timberland73

iTrader: (1)

Great write up! I just bought these plugs today. I'll probably do the job sometime this weekend.

01tl4tl

do the seafoam DIY for intake manifold vac port at least... a few days before plugs- will make a huge diffeance to have a clean workspace for them!

partsguy247

Here I was dreading changing my plugs. Looks easier than I thought.
+1 on the seafoam a few days prior.

01tl4tl

the trick is having a 3 and 6 inch extensions- combine as needed for rears and its cake
Do a front to get the feel for the job then rears

Sperry

iTrader: (1)

I went from 25mpg to 28mpg after plugs and engine air filter.
A very quick payback, I'd say.

bruistopher

nice sperry, do you do a lot of city driving or highway? i do a lot of city and a some highway. my gas mileage suffers a little but not that much.

i know with that new air filter and new spark plugs, your TL feels like new! haha congrats!

totaledTL

Long reach plug socket makes it relatively easy- no joints to come disconnected.

Sperry

iTrader: (1)

That 28mpg was close to a third city driving.

Today I averaged 30.61 mpg, mostly highway driving, over 285 miles.

When the tank is dry, I'll fill up with 91 instead of the usual 87, and check the mpg difference.

01tl4tl

please dont run the TL on 87
Do run a can of seafoam in half a tank of 91 gas to clean the crud left behind by 87!!

mohater

I noticed the DIY post no longer has the pics referenced in it.

Any plans to get the pics back in?

Thanks,

webmastir

i can still see them just fine..

bruistopher

@mohater: hey dude the pics are visible. Maybe you should check your browser. I still periodically use my photobucket account. So they should still be showing!

Sent via Apple iTouch

bruistopher

that's what I average every fill up. I do more city driving then highway. I can hit 250 miles on a full tank driving 70% city and 30% highway lol

sucks but I got to suck it up since our cars do have V6's in them. I would rather have power!

Sent via Apple iTouch

mohater

It might be due to my noobness account (or work is blocking photobucket).

In any case, thanks for the write up. I'm planning on doing my plugs tonight.

mohater

What I thought was bad gas (took it to the dealer since all six cylinders were throwing misfires at once) ended up being crappy plugs (I don't know who put bosch plugs in the TL).

What a waste of a diagnostic fee...

Oh well. Thanks for the DIY

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

those never f***ing work very well especially in Honda
maybe also look up egr cleaning, that should help with smoothness and fuel mileage if it is plugged up

mohater

Yeah, I had the same issue with my civic 3 or 4 years ago (no misfiring, but throwing misfire codes). This time, it was shuddering and jerking due to misfires.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into that.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

and bloated also (heavy), weigh mine recently, and basically with about a 60-70 sub, empty tank of gas (light came on like 2-3 minutes later with just idleing), and me in the car (180lbs) car weighed 3750 lbs with 2300 of that on the front axle, so not exactly light weight either

mohater

god damnit... Car drove great for a day and today it starts shuddering and jerking, just like it did with the bosch plugs.

any other ideas?

mohater

ok that was really odd...

Enroute to Bell Tire (fix a flat leaky tire and rotate/balance), it shuddered and jerked like before.

Way back to work, just rough idle when stopped, no shudder or jerking when pushing the gas... Guess I need to clean the EGR valve and do a seafoam treatment...

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

some of that rough idle, might also be bad motor mounts, which seem fairly commen to the point that the dealer even stocks them normally (egr is off, so that would not affect it then)

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

and those Bosch plugs might have cause the egr to plug up easier, due to it not fully burning the air/fuel mixture, which then goes straight into those egr passages and plugs them up

but yeah normally the valve itself is perfectly fine, it's up in the intake manifold itself where they really like to plug up (and then sometimes even the passage leading between the manifold and valve, not as often, but it still does though)

01tl4tl

a full can of seafoam to just under a half tank of gas

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

not as effective as putting it striaght into the manifold itself, but still cleans the back of the valves and such though (just not as far up the manifold though), so still very effective at getting the majority of the crud though

01tl4tl

I was thinking of the easy DIY method which also gets the fuel injectors- since a problem with rough running- lets get everything and giving it time to work longer also helps with stubborn crud

