up.

And though it's already been answered, yes, installing new plug wires isn't hard either. MOST sets of wires will be marked either on the wire itself, the boot, or you can just check the distributor cap for the sequence. It is best if you are not familiar with them to pull only one at a time and reconnect a new one of equal length to be sure you put the new ones on the same as the old ones came off.

Another thing you can try, though it's a bit more complicated for a beginner is to run seafoam (about $8 a can where I live) directly into the intake manifold by way of the brake booster vacuum hose. This will remove carbon buildup from the intake and chambers and clean off the valves a little bit from years of spent hydrocarbons.

To do this you will need a spare set of hands (at least for your first time) since one person will have to hold a funnel into the vacuum hose (disconnect from the booster not the intake) while you SLOWLY pour the chemical into the funnel to be burned. Two things when doing this... 1> when you disconnect the hose from the brake booster your rpm's are going to go up, this is normal since you are feeding more air into the engine so don't worry about it and 2> you are going to have to keep the rpm's going when you pour the stuff in else the engine will shut off from having a bad mix. You can hold the throttle open without being in the car by holding the spring loaded part where the accelerator cable attaches. Do not pour it fast or you'll flood out the chambers and have a heck of a time starting it up again.

One other thing about using seafoam with this method- I hope you like thick clouds of white smoke cause you're going to see plenty of that. It's normal, it's a byproduct of the seafoam burning and leaving through the exhaust. This can actually be helpful too since when I did mine a while back it showed me where I had a few exhaust leaks in the engine bay :lol: Don't expect the smoke to go away instantly, there will still be some residual buildup of the chemical that will burn itself out over time. Typically if you drive the car for a while after you do this it will clear up.

I've always wanted to rig up an injection system of sorts to spray seafoam into the intake manifold as desired using a switch on the dashboard, I figured it would make a pretty cool James Bond style smoke screen :naughty: but now I'm getting off subject and wandering into Misdemeanor 101 so before I elaborate on that further I'll stop.

Zero

[ghettogeddy]

Uuh... never heard that one before. More horsepower from turning the plugs? Not likely. No I was referring more to the idea of cross threading the plug holes when you put the new ones back in. As I recall the plugs dont go straight in to the head, they are slightly angled towards the outer sides on each side of the engine, kinda like // \\ not || || if that makes any ascii sense. It wont be a very noticable angle but if you try to put them in wrong you run the risk of messing things up.

And though it's already been answered, yes, installing new plug wires isn't hard either. MOST sets of wires will be marked either on the wire itself, the boot, or you can just check the distributor cap for the sequence. It is best if you are not familiar with them to pull only one at a time and reconnect a new one of equal length to be sure you put the new ones on the same as the old ones came off.

Another thing you can try, though it's a bit more complicated for a beginner is to run seafoam (about $8 a can where I live) directly into the intake manifold by way of the brake booster vacuum hose. This will remove carbon buildup from the intake and chambers and clean off the valves a little bit from years of spent hydrocarbons.

To do this you will need a spare set of hands (at least for your first time) since one person will have to hold a funnel into the vacuum hose (disconnect from the booster not the intake) while you SLOWLY pour the chemical into the funnel to be burned. Two things when doing this... 1> when you disconnect the hose from the brake booster your rpm's are going to go up, this is normal since you are feeding more air into the engine so don't worry about it and 2> you are going to have to keep the rpm's going when you pour the stuff in else the engine will shut off from having a bad mix. You can hold the throttle open without being in the car by holding the spring loaded part where the accelerator cable attaches. Do not pour it fast or you'll flood out the chambers and have a heck of a time starting it up again.

One other thing about using seafoam with this method- I hope you like thick clouds of white smoke cause you're going to see plenty of that. It's normal, it's a byproduct of the seafoam burning and leaving through the exhaust. This can actually be helpful too since when I did mine a while back it showed me where I had a few exhaust leaks in the engine bay :lol: Don't expect the smoke to go away instantly, there will still be some residual buildup of the chemical that will burn itself out over time. Typically if you drive the car for a while after you do this it will clear up.

I've always wanted to rig up an injection system of sorts to spray seafoam into the intake manifold as desired using a switch on the dashboard, I figured it would make a pretty cool James Bond style smoke screen :naughty: but now I'm getting off subject and wandering into Misdemeanor 101 so before I elaborate on that further I'll stop.

Zero

ive heard it and its pretty common
what you do is you draw a line were the open end is and you make sure to face them towards the gas air mixture you get a better ignite plus your more of the gas will burn resulting in not a hp gain but there less hp loss

[ZeroLux]

Interesting, I'll have to look into that sometime. I imagine it would not give much more than a quarter of a HP gain at max though. I wonder how this would apply if someone were to run Bosch Platinum 4's in one of these cars?

Zero

[ghettogeddy]

Interesting, I'll have to look into that sometime. I imagine it would not give much more than a quarter of a HP gain at max though. I wonder how this would apply if someone were to run Bosch Platinum 4's in one of these cars?

Zero

ya you get better results with the basic ngk plugs

and even if its a .25hp gain
by 4 kik thats a whole hp lol

[ZeroLux]

Hahahahah, fair enough I guess. 113hp! YAY!

And to the OP, I was just re-reading one of your other posts and MOST of your problems are because you are 16 :lol: don't take that wrong, but it's mainly cosmetic issues you are not liking.

4.brakes squeak - replace your pads at least on the front for now, this is usually caused by the warning tabs on the pads coming into contact with the rotor when you stop, it's there on purpose to let you know you are running out of brake material.

5.power steering like whines sometimes - check your fluid level, there are markings on the outside of the reservoir that tell you where it should be. if the fluid is dirty or burned a flush would be a good idea.

6.radio wont play certain cds lol - hey at least you have the option with an aftermarket head unit. i still have the good old stock AM/FM tape deck in mine :) not a problem though I just adapt my iPod with a tape converter and it works great

8.muffler is rusting away, no rust anywhere else though

11.car squeaks when its running and you can smell burning rubber? belts? - probably tires- QUIT DOING BURNOUTS to impress the chicks! :lol: but seriously, are you sure it's rubber you smell and not dirty oil?

13.I think it might leak oil or something, I put in a quart 2 months ago and it was almost empty today - common, could be a lot of things, we'll get into this later.

14. windshield wipers need replaced lol - easy replacement, usually about $6 or $7 each

15. battery wont hold a charge, went over this in another thread - see below

16. headlights are dim - this is most likely from a weak battery as in your previous post, get a multimeter and check the battery charge on the two contact posts on top. should read anywhere from 12-14 volts if good. If less, I'd replace it and have somewhere check your charging system. Most places do it for free (AutoZone, Kragen, Advance Auto, and NAPA i think)

17. tires are bald - HEY! people pay A LOT for racing slicks, just consider these custom slicks that your car made because the tires are worn! tires aren't hard to replace and I would suggest finding a way to do this. hydroplaning and having a flat on the highway are not fun things to do.

Welcome to owning a 20 year old car. It's a great foundation to start learning on and believe me it pays to know how to fix your own car!

Zero

[russiankid]

most plugs come pregaped lol


but i agree one at a time

You still have to gap them to stock spec.

[ghettogeddy]

You still have to gap them to stock spec.

ummm lol ive never had a prob lol

[LX-incredible]

They usually come gapped, but you should always check. They can be off by quite a bit if the boxes were dropped at any point, especally if they didn't come with the protective sleeves.

It may also be a good time to replace the TW sensor if you're having start issues. There's a good thread on that somewhere on here.