Honda Civic 120k Maintenance

[KrazyDawg]

I have an upcoming 120k maintenance on my vehicle. It's currently over 119874.

I normally take my car to Firestone for an oil change every 5000 miles. Transmission flush at 113k. Timing belt/water pump was replaced at 115k. Oil/filter change, brake fluid flush, wheel alignment, and NGK spark plugs replaced at 116k but the spark plug wire set hasn't been replaced. K&N air filter installed at 118k.

My owner's manual lists the following for the 120k:

Replace engine oil and oil filter (Replace every 7,500 miles or 6 months)
Check engine oil and coolant (Check oil and coolant at each fuel stop)
Replace air cleaner element (air filter)
Inspect valve clearance
Replace spark plugs
Inspect distributor cap, rotor, and ignition wires
Inspect and adjust drive belts
Inspect idle speed
Inspect PCV valve
Replace transmission fluid
Inspect front and rear brakes
Replace brake fluid (including ABS)
Check parking brake adjustment
Rotate tires (Check tire inflation and condition at least once per month. Rotate every 7,500 miles.)
Replace ABS high pressure hose

Visually inspect the following items:
Brake hose and lines
All fluid levels
Tie rod ends, steering gear box, and boots
Suspension components
Driveshaft boots
Cooling system hoses and connections
Exhaust system
Fuel pipes, hoses, and connections

Inspect supplemental restraint system (10 years after production)

Aside from the items listed above is there anything else I should do. The car seems to run great but I'm a bit of a car novice. I noticed the car sometimes shifts a little hard (it's an automatic). On http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...da-civic-2.htm it mentions automatic transmissions with high mileage may begin to shift more harshly, which may be corrected by adding a bottle of Lubeguard conditioner to the automatic-transmission fluid. I haven't been able to locate that particular brand or find a suitable replacement.

Firestone suggested I do a fuel system tuneup 120k service for $89 which uses the Wynns fuel service kit to "chemically clean throttle body, throttle plate and air intake bore." I don't know if this service is needed.

There's no mention of replacing the fuel filter or oxygen sensor (read that it might need to be replaced when getting poor gas mileage or a check engine light comes on) in the manual and I'm getting about 30 MPG on average. Should I consider replacing the fuel filter?

Additional info about the car: It has a salvage title. Purchased from a body shop owner. The rear trailing arm and bushings were replaced. At an independent shop specializing in only Japanese cars, they identified the following items: Both front upper ball joint boots, both front lower ball joint boots and both outer tie rod end boots severely cracked and dryrotted. Recommend replacing before splitting open and ruining parts. B-pipe bent. Recommend replacing. I had another shop and Firestone tell me that the bent b-pipe is just "cosmetic" damage and the other items weren't critical as they were normal wear and tear for a 13 year old car.

Thanks in advance for any responses. I'm a car newbie and didn't get my license until 23, so I'm slowly picking stuff up.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

PCV valves should be replaced regularly, there's really no way of inspecting them for proper operation, acids formed by oil and water vapors eat away at the springs and metered orifices inside them.

Boots for balljoints and such, on domestics they are almost never worth replacing, since it's usually only a few bucks more for a replacement part. Not sure what prices are like for those, but if it's $80 for the part and $5 for the boot it's worth considering. Only thing usually worth doing are CV boots, since reman and replacement driveshafts can be both $$$ and a crapshoot. You can smear them with RTV and keep pumping fresh grease in and hope for the best. Don't go too mad on the grease though otherwise you'll split them from inside with the pressure.

Fuel filters are usually something else you should replace regularly, some manufacturers specify 18mo or 15K or so, if Honda doesn't specify, then figure every couple of years is probably wise.

If it's never had new belts before, then it would be wise to replace them even if they look serviceable, belt materials have come on greatly in the last 10 years, but older ones can let go without much warning.

[KrazyDawg]

Do you think the fuel system treatment Firestone does is necessary?

From Firestone's site: "Another (often overlooked) service designed to help your vehicle's engine running properly is the cleaning of fuel injectors and the fuel intake system. When dirt and deposits collect on fuel injectors, the amount of fuel delivered to the engine is restricted, leading to deterioration in performance and responsiveness. At Firestone Complete Auto Care, our trained technicians can perform a Fuel System Cleaning that will remove these deposits and help your vehicle maximize its performance and gas mileage capabilities."

It sounds like replacing the fuel filter and using some type of fuel cleaner would do the same thing.

[101mpg]

I dump in 2 bottles of Gumout High Mileage fuel treatment ($4.94 at Wal-Mart, about $5.99 most auto parts stores) in about 5-8 gallons of gas. Replace fuel filter as well - this has worked well for me, although may not be as good as Firestone's treatment.

You can also get Seafoam at most auto parts stores ($6-10) - there is a 1/3 can in 1 gallon of gas, 1/3 can in oil, 1/3 sucked into intake, run hard, lots of smoke - change oil method which works well for many. Use the search on Seafoam and you'll find the full instructions w/pictures. Likely what Firestone does for $89.

[VetteOwner]

firestone ones when they say fuel system cleaning they USUALYL (hav to ask) run the car purely off fuel injector cleaner. they disconnect the fuel lines, disabel the pump(usualyl fuse or relay) hook up shop air to one end of a can and have it regulate at whatever psi your fuel pump puts out and then start the car and run it on FI cleaner till it spudders to a halt. took my 4 banger truck 20 minutes of idling to run outa one of those seafoam sized cans of stuff.


shoulda replaced the wires at 80K so replace them now.
PCV replace now
fuel filter replace now
dont worry about the brake fluid as long as the cars acting normal and a high and firm pedal
replace belt
if it has a cap and rotor replace those
check timing
repack wheel bearings
check CV joints for play
check shocks
check stabilizer bar in the front

other than that do some of the checks that you already found