My NSX just hit 60,000 miles, so it was time for a spark plug change. I went with the Densos recommended in the shop manual. This should have been easy compared to changing the timing belt two years ago, but for Lesson 1.
Lesson 1: Stuff some shop towels all around the rear of the alternator before you begin. Why? Well, I set my ratchet wrench down on the top of the engine, and I heard a clunk. It seems the socket was not snapped on all the way, fell off and went into some deep small cavity behind and below the alternator. First it took forever to figure out where the socket went. Then, my magnetic pick-up tool wouldn't fit in there. Finally, taping a magnet the size of a pencil to a long thin stick, and I got the bugger out. An hour was lost on that exercise. :redface:
Lesson 2: I found the cause of my recent "ticking" radio noise! There was corrosion on the top of plug #5. I changed that out and no more radio noise. Note that the steel body of the plug is bright and shiny. There was also some deposits on the contact in the coil pack. I used a long thin screwdriver to carefully scrape out the deposit and then cleaned it out with compressed air. All other plugs and coil packs showed no signs of corrosion.
<img src="http://www.nsxprime.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_2071.JPG" />
<img src="http://www.nsxprime.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_2066.JPG" />
Lesson 3: When I did the timing belt, I put a very thin film of Dow Corning Compound #4 (silicon grease) inside the lower end each coil boot and on the circular seal at the base of the coil. Every plug well was totally dry; no signs of moisture and no signs of any rust on each plug body. I also put a generous coat of the compound on the seal of the cover for each bank, making sure the seal is up. That area was also dry as a bone, despite the fact that I have driven the car in heavy rain and take no special precautions when washing the car. So, I of course once again applied the compound to each coil boot & seal, as well as to the cover seal. The "slipperiness" of the compound also makes installing the coil pack easier - it slips easily over the plug and bottoms out even before tightening the bolts on the coil pack.
So, most of the time was spent retrieving the dropped socket.
But, no more radio noise, the engine runs smoothly up to the red line, and I'll check to see if there is an increase in gas mileage over the next few tanks of gas.:biggrin:
Lesson 1: Stuff some shop towels all around the rear of the alternator before you begin. Why? Well, I set my ratchet wrench down on the top of the engine, and I heard a clunk. It seems the socket was not snapped on all the way, fell off and went into some deep small cavity behind and below the alternator. First it took forever to figure out where the socket went. Then, my magnetic pick-up tool wouldn't fit in there. Finally, taping a magnet the size of a pencil to a long thin stick, and I got the bugger out. An hour was lost on that exercise. :redface:
Lesson 2: I found the cause of my recent "ticking" radio noise! There was corrosion on the top of plug #5. I changed that out and no more radio noise. Note that the steel body of the plug is bright and shiny. There was also some deposits on the contact in the coil pack. I used a long thin screwdriver to carefully scrape out the deposit and then cleaned it out with compressed air. All other plugs and coil packs showed no signs of corrosion.
<img src="http://www.nsxprime.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_2071.JPG" />
<img src="http://www.nsxprime.com/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG_2066.JPG" />
Lesson 3: When I did the timing belt, I put a very thin film of Dow Corning Compound #4 (silicon grease) inside the lower end each coil boot and on the circular seal at the base of the coil. Every plug well was totally dry; no signs of moisture and no signs of any rust on each plug body. I also put a generous coat of the compound on the seal of the cover for each bank, making sure the seal is up. That area was also dry as a bone, despite the fact that I have driven the car in heavy rain and take no special precautions when washing the car. So, I of course once again applied the compound to each coil boot & seal, as well as to the cover seal. The "slipperiness" of the compound also makes installing the coil pack easier - it slips easily over the plug and bottoms out even before tightening the bolts on the coil pack.
So, most of the time was spent retrieving the dropped socket.
But, no more radio noise, the engine runs smoothly up to the red line, and I'll check to see if there is an increase in gas mileage over the next few tanks of gas.:biggrin:
Before...I know what you mean.
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ie post #7
