day 1 of the 60K tuneup
08-16-2002, 01:27 PM
#1
it ain't easy
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day 1 of the 60K tuneup
I think I'm incompetent.
Its taking me a long time to do the tuneup. I've been to Discount Auto Parts four times today. First time I forgot my wallet. Second time I bought the stuff. Third time I went back for a gauge thingee for spark plug gap measuring. Fourth time I went back to return the distributor cap and rotor cause they weren't the right ones, and exchange a spark plug that I dropped. Finally the spark plugs were done.
Next step...radiator flush. I set up an empty milk container with the top cut off under the radiator plug to grab the fluid. Pull the plug - coolant goes everywhere. Once the pressure died, it started pouring into the container the way I wanted to. Then the Haynes manual says to take off the lower radiator hose to drain the stuff from the engine block. I can't for the life of me get those hoses to budge (lower or upper). So now I can't flush the thing, I have no coolant, and its getting dark. Have to wait till tomorrow to have my dad help me figure this junk out.
Didn't even get to the manual tranny oil change. F***!
Anyone have words of encouragement/advice?
Its taking me a long time to do the tuneup. I've been to Discount Auto Parts four times today. First time I forgot my wallet. Second time I bought the stuff. Third time I went back for a gauge thingee for spark plug gap measuring. Fourth time I went back to return the distributor cap and rotor cause they weren't the right ones, and exchange a spark plug that I dropped. Finally the spark plugs were done.
Next step...radiator flush. I set up an empty milk container with the top cut off under the radiator plug to grab the fluid. Pull the plug - coolant goes everywhere. Once the pressure died, it started pouring into the container the way I wanted to. Then the Haynes manual says to take off the lower radiator hose to drain the stuff from the engine block. I can't for the life of me get those hoses to budge (lower or upper). So now I can't flush the thing, I have no coolant, and its getting dark. Have to wait till tomorrow to have my dad help me figure this junk out.
Didn't even get to the manual tranny oil change. F***!
Anyone have words of encouragement/advice?
08-16-2002, 02:20 PM
#2
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I never drained the coolant from the engine block, just the radiator. Then I filled it up and ran the car for awhile around the block and drained it again, and filled it up the same way and left it at that. Make sure you use the Honda coolant, just to be save against corrosion. I changed mine at 20000 miles just to be an ass, but she's run cooler ever since.
Transmission fluid is just as easy, I changed that too at the same time. Keep at at you'll get it. Once you do it the first time you'll never mess up again, kind of like sex.
Transmission fluid is just as easy, I changed that too at the same time. Keep at at you'll get it. Once you do it the first time you'll never mess up again, kind of like sex.
08-16-2002, 08:42 PM
#6
it ain't easy
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Thanks for all your help. My hoses look like they are in pretty good condition so I'm not gonna replace them. Should be able to get them off tomorrow hopefully.
I'm draining, flushing, then refilling my coolant tomorrow. I bought some Pennzoil coolant already. Will that be ok to use? It says something about doing a mixture (with water)? How do I mix it (like in a bucket or something?) and how much should I be pouring in? Thanks.
By the way, I'm not from Michigan. I'm actually from Florida but go to school at UM (go figure). I'm leaving in 4 days to drive up there from down here. The car's never done that much highway driving in such a short period of time...I hope it makes it through ok!
I'm draining, flushing, then refilling my coolant tomorrow. I bought some Pennzoil coolant already. Will that be ok to use? It says something about doing a mixture (with water)? How do I mix it (like in a bucket or something?) and how much should I be pouring in? Thanks.
By the way, I'm not from Michigan. I'm actually from Florida but go to school at UM (go figure). I'm leaving in 4 days to drive up there from down here. The car's never done that much highway driving in such a short period of time...I hope it makes it through ok!
08-17-2002, 10:43 AM
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ok Motu my man, its not hard..i talked to a guy at work....dont worry about ANYTHING except your radiator. I was told that there is SOOO little fluid in the engine block and hoses that it wont matter much.
I just did it last night. I went to wal-mart(dont use a milk jug)and bought one of those REALLY big but shallow rubbermaid plastic things....its SOO much better and catches all the splashing(well..most of it)
I DID find the drain bolt for the block..that thing is SOO far up there i said FORGET IT!! All that new coolant you put in the engine will dilute that little bit of nasty fluid and make a mostly good mix. Or you could do like someone else said. Drain the radiator and refil it..then run the engine for a second(you MUST let it come to operating temperature because the thermostat wont open up flow of water through the radiator until then, which is what you want to dilute the fluid in the block and hoses)and then drain and refil it again.
