Greetings all. honda-tech forums newb here.

So let me give some background here:

I'm getting into doing more servicing my '92 Civic EX myself, and decided a good way to cut my teeth was to do a nice little overhaul: check plugs, replace valve cover gasket, replace vtec solenoid gasket, replace distributor gasket, yadda, yadda, yadda. Car has been running great, just leaking oil and I wanted to fix it. So, repair time:

I try and pull my plug wires, 2 & 3 won't budge. I get the valve cover loose and attempt to aid the removal of the wiring, end up screwing the pooch on the wiring- ok, I'll replace it too, I guess… go to work on the insulators and they just turn but don't come out. I think: boots melted to tubes. damn.

Flashback to last summer.
So, long story sort (too late), overheating then probably caused the boots to melt. Did some google searching, and eventually ended up on this forum. Do some searching here and find this advice:
• torch them out
• remove head, unscrew plugs from beneath
• bag it all and count it a loss (for an already toasted car)

Has anyone had success unscrewing plugs from the bottom? Car (not really honda-tech-savvy) friends told me this trick might not work.
Don't really want to torch it, but is there a solvent I can use that won't wreck the block?

I wrenched on those two for quite a while, even got a buddy to help, but no dice.

Also, anything else to worry about? I.e. what other damage should I check for?

My car tech skills are in the novice stage (I can do basic maintenance, but am building up), but the thought of pulling the head makes me a bit uneasy. The car isn't what I'd call a total loss (it was running great), but with my limited ability (and no desire to really funnel mechanic money into it anymore), I'm thinking of selling it as is… The car was running great up until this evening, and my attempt to simply check/adjust valve lash revealed this greater problem.

Anyhow, just wondering if anyone has any non-intrusive tricks to getting those plug boots out, and if I should be looking for more damage and where.

Thanks, gents.

Pics:





Yes, there's gunk in my head, I'll clean it

 

is there ANY bolt at the base even ?. i'm assuming you're using a spark plug socket ? 2nd read up a bit pull the head and take it to a garage i'm sure they could get them out for you.

 

Soak those holes in WD40, PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, HondaLube, or whatever rust penetrant you can get. Let it sit for a couple hours. Soak it again for a couple more hours. Now attack the boot with some needle nose pliers, then the plugs with a regular plug socket.

With the shape that head is in, though, you really should remove it and have a shop hydrosonically clean it, the right way. You have no way of getting into all of the little nooks and crannies otherwise.

 

Unfortunately, number 3's wiring came completely de-crimped from the {technical term missing} metal contacts that wrap around the plug and it's lodged in there- need to get longer needle-nose… Number 2 I can see the plug, but the insulation plastic is too narrow for a plug socket.

Yeah it's not pretty. Tells ya how many times I've opened the valve cover myself. I hate grimy stuff…

Well, guess I'll be learning more than just valve lash adjustment after this…

Thanks, gents.

 

I lost the lower half of a set of wires down mine earlier in the week, got it unstuck with a long narrow flat blade screw driver by shimmying around the edges.
Rubber will separate from metal with a bit of work, needle noses will do you a world of help.

 

Chip the boot out with a flat screwdriver and a hammer or use a small set of picks/hooks to pull pieces of it out. When the boots break off like that it's either from severe overheating, cheap plug wires or some combination of the two. Replace the wires with Honda OEM or NGK blue wires you probably wont have an issue with wires again as long it doesn't overheat again.

 

ohhh I just looked at this again lol. I thought the plugs exploded or something ya as said pliers, flat head screw driver and possibly a powerful cylinder/stick shaped magnet. 100% salvageable

 

Got those ******s out…

special sauce 50/50


bit of prying with a flathead screwdriver.

some git'r'dun needle nose







Now to rock auto to grab me some new plugs & wiring.

Thanks for the help, guys.

 

GET AN NGK BLUE WIRE SET. THEY ARE ABOUT 40 BUCKS ON EBAY. I GOT A SET FOR MY EJ1, AND THEY HAVE PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY FOR THE LAST 2000 MILES.