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2001 Honda Civic EX engineHave you ever wanted to change the spark plugs in your Honda Civic EX, but just did not know how? Well, here are the steps from start ot finish. Included are some photos of what you will see under your Civic's hood and there are also some tips to help make the project a success. This WikiHow is written for the 2001 Honda Civic EX. Your Civic may be similar, but genreally the steps and cautions are the same for most automobiles.
Steps
- 1Get all of your tools and other supplies together before you begin this project. Also you may want to park the car in the work area the night before you plan to do the work so the engine will be cool. If not the night before at least several hours prior to starting work.2
Tools used to change the plugs - Take the sheet in the first photo and put it in the engine compartment so you will have some place for parts and tools. This idea came from a video done by a teenage girl who was replacing gaskets on her Honda’s valve cover. Use a shop rag or towel to clean dirt and grunge off of valve cover around the plugs. Remove the plastic Vtech wire cover. There are two plastic slotted screws on the cover that require a ¼ turn to release. Clean more after the plastic cover has been removed.
Remove the plastic Vtech wire cover - 3This photo shows the plastic cover removed and a socket wrench with a 10mm socket. The things that will be taken off in the next few steps are the wire connector, the black 10mm nut and the plug igniter. I did each plug one at at time. Although there is no chance of getting ignition wires mixed up on the Civic there is still a chance that something might fall into the open plug area. So doing each plug completely helps avoid problems.
Wire cover removed - 4Remove the wire connector. The screwdriver tip is pointing at a tab on the top right side of the connector. You can push the tab in with the screwdriver and at the same time push the connector up with your thumb (or another screwdriver if you like) and the connector will move up. No need to force it as the connector will move when the tab is pushed in.
Screwdriver tip points to release tab - 5The wire connector has been removed. Use your 10mm socket to remove the black nut. Once you have the first connector off you can readily see how it works and the other three will be much easier to remove. Be sure to clean the grunge that is under the connector before removing the plug igniter.
Detail of release tab - 6Use a 5/8” spark plug socket to remove the plug. For some reason the rubber insert in both of my 5/8” sockets stuck to the plug body. This wasn’t a problem getting the old plug out. But when the new plug went in the rubber insert stuck to the new plug. Not good. Put the new plug into the plug igniter lowered the plug into the hole and seated the plug with almost one full turn – just enough for a few threads to catch. Then finish tightening the new plug with the socket. As you can guess the top of the igniter hits the threaded post and this prevents further rotation of the plug. Another method would be to use a length of rigid tubing that fits over the body of the plug, lower the plug into the hole, turn a few times and then pull the tubing off. So take an old plug to Lowe's or Home Depot and find some tubing in the plumbing department so you will have it for the next time you change plugs.
Use 5/8" spark plug socket - 7Before you install the new plug, put some anti-seize compound on the threads. Be careful not to get any on the electrodes. You must clean off the excess so that the compound is only in the threads. You want a nice smooth coating so none of the compound drops into the cylinder. By the way, this compound also comes in a stick that you simply rub onto the threads. Even though it might be cleaner you still need to coat only the threads. No additional goop allowed.
Carefully apply some anti-seize compound - 8Install the new spark plug. In this photo you can see the new plug in the igniter. It will be used to seat the plug. Just below the tip of the plug is the rubber ring from the inside of my plug socket. Just be aware that this type of problem presents itself only when the car can not be driven so be sure to have all your supplies on hand or another car to use for running errands. If you have to run out in the middle of the job be sure to cover any open holes with a clean shop rag or clean towel.
Ready to install first plug - 9If you can use your plug socket to install the new plug, then simply lower the plug into it's tube and carefully/slowly tighten the plug by hand. Back off if you feel the plug is not going in straight or you detect any miss threading and start again. The plug should thread in easily. After the plug is hand tight put either your torque wrench or socket handle onto the extension and (again) tighten slowly until the plug stops or you reach the recommended torque. If using your socket wrench do not over tighten. After the plug stops and you meet resistance to turning tighten no more than 1/4 of a turn.
Tighten carefully by hand - 10Insert the plug igniter and attach the wire connector. When the igniter touches the top of the plug the wire connector will slip on very easily and click into place. Line up the hole for the threaded post and push the igniter onto the plug. Hand tighten the black 10mm nut and then finish tightening with the 10mm socket wrench. Do not over tighten.
Replace wire connector before seating igniter - 11Repeat these steps for the remaining three plugs. Clear the engine compartment of everything that does not belong in there and start the car.
Warnings
- Be careful when installing and tightening the new plugs. A cross threaded plug could mean big bucks at the repair shop.
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