I'll be brief:

I've seen a dozen different videos and posts across the internet of fixing this issue, and I'm quite sure I can manage it. However, I am very cautious about DIY auto repairs because I am by no means a seasoned automotive anything. To that end, I want to ensure that I am not going to incur a 800 dollar repair when I disconnect these ( http://imgur.com/e8xG205 ) two vacuum tubes so I can pull the fuel rail out to get to the EGR chamber to clean it.

I haven't found a resource that deals with this to a point where I feel comfortable doing it yet, so here I am. Is there anything special I need to consider when disconnecting these tubes? Is there anything I need to do before, during, or after to ensure that this goes smoothly? I know the information is probably out there somewhere, but I, for the life of me, simply can't find it.

I'd appreciate the help, friends.

 

Those are simple hoses

Me, I'd worry more with being sure you seal the injectors when you re-install the fuel rail. Again, just me.

 

I really appreciate it.

 

Two totally different sized hoses, you can't mix them up.
In fact, just pull the PCV valve out of the cover and flop it over the intake manifold to get it out of your way.
If you have multiple vacuum hoses to remove(which you shouldn't really on a '94-'97) Just pull the hoses off so if they are next to each other pull one off the part you are removing so it is a bare nipple, and pull the hose with the part so you cannot mix up the routing. Just take pictures and use some masking tape with a marker to mark parts. e.g. Hose 'I' goes to hardline 'I', hose 'II' goes to hardline 'II' and so on.

When reinstalling the injectors, make sure to use some wheel bearing grease. DO NOT USE SILICONE BASED OILS/GREASES ON RE-INSTALLATION! That can poison(coat) the catalyst and O2 sensor rendering them useless. It also wouldn't hurt to clean off the tips of the injectors of any carbon fouling.

Ports on the intake manifold are stepped and of different sizes. Make sure to properly clean them, Using a #2 flat head to clean to the step and then a #1 to clean the rest. Same with the EGR manfold, gently scrape out the carbon deposits, don't scratch the surfaces. Bolts only take 8lbs, basically hand tight.

 

So the left most line in the picture that I posted is, in fact, a vacuum tube and proved to be none to easy to disconnect. (Several sources have confirmed that it's a vac tube, but no one mentions how to disconnect it properly. ) A friend who knows BMWs inside and out but not the first thing about Honda's advised against removing vac tubes in general a while back so I am leery to just start manhandling it.

Being the risk averse person I am, I am forced to return, asking for advice to ensure that the leftmost, marked vac tube in the picture in my OP is removed properly so as not to damage it. If I can get that thing undone then I have a clear shot at easily getting this repair done, so any advice on vac tubes generally, or that one specifically, would be greatly appreciated.

 

The hoses have numbers printed on them, +1. A few pic's of the area(s) and no worries. Plus the shop manual has nice detailed pics (with numbers ) of what goes where.

I;m the one that likes to pull the fuel rail from the injectors - leave them in the intake. Then I only have to worry with the top o-ring seal.

 

What I'm seeing and hearing from you is that all I need to do is disconnect the tube without ravaging it: no special anything required.

I thought that this might be the case, but when I got resistance trying to press it back and disconnect it with a flathead I decided it would be better safe that sorry. I won't be able to try again until Saturday, so I would gladly take advice on how to get this thing off without damaging the tube itself, but if it doesn't come then I'm sure I can manage it.

Thanks for the help everyone. Hopefully we can let this thread disappear now.

 

If you are simply trying to pull the hose off that is not going to work. You will need to twist the hose on the tube to break it free, then pull it off.

 

Thanks a bunch.
Cheers.

 

No amount of twisting, pulling, prying, or pushing is getting that tube off.
Does anyone have any advice for getting this troublesome TA YASU 16 tube disconnected? I feel like if I apply any more force to it I will jeopardize the integrity of the tube so here I am again, much to my chagrin and frustration.

 

Which tube are we talking about....got a picture of it

 

It's just a vacuum hose. You are being wayyy too careful with that thing. Use a pair of plyers and grip it where it connects and grab it and twist it, when it comes loose, pull it off. Where it connects it is hard metal. You won't hurt that piece of metal at all by pulling that hose off.