Also make sure you drain the "overflow tank" and refill that with fresh fluid as well.
You asked about the mixture of antifreeze and water...ALWAYS do a 50/50 for standard use. If you wanna be a little safer in winter, do a 60/40..but not much more than that. Of coiurse the 60 is the antifreeze, cuz that will better protect your engine if temps get below -30F around where you life(thats usually the freezing point for antifreeze).
I mixed it right in the tub that i drained everything out in. I flushed the radiator till it was clear, then i emtied the tub, then rinsed it out..then added measured amount of antifreeze then the SAME amount of water....pour that into your radiator, any leftover's....put in your RINSED OUT overflow tank. This rinsing of the overflow tank ensures that there is no sediment in your overflow tank that will get sucked back into the radiator because fluid is constantly flushed in and out of that tank when the car heats up and cools down(law of physics).
I did that and changed my oil in aboiut 1.5 hours. I also had the help of my sister...she mostly complained and thats about it. Helped a little
You have your manual tranny oil to change still, get to it my man. If you need me to scan a pic or two in of that, let me know.
About your spark plugs. Did you apply "anti-seize" compound to the THREADS of the plugs before screwing them into your head? This helps the next time you remove the plugs so they wont stick and cause damage to the head(this is what i heard, never happened to me..but i use the compound to be safe.
Lets see...tell us what else you are having problems with.
Just focus on what you have to to...plan in advance..and do it. Dont feel pressured or you might screw somethin up(lol..you dropped the spark plug? broke the ceramic glass huh?).
Hope everything works out on the car...let us know how its going..lata!
Dave
Oh...accords are awesome vehicles...it'll make the trip. Mine just recently did a 2200 mile trip with nothing wrong.
I just did it last night. I went to wal-mart(dont use a milk jug)and bought one of those REALLY big but shallow rubbermaid plastic things....its SOO much better and catches all the splashing(well..most of it)
I DID find the drain bolt for the block..that thing is SOO far up there i said FORGET IT!! All that new coolant you put in the engine will dilute that little bit of nasty fluid and make a mostly good mix. Or you could do like someone else said. Drain the radiator and refil it..then run the engine for a second(you MUST let it come to operating temperature because the thermostat wont open up flow of water through the radiator until then, which is what you want to dilute the fluid in the block and hoses)and then drain and refil it again.
Also make sure you drain the "overflow tank" and refill that with fresh fluid as well.
You asked about the mixture of antifreeze and water...ALWAYS do a 50/50 for standard use. If you wanna be a little safer in winter, do a 60/40..but not much more than that. Of coiurse the 60 is the antifreeze, cuz that will better protect your engine if temps get below -30F around where you life(thats usually the freezing point for antifreeze).
I mixed it right in the tub that i drained everything out in. I flushed the radiator till it was clear, then i emtied the tub, then rinsed it out..then added measured amount of antifreeze then the SAME amount of water....pour that into your radiator, any leftover's....put in your RINSED OUT overflow tank. This rinsing of the overflow tank ensures that there is no sediment in your overflow tank that will get sucked back into the radiator because fluid is constantly flushed in and out of that tank when the car heats up and cools down(law of physics).
I did that and changed my oil in aboiut 1.5 hours. I also had the help of my sister...she mostly complained and thats about it. Helped a little
You have your manual tranny oil to change still, get to it my man. If you need me to scan a pic or two in of that, let me know.
About your spark plugs. Did you apply "anti-seize" compound to the THREADS of the plugs before screwing them into your head? This helps the next time you remove the plugs so they wont stick and cause damage to the head(this is what i heard, never happened to me..but i use the compound to be safe.
Lets see...tell us what else you are having problems with.
Just focus on what you have to to...plan in advance..and do it. Dont feel pressured or you might screw somethin up(lol..you dropped the spark plug? broke the ceramic glass huh?).
Hope everything works out on the car...let us know how its going..lata!
Dave
Oh...accords are awesome vehicles...it'll make the trip. Mine just recently did a 2200 mile trip with nothing wrong.
08-17-2002, 11:23 AM
#8
it ain't easy
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Finished the radiator stuff today with the help of my dad. Wasn't too bad. Then went to do the manual transmission fluid but it looked way too hard. The draining part would have been easy but the filling part seemed tough. The hole was on the side of the transaxle and was at the bottom of the car...you basically had to rig up a funnel to try to fill it...i'm just gonna pay 20 extra bucks to have someone else do it. Now I'm gonna wash and wax the car and clean the interior. Oil was done last week, so I think I'm pretty much done with the engine stuff. I just need to get a break inspection done before I leave. Thanks for your help man.
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