I’m not that familiar with using this site yet, I tried searching for similar issue and unable to find, so I am starting a new thread!

I have a 2006 HCH that I now have over 105,000miles on. I just replaced engine oil (AMSIL OIL), CVT Fluid (HONDA OEM - filled and drained 3-times), changed air filters (cabin & Engine) and changed only four (4) of the eight required sparkplugs. I ordered the other four (4) and will replace this weekend. I did not know that Honda now uses eight (8) spark plugs in the four cylinder engines! This is what makes the hybrid more efficient.

I will also replace the break fluid and engine coolant, even though the MM did not indicate to do this. I did not rotate tires because I just put a new set (Now my 3.5 set of tires because of the uneven rear tire wear) about 3-weeks ago (+/- 2000 miles ago).

Anyways, my question is this “has anyone ever checked the valve clearance on their HCH yet. I am the type of person that believes if the dealer can do it, I can too. However, I currently do not have a clue as to how to even start to check the clearance, let alone adjust them! I do know I will have to remove the valve/head cover to expose them. I have done this on older cars before. They are or seem to be a bit noisy now and I think they can use some adjustment. However, I do recall that I started noticing the valve noise more when I first started using AMSIL OIL (supposedly 100% fully synthetic oil?) around the 85,000K. They say if using AMSIL OIL you can go about 25,000k Miles before each oil change. However, I have some reservation about this, because the oil seems to be thinner then the Mobil-1 0W-20 oil I was using before. Plus I also noticed that the engine appeared to be burning the AMSIL OIL, as I have had to add some considerable amount a few times between the 18,000miles I Went through that first use of AMSIL Oil.

Has anyone adjusted their valves before or does anyone know if this is a difficult task to perform yourself or should I just give in and take to the dealer for them to adjust?

Thanks in advance for any information on this issue!

 

I just recently checked our 06 Civic Hybrid valve clearance. Our car is around 60,000km. Here's a few pics and description:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17946

I've done valve checks on prev. Hondas. The main hassle with our current Civic Hybrid was getting at the valve cover, as I outline in that thread. If you want more info I can post the cylinder order. I believe I posted the clearance specs already in that thread.

A few other comments on your posting:

Regarding changing the CVT fluid 3 times, that might be overkill, more warranted if you'd fouled the fluid somehow. The MM for CVT change came up for us around 40,000km, and I'd just jumped the gun and changed it. Maybe change it once a year, a single change each time?

Brake fluid change is noted in the manual, it's spec'd. as 3 years (or some mileage??). It's on the same page as maint. minder. That is something I would leave to the dealership, I believe they have automated tools for the process, much easier than do it yourself, and charge around $75.

We happened to have our coolant change due to a block heater install, but I believe it was well ahead of MM schedule. I wouldn't have done it myself ahead of MM.

 

aprilshowers007,

I have nothing really of value to add here, but I just wanted to welcome you to the site.

I hope you will be an active member as I'm sure all of us are interested in life with the HCHII after 100k. Congrats on getting there; I hope to one day.

Cheers, nf

 

Mendel,

Thank you much for that information and link. At first when newer/more electronical cars started coming out I was a bit intimidated to work on them but really when you open them up, they tend to be similar in concept! You did post the clearance specs. The piston order information would be great when you get a chance. If I get the remaining spark plugs I will attempt this work over this weekend and let you know how it went. However, I don't think I will be able to do this untill next weekend!

When I changed the CVT fluid I thought it was a waste of Fluid. Especially since it is not cheap, about 8.99 a quart at the dealer! I think your right if I change it about every other oil change or 20K miles it should be fine.

I think your right about the brake fluid. I will take your recomendation and have the dealer do it when I take in to take of the rear alignment service Bulletin issue. $75-$100 is fair considering the work involved to get it done right and quickly without a mess in my garage floor. My wife will prefere this!

I have driven and continue to drive this vehicle alot (110-miles one way to work). The 45-50 MPG It gives again now that I put low rolling resistance tires (90,000 wear) and that CarPool Sticker I have saves me both money and most important to me, TIME. These tires added about 5-8 MPG on my daily drive and I am not that conservative when it comes to speed!

I will do all the regular maintenance required on this that I can do myself and take to dealer on that rare occasion that I have to!

There is alot of great information on this site and will continue to use it and give additional information about my experiences with the HCH. I intend to be an avide user of this site.

Even if the Engine dies on me, the CarPool sticker is worth alot more than money to me..

