engine HONDA CIVIC COUPE 1998 Workshop Manual

Air Cleaner Element
Replacement
On HX and EX models in the U.S., and Si
model in Canada
The air cleaner element is inside the air cleaner housing on the passenger's
side of the engine compartment.
To replace it:
1. Unsnap the two clips and remove the air cleaner housing cover. 2. Remove the old air cleaner
element.
Clean the inside of the air cleaner
housing with a damp rag.
3. Place the new air cleaner element in the air cleaner housing. 4. Align the tabs and reinstall the air
cleaner housing cover, snap the
two clips back into place.

Maintenance
CLIPS
AIR CLEANER
ELEMENTMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Spark Plugs

5. 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:
13 lbf.ft (18 N.m,1.8kgf.m)
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.

6. Install the spark plug cap.

7. Repeat this procedure for the other three spark plugs.
Specifications:

(U.S.: HX) NGK:

DENSO:
ZFR4F-11
KJ14CR-L11

(U.S.: DX, EX, Canada: DX, Si) NGK: ZFR5F-11
DENSO: KJ16CR-L11
Spark Plug Gap: 0.04 in (1.1 mm)
Maintenance
NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Air Conditioning System
Standard on U.S. EX model

Your vehicle's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to makesure 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.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
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 234.)
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.

Maintenance

NOTICE
NOTICE

AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

Replacing the Front Side Marker/
Turn Signal and Parking Light Bulb
1. If you are changing the bulb on the driver's side, start the engine,
turn the steering wheel all the way
to the right, and turn off theengine. If you are changing the
bulb on the passenger's side, turn
the steering wheel to the left. 2. Use a flat-tipped screwdriver to
remove the holding clip from the
inner fender.
3. Pull the inner fender cover off.
4. Remove the socket from the headlight assembly by turning itone-quarter turn counterclockwise. 5. Remove the burned out bulb from
the socket by pushing it in and
turning counterclockwise until it
unlocks.

6. Install the new bulb in the socket. Turn it clockwise to lock it in place.
7. Insert the socket back into the headlight assembly. Turn it
clockwise to lock it in place.
8. Test the lights to make sure the new bulb is working.
9. Put the inner fender cover in place. Install the holding clip and tighten
it securely.

Maintenance

HOLDING

CLIPMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Storing Your Vehicle

If you need to park your vehicle for
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.
Fill the fuel tank.Change the engine oil and filter (see page 157).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.

Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5- speed manual) or Park (automatic). Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).

Disconnect the battery.
Support the front wiper bladearms with a folded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehicle body wax to the painted surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals. Cover the vehicle with a
"breathable" vehicle cover, one
made from a porous material such
as cotton. Nonporous materials, such as plastic sheeting, trap
moisture, which can damage the

paint.

If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month).
If you store your vehicle for 12
months or longer, have your Honda dealer perform the inspections called
for in the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000 km) maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page 146).
The replacements called for in the maintenance schedule are riot
needed unless the vehicle has actually reached that time or mileage.

MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Taking Care of the Unexpected

This section covers the more- common problems that motoristsexperience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructionson getting your vehicle towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 206
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 207
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 212
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly............................. 212
The Starter Operates
Normally.................................213

Jump Starting................................. 213
If Your Engine Overheats............. 215
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 217
Charging System Indicator........... 218
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........ 219
Brake System Indicator................ 220
Closing the Moonroof................... 221
Fuses............................................... 222
Checking and Replacing........... 223
Emergency Towing....................... 227

Taking Care of the UnexpectedMain Menu s t

If Your Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almostnothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the floor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See

Jump Starting on page 213.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 227).

If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 173). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
from a booster battery (see page 213).
Taking Care of the UnexpectedMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting

The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor'sspeed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 121.
Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 223).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency Towing on page 227. Jump Starting
If your vehicle's battery has rundown, you may be able to start the
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple procedure, you should take several

precautions.

You cannot start a Honda with anautomatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your vehicle, follow
these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 150). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.

Attempting to jump start with a frozen
battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.

Put the transmission in Neutral or

Park and set the parking brake.
CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Jump Starting

3. Connect one jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal on the
booster battery. Connect the other end to the positive (+) terminal
on your Honda's battery. 4. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative (—) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect theother end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of the engine.
5. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, have an assistant startthat vehicle and run it at a fast idle. 6. Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
the jumper cable connections to make sure they have good metal-
to-metal contact.
7. Once your vehicle is running, disconnect the negative cable from
your vehicle, then from the booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable from your vehicle,
then the booster battery.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
BOOSTER BATTERYMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your vehicle's temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.It may go higher if you are driving up
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge-
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your vehicle can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature

gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning
indicators.

2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
CONTINUED

Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.Main Menu Table of Contents s t