what do i need for a tune up on a 1991 honda accord dx?

Question

list everything i need to do a complete tune-up oil change and all. what are the best things to buy?

Answer 1

The first thing you'll need is:

1. The right tools. Plug socket and 3/8" ratchet wrench with maybe a 4-6" extension.

2. A 14-15mm wrench for the oil pan plug.

3. An oil filter strap style "wrench" to remove the oil filter just incase you can't grab it with your hand and unscrew it.

4. Five (5) quarts of oil, probably 5W30 any brand of oil. Pick the one in the pretty bottles. I stick with name brand oils like Quakerstate and Pennzoil and Valvoline and Shell and Havoline and so on.

5. An oil drain pan and maybe a 5 gallon bucket with a cover to pour it in for recycling. A roll of paper towels or those blue shop towels.

6. I like to clean up with brake parts cleaner when done. Any drips or drops or spills and the tools can be sprayed and wiped clean.

7. If this is a four cylinder engine then four spark plugs. Buy the spark plug gapper so that you can measure and set the spark gap. You can do this with the gapper and a set of needle nose pliers. Don't "bang" the spark plug on anything in attempt to set the gap. Use the pliers to gently bend the ground electrode and then check and recheck the gap. The parts guys will tell you what the gap specifications are for this engine.

8. Make sure the engine is cold so you are not fighting a hot spark plug out of a hot cylinder head. Only remove one plug at a time. Rotate the plug boot back and forth and gently pull on the boot until it pops off. Use firm pressure, not jerking, to remove the spark plug.

9. Compare the new spark plug with the old one. The threads and length of the threaded part or the plug should be the exact same length. Those parts guys might mix up a plug or the whole set and you'll booger up the engine if you install the wrong plug or cross thread one into the cylinder head.

10. Put some anti-seize (just a tiny dab) on the new spark plug threads and then ease it into the cylinder head just finger tight and then just snug with the ratchet wrench.

11. Put a dab of dielectric grease on the rubber spark plug boot and slide the boot back over the plug until it "clicks" and snaps on the tip of the new plug.

12. Do the same for the other plugs one at a time.

Once you have the new plugs in and have checked the oil level then start it up and let it run a minute and then shut it off and recheck the oil level again.

Good Luck!

P.S. You don't need new plug wires or distributor cap and rotor unless you have noticed problems with them. A standard tune up is just new spark plusg and that's it.