Also, if you want, you can go down to your local Honda dealer and pick up an 8 foot length bulk set of vacuum hose. Then you can remove each vacuum hose on your car one at a time and cut the same amount from the bulk hose and put the new hose back on. This will also ensure that if the vacuum hose you are removing right now somehow rips you will have new hose to put back on. The advantage of removing and replacing ALL of the old vacuum hose is that it is good preventive maintenance since eventually ALL vacuum hose gets old and brittle.

 

It's the left one that I marked in the Imgur in the OP.

 

If you look at my picture - old and fuzzy - of when I did this on my 95 Accord EX, I removed that hose from the "tubing" end and left it connected to the EGR valve.

Use a pair of pliers and grip the hose where is slides on (red arrow in pic) and twist it.

Heck if the thing won't come off, just cut it and go to the parts store and buy a foot of vac hose and be done with it.......I think parts stores still sell hose by the foot

 

Thanks.I'll give it a shot the next time I have the opportunity.
And I want to, once again, thanks everyone for the help. This has been a source of undue amounts of stress for me.

 

Do not use wheel bearing grease on the injector seals. Never use a petroleum based lubricant on ANY rubber material.

A silicone lubricant such as Sylglide is your best bet. Or any brand of spark plug die electric grease.

 

As stated above, silicone grease can have detrimental effects when used on fuel injector seals.
I used a dab of fresh motor oil when doing mine without any problems.

 

That is wrong, and so is using motor oil. Motor oil (or any petroleum based lubricant) is extremely detrimental to rubber. Period.


The silicone that is harmful to emission components is NOT the same as die electric grease,or brake silicone lubricant.

Having the correct information will help you(and others) in the future......

 

I never use anything on the rubber seals but I use motor oil on the hard seals with no issues whatsoever.

I'm not even sure why you'd ever want to put anything on rubber to begin with. It's not necessary. It's going to seal fine. The motor oil on the hard seals is what is needed to help them seat smoothly and correctly.

I've never had a vacuum leak at any time doing this.

 

The seals are not typical rubber. If they were, gasoline would have dissolved them years ago. They are chemical resistant to hydrocarbons, oil, grease. I would not risk using silicone on any O ring/seal that may allow ingestion into the engine and end up coating the O2S or Catalyst.

 

UPDATE!

So I managed to get everything cleaned out and put back together. There are, however, two caveats to this that I am hoping you folks can address before I start cycling the engine to to get rid of the P0401 warning.

1. One of the rubber o-rings/washers on the very end of the fuel injectors was damaged and about 1/3 of it is missing. I know it needs to be replaced, but is this going to pose a huge issue in the near future?

2. The car is idling very hard. After I start the vehicle it idles at between 1500 and 1800 RPM. I drove it 8 feet, went back down into a more normal but not ideal 1100, and when I drove it back to where it was parked it went back to idling at between 1500 and 1800. Is this also something about which I should be worried? Is it linked to the damaged o-ring/washer? Should I just take it into my mechanic?

 

They are nitrile and still quite vulnerable to petroleum base products. yes they are more resistant than conventional rubber,but still suseptible to damage.

Its just good practice to not use oil on rubber.

Again the silicone that is harmful to emission components is not the same base compound as brake silicone lubricant,despite the similarities in the name.

What you are thinking of is room temperature vulcanizing silicone.(RTV)
That is the the harmful silicone. The kind used for sealant and gasket makers.

 

Get new o-rings, suggest a full set for all injectors. If part of one is missing this can create a leak and not taking the leak out of the equation is not going to help.

Even though several want to debate things. I will simply quote the factory service manual - lightly coat the new o-rings in clean engine oil.

Not even sure where the topic came up

If others wish to debate that the factory service manual is wrong, we can do that off-line or in a different thread. Yes, I have the book, actual paper book, factory service manual for this car and that is what is printed in it.

Now if there is a "retraction" from honda on this, post the actual change from honda, and I will back off. Did this on my 5th gen, use engine oil, NEVER had an issue.

 

Honda printed a lot of things 20 years ago, that have changed. That is one reason why service manuals are no longer used. Good luck finding a "retraction" to the minor issues.

I speak from 18 years of professional automotive experience. I have complete access to ALL Honda factory service manuals, and have first hand knowledge on what occurs when the above advice is ignored.


But youre right,at this point we are simply derailing the thread. Im done here.

 

My 02 Accord has had a similar result after an attempt to fix this same code. Mine will match this behavior at first but then eventually will die at low rpms and then won't start back up without gas. Live data indicates that the TPS volt's are way off (9.8v+ always). Suppose to be working with a friend to change the TPS tonight.