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30,500 km | 1Y 10M

Engine and Spark Plugs Inspection

I heard a lot about oil consumption lately.
Anyway I wanted to endoscope cylinders long time ago but today I got good reason, recently I passed 30K mark. And it's always good to have reference.

I wouldn't recommend to bother checking spark plugs just for fun.

One common symptom that engine burn oil (normally it shouldn't, really, zero topping) is dirty blacky tail pipe. This is mine after 30K km.

It was funny, I got napkin in my hand and tried to swap something from there but it was clear, I checked again... I was very surprised :-)
Rust is the only thing that can be there if your engine not burning oil and fuel is good.

This is how can look engine with oil leak into the combustion chamber - black pipe inside, probably throwing some bluesh smoke at start. Depends...

VW Golf  GTI

So... I was exited to look into mine engine.

First, you need tools:
1. 10mm hex for coil bolt.

2. 16mm hex with extender for spark plugs and torque meter (adapter like mine or wrehcn). Ratchet was missing (actually broken in my set), so I bought Kasco on the way to my work.

3. Other tools that was used are: magnet stick to get plugs out and in, brush for cleaning around.

Remove all coils, unplug connectors, remove bolts and pull gently coils up.

Important to keep area clean from any dust. You don't want particles to get into the chamber or between plug spacer and engine body. I used... plastic straw from IKEA :-) for blowing dust from there. Works perfect, don't forget to close plug hole with something when blowing out dust!

Coils made by Denso part number is 30520-R1A-A01, cost around $50 each on eBay.

Now, the plugs. First is form 1st cylinder, last from 4th.

Now more close. From 1st to 4th.

Awesome condition! Fuel is cool, no oil detected.

Few words about torque specs of plugs.
NGK site says for thread size 12mm it should be 15-19 Nm.

When I unscrewed plugs, unscrewing torque was (measured by adapter):
1st - 29.0 Nm (~21.5 lbf-ft)
2nd - 19.2 Nm (~14.5 lbf-ft)
3rd - 32.1 Nm (~24 lbf-ft)
4th - 19.6 Nm (~14.5 lbf-ft)

Why they are differ? If you read this blog from the very first post, you can remember I checked few plugs already at Dec 2nd 2013. And master who did this tighten it back by hand. How people do that? Right, 3/4 turns after it make contact with the case. That's wrong! :-) You should always follow torque specs if possible, over spec and below spec can lead to bad plug job or even broken threads.

I tighten plugs with following specs: 20.5, 20.5, 20.1 and 20.7 Nm.

Bottom line. Engine feeling well.
Almost forgot... endoscoping video :-)

Bonus video (in Russian only, sorry)

30,352 km | 1Y 10M

Honda Engine R18Z4

Here I will collect all information about R18Z4.

Displacement: 1,798 сс
Compression: 10.6:1
Bore & stroke: 87.3mm x 81.0mm
Power: 142 PS  @ 6,500 rpm
Torque: 17.7 kgf·m (174 Nm) @ 4,300 rpm

30,300 km | 1Y 10M

Honda Civic Trunk Tray 08U45-TV0-600

I bought this tray for my colleague at work in Honda dealership in Netanya.

His gave me permission to open it and make some photos.

I've ordered it on 8th of April and next day it was already ready for me.
Cost is 566 NIS ($144). I wanted too, but it's too much money for me for this part :-)

It come in big big carton box that I somehow put to the back with seats folded.

Sticker says it was made in Germany.

So, this is before picture in my car ;-)

And after... Much better!
We travel a lot and we got child trolley that's why I recommend some solution to keep trunk clean.

Bellow photos shows how it fits trunk space in all corners.

If you have so called "premium audio" with subwoofer in the trunk, you need to cut right appendix.

Refer to installation instructions (PDF) for more details.

Now, I know there are few after market trays you can get in Russia for less money.

One of them is Novline NLC.18.26.S11 - $36

30,030 km | 1Y 10M

30K Service

Time for the periodical service.

This time I was happy to check how Top Car in Netanya works, Honda dealer that sold me my Civic.

I set an appointment one day before to 7:30 in the morning.

But here is a preface to my service :-)

About half a year ago I heard from Honda people that they stopped using original Honda oil and switched to Paz oils (Paz Lubricants and Chemicals). I guess one manager from Honda meet another manager from Paz and they decide to make money drinking coffee at one of Paz roadside retail place :-) I don't want this shit to my car I don't want an oil from their bloody barrel.

So... at 7:00 when all parts stores opens, I called to dealership to ask what oil should I bring with me.

- Me: Hi, I got service at 7:30 for Civic, what oil I need to buy?

- Honda: Hello. What do you mean?

- I don't want Paz oil, I want to bring oil with me. What oil spec is recommended?

- What?

- Yes. So, what oil API spec, SAE?

- No, we use our oil.

- Oh common, bullshit. I can use any approved commercial oil in MY car.

call transferred to warehouse man

- Hi, what oil Honda Civic needs?

- We use 5W-40.

- Cool, what API index? SL, SM, SN?

- What is this?

- (fuck) It's oil standards!

- I don't know. Call me in 1 hour...

Great!

From our last meeting at Honda I remember this: you can use any Honda oil or API SM and above.

5W-30, 5W-40 both ok.

So I bought best Honda oil I found in this time window.

Honda 5W-30, API SN. I know from tests, it performs good. 40 NIS ($10) per 1 u.s. quart.

But I came to Honda already after my time around 8:00 and I should wait until 10:00 if I want service today. We rescheduled to next morning same time.

I drove to work and meanwhile called to Honda support line to ask what the fucking oil I should buy?

- Me: Hello. I gonna to service 30K for my Civic and I want to know which oil to buy, can you help me?

- Honda: Yes, one moment please. You should by Honda oil.

- But there is no more Honda oils in Israel at all dealerships!

- No, you should use only original Honda oils.

- But i try to tell you that Honda not selling Honda oil anymore thus it's impossible to buy or order Honda's oil in dealership at service!

- That's not true. Where are you from?

- Netanya.

- Ok... Wait a second I will call to your garage Top Car...

Facepalm... She gonna talk to them just after I talked to them about oils and they have nothing but Paz oil. (By the way, if you want to know what is Paz oil - good luck, there is no official spec of "Paz Oil" on internet, probably only authorised personal that blend this olive oil know what is it ;-)

- Hey, Alexey, I just talked to Ilan and they use 5W-40.

- But I already bought Honda oil 5W-30, is it ok? Owner's manual says it's ok.

- I don't know, we use 5W-40 oils.

- Ok, I can change it back. But what oil I should by, what standard SM, SN?

- I don't know...

It's so funny. I probably one of few people that care about our cars and we have to fight with their fucking system of "do what we told you to do".

I went back and changed for Liqui Moly as it was second best choice (Valvoline SynPower was but it was on shelf for 2 years). Anyway, I was looking for chance to test this oil as I got some positive responses about it. 190 NIS ($48) for 5 liters.

It's 5W-40 and API SN.

So I bring it next day and everything was cool before...

I asked that I don't need to replace air filter, because I got them and it's 3 min to do that yourself.

And second, I showed them discount coupon I got from them to my postbox :-)

Ilan told that they do not use them, but after I showed that it from their garage - he agreed...

Final receipt is 267 NIS ($68) for:

1. oil filter

2. washer

3. labor

4. they marked here that I used my oil and no need air filter replacement.

A, and they also swapped wheels front-back.

After 30 km I got check tires alert again  :-)

29,970 km | 1Y 10 M