Hey guys,

I just picked up a '94 Honda Civic LX Sedan this past weekend. I have been driving a 5.7L Camaro until recently, but it doesn't make for a great daily driver with 50+ mile trips each day. I figured I would drive the Honda on weekdays and the Camaro on the weekends.

So far I love the Honda. I'll be honest, it actually surprised me. It has decent power, gets phenomenal gas mileage, and it's pretty roomy. However, it is in need of a tune up though. So far I noticed that the alignment might be off (pulls slightly). Also Pep Boys was having a special on 5 quarts of GTX High Mileage oil with a Purolator PureOne filter which I grabbed yesterday. I also got a bottle of Gumout all-in-one which I need to put in when I fill the tank next.

I'll admit that I don't know much about Hondas. I was raised with domestics, but I really wanted to give the much praised Civic a try. All in all, I love the car. All my friends say she'll run forever if properly maintained. I'm hoping you guys can point me in the right direction on how to do so. I'll start browsing around the site, but if anyone has tips or suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate them. Here are a few questions I have so far:

1.) I showed a few pics of the engine bay. The spark plug wires don't look that old, but what do you guys think about changing the wires and plugs? How about the cap and rotor? Also, what brands do you suggest?

2.) I want to change the air filter of the car, but I was toying with the idea of putting an aftermarket cone filter on the car. I am not really looking for power increase, but it might allow for a few more mpg's. How restrictive is the stock air box?

3.) I believe I only need to put 4 quarts of oil in for the oil change. Is that correct? Unfortunately the car did not come with an owners manual.

Thanks so much guys. Hope to have her running like new soon. I appreciate any tips you can give me.

 

Welcome to the forum!

1. If you do not know how old the spark plugs/wires are, I would suggest replacing them.

2. You are right, you will not gain extra horsepower (1-2 if anything), but apparently the intake should net better MPG's. I would suggest to get an ebay intake, throw the filter out and buy an AEM dryflow filter. I can't imagine you needing anything bigger than 2.5" intake piping.

3. I would pick up a haynes/chilton manual if you plan on doing everything yourself. However, I believe that you will need 3.5 quarts. If you do not wish to buy a manual, put 3 quarts in and add little by little, continuously checking the dip stick.

 

replace the pcv valve, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, oil change & filter, transmission fluid change. inspect all the ball joints, tie rods, cv axles. if any have rips in the rubber boots replace them

 

You should change the timing belt because you don't know how old it is. If the belt fails, of course the car will be dead on the road, but also there's likely going to be engine damage (unlike the old V-8s, the pistons will crash into the valves if the cam gets out of time). So change it pre-emptively now. Also after changing the belt, set up the spark timing with a timing light.

I doubt you'll get any more mpg with a modified intake. If you think about it realize in any car you get better mpg by not pressing the gas pedal to the floor. With the throttle part closed there is already a huge intentional restriction in the intake; the somewhat restricted stock box is actually helping.

And it is almost exactly 3.5 quarts of oil for an oil and filter change. Prime the new filter with new oil before you screw it on. Use a 10W-30 oil.

When changing the automatic transmission fluid use only Honda spec. Do not use a generic Dexron.

 

The NGK plugs seem to be highly praised around here. They sound like a good choice. Also, being OE is a great plus too. It seems AutoZone carries at least 4 different types of NGK plugs though. Platinum, Iridium, Laser Platinum, and V Power Copper. Which should I be looking for? Also, what should I set the gap for with the new plugs? Unfortunately the car did not come with a manual .

As for air filters, I think I may go with a Napa Gold filter for the stock box. I saw some higher end cone filters, but they were at minimum triple the price of a high end stock/square filter.

I did a little research and I have to agree with you; The timing belt is probably one of the greatest preventative maintenance items someone can do. To be honest, that may be out of my skill range. I guess I will have to look for a local shop for that one.

A Haynes/Chilton is a good idea. Between the forum and the book, I should be all set .

Once all that is said and done, I have little doubt at the dependability of this car. There's a reason why you still see older Hondas still on the road .

 

I was told that NGK plugs come pre gapped. How is that possible when different engines suggest different gapping? I beliebe NGK is OEM for Honda, so that may be right. Though it seems too easy to pop them out of the box and install without gapping .

 

Use the V-Power NGKs; no need to spend more. Spark plug gap is .039 to .043 inches. They are probably pre-gapped.

 

Thank you guys .

I plan on stopping by the local Honda dealer tomorrow to pick up 2 quarts of ATF and a fuel filter. I will inquire more about the timing belt too. When it comes to simple maintenance items, I am a DIYer. However a timing job may require a shop's help.

I actually picked up a few more goodies for the Civic on my way home today. Four NGK 7098 plugs, a can of Seafoam, Rain-X Bug Remover, and a Napa Gold airfilter.

 

Went to the local Honda dealer today to find out that they don't have a fuel filter in stock for a '94 Civic LX. Also found out that it would have cost over $30 if they did . I'm surprised since Civics are so widely popular that they didn't order any. So tomorrow I'm heading over to Napa for a Napa Gold fuel filter.

I ended up getting two quarts of Honda ATF. However I forgot how many quarts I need. Was it 1.6 quarts? Or is that for a manual trans? I have an auto.

 

I think it takes at least 3 quarts to drain and refill an automatic. If your fluid is particularly old and discolored you may want to do it more than once. Draining and refilling the pan does not replace all the fluid the transmission holds, there is quite a bit trapped in the torque converter, etc. So you'd drain and refill, drive a few miles, and check the fluid color again.