 

I'll get the cylinder order when I get home, and anything else pertinent I can find. I have the shop manual

Just curious: how do you deal with the aerodynamic shield covering the underside of engine compartment? There are several option for a do-it-yourselfer, as far as I can tell:

1. Jack it and jackstands at front end only, per typical home oil change, swing the shield down at it's hinge point as far as it will go (not very far), and then just fudge the drain pan into the space and shore it up a bit.

2. Per above, but remove all the shield fasteners and the shield.

3. Jack up both ends of the car and set on 4 corner jack stands, high enough to swing the hingeed portion of shield down almost to vertical.

I'm set up now for #3, with recently acquired 3 ton jack (good lifting range), and some 6 ton jackstands (good range, and more stable). Still it's a big production ;(

 

Welcome Ray. You mentioned that your car is burning Amsoil. How long have you used this brand? I think I might switch back to Mobil 1 and see if it burns that! Are you running the Amsoil for 25,000 miles between changes? I think that may be a bit much, but then I am not a expert on these matters. Cheers,H

 

Ok, on the above linked thread I've added link to relevant scanned shop manual pages. They're were royally downsampled when I uploaded them, but just legible still. Also, added a text summary.

 

First I always put the car E-Brake on & place some wooden wedges I have behind each rear wheel, then proceed to jack the front of car up as much as I can with a large jack I bought some time ago at COSTCO. I found out the hard way that my garage floor has a slight slope to it once when I jacked the car up and it started moving away from me and I couldn’t stop it. I had to yell for my wife to come and help stop it before it went into the street! I laugh about this now, but it was not funny at the timeJ I don’t remember if it is 3, 4 or 6 ton (I believe it is 3 or 4 ton) and two heavy duty jack stands at front, just inside and behind each front tire, then lower slowly and remove jack. (This process takes me less then 5-minutes)

I remember the first time I changed the oil I removed the entire shield and a few more fasteners and screws then needed. I also recall that there was about a 3-4 plastic clips missing from my previous trip to dealer for oil change. They never put them all back in (I was pissed). The dealer seems to remove even the front strip portion of shield that ties to the front bumper. It was only after removing the main shield that I realized it had a hinge.

Then the second time I only removed 2-10mm screws and two clips (front end portion of main shield with hinge) and then push/force a little the shield to the back from the hinge point just enough so that it catches or grips on to the floor and doesn’t want to spring back at me (The shield seems to be very flexible). This helps me avoid having to remove the entire shield to provide enough room for the oil drain pan. After many years of using many types of store bought oil drain pans in attempts to minimize oil splashing and messes, I have found that (for me anyways) that using a small pail or bucket of sort works a lot better. I use an empty plastic container that used to hold shop paper towels in that I bought at Sam’s Club. It had a removable top with a hole in the center to pull the paper towels out as needed. Anyways I removed the top and it has a nice handy handle and it is the perfect size for catching the oil with absolutely no splashing or mesh. I also use a kitchen trash bag to line the container before each use (for ease of cleaning) and then slowly pour used oil into an oil reservoir for recycling. After draining oil I always put screw back in and start car up without oil, let run for about 3-5 seconds and stop, remove screw and let drain again. This process seems to remove some that remaining oil in the engine and oil filter (I do not believe it harms the engine?). I have always done this because otherwise when you remove the oil filter it makes an oily mess. When I remove the oil filter I use the same container and put directly under the oil filter just in case there is still some oil in it that drains out once you loosen it.

This process also works for changing the CVT Fluid in my 2006 HCH with drain screw at bottom underside, which is very simple to the do, similar to oil change except no filter is involved.

Then once complete I just pull a little on splash shield and put back. Because it is plastic and has been bent back for a while during the oil change process it wants to remain bent a little, so you will have to push up a little on it at about the center to align with screw holes and put either screws or plastic clips back on. Pretty simple really!

If you use this process I’m sure you will find it much less labor intensive and quicker.

 

aprilshowers

what type, namebrand of tire do you use for your last change. I will be needing tires soon because of the tsb also, and want a llr tire.

Brian

 

I just started using AMSOIL when I hit aboout 85,500 miles, I changed it after about 18,000 miles, because I was starting to get concerned. I'm on my second AMSOIL change with it. If it continues burning I will switch back to the Mobil-1 oil. Because I truly want to use the best for my cars because I want them to last, I don't look at cost much. In this case because it was not burning any oil whatsoever before with Mobil-1, I am not sure AMSOIL is any good and would definately not recommend to anyone at this point. I will see what happens after going back to Mobile-1 and let you know!

Thanks,