sharno

hey i have a 1997 civic hx and i recently decided that i need to take better care of my car and try to fix it up and make it a reliable car for many years. it has 120k miles, and im doing small things that need to be fixed on it. but i want to make the engine run better and get better mpg, it gets 27 or 28 combined right now and i know that it can do better.

so what im asking is what are some basic parts that i can replace to improve how the engine runs and mpg. also im hearing a ticking sound from the engine (a friend said it might be a bad lifter) but i have no clue.

one more problem that im having is that one day i had to push start the car because the ignition was having issues and ever since then the tranny has had a noise (someone told me it might be the throw bearing) and since then it has gotten worse and sometimes it sounds like a tin can is rattling around in the tranny like when im in the drive-thru and the sound bounces off the wall and into the window i can hear it pretty good. i was going to put tranny fluid in but dont know if that will help or hurt. (sorry if i sound like a total noob but im not a mechanic at all)
thanks
justin

delsolproblems

You should probably get a service manual if you don't already have one. That will walk you through all of the procedures I'm suggesting.

For the tranny, you might remove the flywheel inspection cover and look inside with a flashlight to see if there are any loose pieces bouncing around the clutch. You might also want to drain and refill the lubricant in the tranny.

For the ticking sound, you should try adjusting your valve clearances as outlined in the manual.

For better MPG without upgrading parts: Replace the air, fuel and oil filters, PCV valve, distributor cap & rotor, spark plugs and plug wires if any of these haven't been replaced in awhile. Use a quality synthetic oil for the refill. Test and/or replace the ignition coil. Check the resistance across all ground connections. A good ground will show very little to no resistance. Replace any corroded ground wires and clean the battery terminals & their connectors. I prefer to sand both sides of a ground connection to bare metal, bolt it on and then coat it with an atv sealant (excluding battery terminals). This provides a strong connection and the sealant prevents corrosion. Once the protective coating is sanded off of a body piece, that area is susceptible to rust. Clean the car inside and out, removing stuck on dirt and any crap laying around inside adding unnecessary weight. Make sure all body panels are securely attached correctly and nothing is flapping in the wind as you drive. Check the MAP sensor voltage to make sure it is working properly. Changing the O2 sensor might help if it hasn't been changed in awhile but usually people wait till there's a code. Cleaning out the soot that has accumulated in the exhaust piping can also help with MPG if there's alot. Check the exhaust for any major dents restricting flow. Check the timing and adjust if need be. Sometimes a little timing advancement can give you better MPG. Bad axles, wheel bearings and/or brakes can slow your car down as well. Make sure the tires have the proper amount of air.

That's about all i can think of. Enjoy :p

delsolproblems

I also want to point out that there are alot of important regular maintenance items that I didn't mention because they aren't an answer to your question about better MPG. The belts, pumps and thermostat, among other things, should be at least checked if not replaced on a regular basis.

A dirty TB, dirty idle valves or a bad alternator can also decrease MPG. Dirty injectors can as well so you'll want to get some injector cleaner for after you switch out the fuel filter.

sharno

wow thats a lot of stuff ! i will make a list with all this stuff on here. one point, my friend who had the car before me had the cv joints replaced and now i looked under the car and see that there is grease coming out of the boot. does this mean i have to get the boot replaced and not the whole joint? also see some fluid on the bottom of the tranny, looks like it might have a small leak.

sharno

ok thanks for the additional info, do you think most of this stuff is do-able by me, i have a little mechanical ability i have replaced alternators rads stuff like that. i have a haynes manual that can give me the step by step tips.
thanks

odidipissuoff

I also drive a HX and some things you need to do are as follows.

Check your wideband o2 sensor (your car has two, one before and one after the Cat)
Take your IVAC off and clean it. (located on the back of your intake manifold.) Search and you should find a DIY on how to remove and clean the IVAC
Also Take off your EGR Valve and chamber plate and clean them. (they are likely caked with carbon. The EGR valve is what makes the HX more fuel effecient.

LMK if this helps or your need anything else. You can PM me with any questions regarding the HX =]

sharno

ok thanks i will add those to the list!