[dantisRL07]

Hi All,

Had the timing Belt etc. done this past week..first time at 178k on my '07:act018:

While at the dealer I inquired about changing spark plugs. OUCH! the price...Seems pretty straight forward job which I am more than willing to do, however, they suggested Valve adjustment as well..something that you guys "normally" have done? or just change the plugs?

 

[Bogus919]

The plugs are def something you can do yourself, pretty simple just unscrewing each coil pack with an allen wrench, removing it, and then pulling out each plug (you'll need like a 6 inch extension). The rear ones can be tricky so just go slow and maybe have a magnetic wand handy in case you need to retrieve a socket or plug from the plug tubes. There is a torque spec for the plugs and it's very small, not sure off the top of my head but it something like 7ft-lbs. Just don't over tighten them and don't use any anti seize on the plug threads.... they don't need them.

Don't do the valve adjustment unless they are noisy.

 

[henni]

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45966

 

[eurban]

Don't do the valve adjustment unless they are noisy.

Tight valves won't make any noise and can eventually lead to engine problems. There have been a good number of reports of tight valves in this forum (when they were checked) . . . .

Personally if I had 170k miles on my truck and wanted to keep it for a good while longer + I cared about optimizing performance and fuel economy, I would do the valve clearances. DIY on the valves is certainly possible but it is probably not for the inexperienced and or those with limited time.

 

[IanRTL]

So you have 178,000 miles on your truck and you've never changed the spark plugs? Wow. Guess that's a testament to the durability of iridium plugs. How has your fluid maintenance been?

Yes, you can easily change the plugs yourself. Use the stock NGK iridium plugs and you can get them from Amazon or Ebay for less than $10 each. The proper torque spec for each of them is 13lb/ft and you should be very careful to ensure they are properly torqued. Don't just put them in "hand tight". The new plugs come with an anti-seize coating, so you don't technically have to use any AS compound on the threads. However, I still used a very small amount just for good measure. Thanks to henni for posting my thread about the plugs from way back when!

I was on the fence about the valve adjustment for a few years. Last summer, I broke down and just had it done. It was the only service other than the timing belt and radiator replacement that I haven't done on my own. I had the tech take notes on the state of the valves. A few were tight, a few were loose and a few were still in spec. I don't believe the adjustment made all that much of a difference, but I did notice the engine ran a little smoother and quieter. It's more a peace of mind service than anything. It's time-consuming, so it's not a cheap service at about $300-350. If you're planning on keeping your truck for several more years, it's probably worth it. If not, just change the spark plugs and continue driving as normal.

 

[Bogus919]

If you are not having any performance related issues and are getting the average MPG that most ppl are reporting AND your valves are not making any noise, then don't adjust them. It's only as needed and there's no reason to go digging around in there or having somebody else do it when there's nothing wrong.

Don't fix something that's not broke, it could just cause other issues.


Alright.... let me have it:act060:

 

[hopingforahonda]

Agreed! leave them alone.

 

[rollinhonda]

Make sure plug threads are clean. Not easy to do with the back ones. In the 'old days' we would back out plugs one turn and then start the engine for just a few seconds and shut it down. Supposedly it will blow out some residual carbon.

It would hurt to take shop air and blow out the plug area after removing the coil. So nothing can fall in or stick to the threads. Not much could fall in that would not just be blown out unless you forgot about that clip, small screw or nut you dropped a couple of years ago.

 

[speedlever]

For me, there is no question but what a valve job should be done. As mentioned earlier, tight valves do not make noise and you can do some expensive damage with tight valves. Typically, if they move, the exhaust valves go tight and the intake valves go loose.

Read here for some good info:
http://honda-tech.com/odyssey-|-rid...miles-less-not-105k-honda-recommends-2726472/

On the spark plug issue, I have finally come down on the side of using a dab of anti-seize on the spark plug threads and using 13 lb-ft torque. The reason I decided on that is because Honda says to use anti-seize (even though NGK says not to) and provides a torque value based on the usage of anti-seize. I do not have a torque number for spark plugs without anti-seize.

If I had a spare vehicle, I would be tempted to do the valve adjustment myself. But I will farm that out when I do the TB/WP, etc. Changing spark plugs is relatively simple on the J35 V6. Cylinder #4 was problematic. There is almost no room to get that coil out of the hole (it conflicts with the fan bracket). But it will come out.

 

[bulwnkl]

I would also check (& adjust) the valves.