Page 163 of 273
Engine Oil
5. Put a new washer on the drain bolt,
then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:
33 lbf.ft (45 N·m, 4.6 kgf·m)
6. Refill the engine with the recom
mended
oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including filter):
5.1 US qt (4.8 Q, 4.2 Imp qt)
7. Install the engine oil fill cap. Start
the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
five seconds. If it does not, turn off
the engine and reinspect your
work.
8. Let the engine run for several
minutes and check the drain bolt
and
oil filter for leaks.
160 Maintenance
9. Turn off the engine, let it sit for
several minutes, then check the
oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring
the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.
NOTICE
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmful
to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose
of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it
to a recycling
center. Do not discard it
in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
Page 167 of 273
Cooling System
5. Remove the reserve tank from its
holder by pulling it straight
up.
Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back
in its holder.
164
Maintenance
6. When the coolant stops draining,
tighten the drain plug at
the
bottom of the radiator.
Apply non-hardening sealant to the
drain bolt threads, put a new
washer on the drain bolt, and
reinstall
the bolt in the engine
block. Tighten it securely.
Tightening torque:
61 lbf.ft (83 N·m I 8.5 kgf·m)
7. Mix the recommended antifreeze
with an equal amount of purified
or distilled water
in a clean
container.
The cooling system
capacity
is:
1.72 US gal (6.5 Q I 1.43 Imp gal)
8. Loosen the bleeder bolt on top of
the engine, and remove
the
bleeder cap near the engine oil fill
cap. Pour coolant into the radiator
up to the base of
the filler neck.
Tighten the bleeder bolt and
reinstall the bleeder cap when
coolant comes out in a steady
stream with no bubbles.
Page 171 of 273

6-speed Manual Transmission Fluid
Check the fluid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the car sitting on
level ground. Remove the
transmission filler bolt and carefully
feel inside the bolt hole with your
finger.
The fluid level should be up
to the edge of the bolt hole.
If it is
not, add Genuine Honda Manual
Transmission Fluid (MTF) until it
starts to run out of the hole. Reinstall
the filler bolt and tighten it securely.
168 Maintenance
If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an
API service SG, SH or SJ
grade motor oil with a viscosity of
SAE lOW-30 or lOW-40 as a
temporary replacement. An
SG
grade is preferred, but an SH or SJ
grade may be used if SG is not
available. However, motor
oil does
not contain the proper additives and
continued use can cause stiffer
shifting. Replace as soon as
convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and refilled with new fluid according
to the time and distance recommen
dations
in the maintenance schedule.
Page 172 of 273
Check the fluid level with the
differential at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
onlevelground.Removethe
differential fluid filler bolt and
washer and carefully feel inside the
bolt hole with your finger.
The fluid
level should
be up to the edge of the
bolt hole.
If it is not, slowly add fluid
until it starts to run out of
the hole.
Use a SAE 90 viscosity hypoid gear
oil, API service classified GL5 or
GL6 only, in the differential.
Put a new washer on the filler bolt,
then reinstall the filler bolt. Tighten
it securely. Tightening torque:
33 lbf·ft (45 N·m, 4.6 kgf·m)
The differential should be drained
and refilled with new fluid according
to the time and distance
recommendations in the
maintenance schedule.
Differential Fluid
Maintenance 169
Page 177 of 273
Hood Latch, Spark Plugs
Hood Latch
Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate
all
the moving parts, including the pivot.
Follow the time and distance
recommendations
in the
Maintenance Schedule.
If you are
not sure how to clean and grease the
latch, contact your Honda dealer.
17 4 Maintenance
Spark Plugs
The spark plugs in your car are a
special platinum-tipped design for
longer life.
They only need to be
replaced every 7 years or
105,000
miles (168,000 km), whichever
comes first.
Replacement
1. Remove the four hexagon socket
head cap bolts holding the ignition
coil cover.
2. Clean up any dirt and oil that have
collected around the ignition coils.
Page 178 of 273
3. Remove the bolt holding the
ignition coil and pull the ignition
coil straight up slightly.
Disconnect
the ignition coil
connector by pushing the tab and
pulling the connector back.
Pull the ignition coil all the way up.
4. Remove the spark plug with
a five-eighths inch (16 mm) spark
plug socket.
5. Put the new spark plug into the
socket; then screw it into the hole.
Screw it
in by hand so you do not
crossthread it.
Spark Plugs
6. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn
after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:
i 18 lbfeft (25 N•m, 2.5 kgf•m)
CONTINUED
Maintenance 175
Page 179 of 273
Spark Plugs
I NOTICE I
Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine.
Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads
in the cylinder head.
7. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall
the bolt.
8. Repeat this procedure for the
other three spark plugs.
9. Reinstall the cover on the cylinder
bank. Reinstall the four hexagon
socket head cap bolts.
176 Maintenance
Specifications:
NGK:
DENSO:
PFR7G-11S
PK22PR-L 11S
Spark Plug Gap:
0.043 in ~g004in(1.1 mm •g1mm)
Page 185 of 273

Air Conditioning System
Your car's air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should
be done
by a qualified mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to
make sure the
air conditioning works efficiently.
Periodically
check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt
stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling
efficiency.
Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft
brush to remove them.
NOTICE
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure
~pray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
182 Maintenance
Run the air conditioning at least once
a
week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with
the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con
tained in
the refrigerant.
If the air conditioning does not get as
cold
as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specifications on page
245.)
NOTICE
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant
for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.