Yes a full blast thru the manifold vac port gives instant results on most of the parts and is also suggested,,noobs repeat in a month
but if not DIY inclined that way- the gas tank method works at that dose of 2 oz per gal--that is MAX dose seafoam suggest, do that in 2 half tanks

If you want to get the intake runners and such- email seafoam and ask for the new 3 foot straw- it has a 360 degree spray pattern from the end, and is made for intakes like ours that split -
you feed it in thru the TB throat to the length of the manifold and spray right into each runner - while pulling the tube back out
see tech info on injected cars www.seafoamsales.com
Jim Davies is a great tech help there if you call

01tl4tl

seafoam added thru vac port gets mixed with gas entering the system
that mixture will reach anywhere intake air goes on its way thru the valves and combustion chamber, plus cat on the way out

but without good heat and direct soaking,,the results are less

If running the wrong plug for the TL- clean out the crud by both gas and manifold
that would speed diagnosis of any remaining problem- if there is any prob after a good scour~

dc5nomore

This write up helped me out while putting my new spark plugs and coil-packs in... Just didn't know about the seafoam, a day before the install. Still still thinking about using the seafoam, but not certain.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

then just do the method through the gas tank, and going on a nice long trip afterwards will help the cleaner be even more effective, being able to get the engine up to operating temp and staying there for a while also

suj220

Iridium IX is coated with some sort of anti-seize and corrosion resistant coating. Do you really need to buy and use the anti-seize grease? The installation instructions on the NGK website doesn't make any mention of it.

01tl4tl

you dont have to use any anti sieze grease- but it will help in a few ways
-easier install of plug with lubed threads
-easier removal next time- wont be siezed
eliminates or reduces dielectric corrossion of plug to head
its only a buck for the little pack- plenty for 6 plugs
use a thin bead around the 2nd and 3rd threads up from the end that goes in engine
Dont want to put too much on and squeeze it into the cylinder-thats bad when it bakes onto the piston,,,seafoam to the rescue

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

I don't think it was mentioned, but anyway, for the Type-S people...remove the IMRC motor.

Two 10mm bolts and move it out of the way. It will make your life a whole lot easier.

Just did this. It was a breeze, hope to monitor gas mileage over the next few days.

shiznut123

Thanks for the tip!

1080p

What's up everybody... new to the forums, always popped in but never registered. I have a 03 A-spec TL which i love to death... My dad also has a 93'Acura Legend that's about to hit 400K. I hope to get similar results from my TL... and with this forum, it's looking pretty good. Anway... I just wanted to say thank you to all the contributors.... my car is at 102K and a bit sluggish, so i did my reading and i know what to do... but just wanted to extend another big THANK YOU in regards to the seafoam thread. After reading many of 01tl4tl's comments... i did the damn thang today... changed air filter also, car is purring and has got it's punch back. NGK iridiums going in next weekend ftw.... BIG UP.

webmastir

hells yeah man. congrats

may want to look into doing EGR ports soon too (check DIY)

kennedyhuynh

This may be a noob question.... anyone know what happens if you overtighten/undertighten the spark plugs?

totaledTL

Overtighten- risk stripping the threads in the head and/or breaking the plug off.

Undertighten- could eventually loosen and be blown out, possible damage to head threads.

01tl4tl

too loose and compression blows out past supposed seal
1 time a car came in the shop with bad noise- looked under hood and entire spark plug and its wire were laying next to the engine...someone didnt tighten that plug right!!

too tight and damage to threads and incorrect plug depth in combuston chamber

use torque wrench or method listed on box of hand tighten plus x amount of turn
Fairly Snug is about right

kennedyhuynh

that's what i was/am concerned about.. when i took the old plugs off they seemed alittle too tight. when i put on the new ones, i was concerned with how tight to tighten them (per box 1/2 turn). there isn't a good way to tell when they are fully all the way down. guess i'll just have to go get a torque wrench..

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

Get a torque wrench. Great investment and you can use it in the long term.

01tl4tl

your muscle memory is a decent tool once you know what the correct torque feels like on the ratchet- pull on ratchet and feel how tight it is before part removal

holding your hand direct on top of ratchet head will generate about 10 lbs
thats a bit more than finger tight, and go tighter from there till it feels snug.
not super tight- just seated on its CRUSH washer seal ring,,,crush to seal and stop~