I just bought a '91 CRX DX on the cheap. 185k miles, automatic. Mostly a ride for me to get from point A to point B in, and something fun to tinker with. I'm not a car genius, but I'm good at learning my way around things.

Anyway, I'm looking at the spark plugs, considering putting new ones in, and notice that the #3 and #4 boots are covered in oil! Especially #4! Hmmm! I look this up on the forum here, and apparently I need new Valve Cover Grommets and such! Spectacular! Now the real question: How do I replace these, and do I want to do it myself? I've never actually cracked open an engine before, but I'm game for anything and brave. So very brave. I'm fairly good at following instructions and poking around in a Haynes manual. Engine is whatever is stock in the '91 DX, D15B2 I think?

Frankly, I only blew about 1k on this car as it is and I don't want to roll it up to a mechanic and be like 'hey, do this' when I can just save the $$ on labor by doing it myself and learning something in the process.

(Also, my CRX has a funny variable idle in park, it'll rev up from 1000 to 2000rpm or so. Sometimes it steadies out when I step down on the brake. Vacuum leak? Broke O2 sensor? Ehhh. that's a problem for another day.)

 

take the valve cover off, and just replace them.

hondaautomotiveparts.com for the parts. it's real real easy, one of the first things i repaired.

 

jsut use a 10mm socket and undo the 4 bolts on the valve covor take it off turn upsid edown. the groments jsut pull out of the little grove there in. prob good to replace the valve covor gasket too.

 

Yeah, I just searched the forum for 'valve cover' and found a lot of good info there as well. AAAAWESOME. I plan to drive this motor into the ground. I think I can push 250k out of it like I did with my old '89 Bonneville 3800 engine.

 

The exact same problem happened to me when I first bought my EF. I was HORRIFIED at the fact that I was going to take apart the motor (or as I would later learn, just remove the valve cover, lol), in fear that I would mess something up, but it was alot easier than I thought and I did it all by myself and I was so proud.

After you purchased a new valve cover gasket & gromets, all you gotta do is this: take off the spark plug wires, remove the crankcase breather hose that goes to the intake tube, remove any hoses or tubes that are.. "attatched" to the VC by those little hooks, remove the 4 bolts off the VC, then stick a flathead inbetween the head and the VC then slowly pry until it's loose. Tada! Just take it off now, remove the old gasket and grommets, clean up the surfaces, put the new grommets and gasket in, and reverse the process!

 

First pull your plugwires and mark them so you don't get them messed up.
There are four bolts on the valvecover, I loosen all of them a 1/2 turn first then remove them all.
I got my grommets at the dealer.
There are two large ones and two small ones. While you are at it you might wanna replace the valvecover gasket and the sparkplug seals since you have went this far.

Everything is plug and play no need for sealant, just snug the valvecover bolts tight I think they are only 5 ft/lbs of torque on them.

replace the plugwires and no more leaky. And don't forget the ground wire.

 

don't use a screw driver unless you can afford a leak and new head. push push and pull on the valve cover till it comes loose then lifft it out. and DO NOT BUY THE CHEAP GASKETS FROM ADVANCE OR AUTOZONE. THEY FLAT OUT SUCK. lose a whole thing of oil in 20 miles (didn't check for leaks late for work.)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Josh Z. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, I just searched the forum for 'valve cover' and found a lot of good info there as well. AAAAWESOME. I plan to drive this motor into the ground. I think I can push 250k out of it like I did with my old '89 Bonneville 3800 engine.</TD></TR></TABLE>

250k would be selling it short, i've got 293k and the motor still runs strong(for an HF that is...haha).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by joeny12985 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">don't use a screw driver unless you can afford a leak and new head. </TD></TR></TABLE>

don't use a screwdriver. if the valve cover hasn't been removed in a while, two bolts, plumbers tape, and gloves are your friend.

torque the valve cover nuts to 7 ft. lbs or as tight as you can get them with your hands.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. It's much appreciated.

A few more questions:

1. Can anyone point me to a good gasket set online? What's a good brand? I found an Ishinio set (http://www.drivewire.com/honda....html) but I don't know what sucks and what doesn't and if it has everything I need or not. I'm not buying **** from autozone/advance, bleh.

2. What is the exact size of the oil pan drain plug on a '91 CRX? I have to run out and buy a wrench and I'd like to avoid buying a whole set. I haven't been able to find exact specs online or in my haynes manual yet.

 

jsut go to autozone and get the one in the brown boz i want to say feltpro. i haven't had any real probems with them

 

So here's an update. I get everything I needed, I pull the valve cover off (it came off without too much trouble, i was pleasantly surprised), take my old spark plugs out, etc etc.

So uhhhhh. When I pulled the #3 plug out, it still had this black washer/seal type thing attached to it right over the bolt section. That... That's not good, is it? Is it safe to just stick it onto the new plug I put in and hope for the best?

 

Holy ****, I am a giant idiot. I sat down and thought about it a while, and realized that little washer thing came off my ultra-cheapo spark plug adapter for my wrench. DUHHHHHH. I am so stupid.

 

just put a dab of hondabond in the corners of the valve cover gasket before you put it in so it bonds to the valve cover, this way next time you take it off it will stay in the valve cover and not get stuck to the head dont forget to clean the old oil off first

and the drain plug is 17mm , get some extra aluminum washers for it from honda they cost 15 cents each and use any filter except a fram