This "RELIABLE" Honda Civic Is MISFIRING Like Crazy And Down On POWER

I only planned on doing a quick oil change... but while I was driving my 2004 Honda Civic it was a mess. The car was down on power and misfiring under load, not a great combination when you're driving a manual and there's other traffic on the road. I pulled the coil packs out and found one spark plug well was FULL of oil. Once the valve cover came off I found plenty of sludge and all the spark plug well seals were torn or damaged in some way. At least this is a quick job, and it gives you an opportunity to do a tune up at the same time!
2004 Honda Civic Valve Cover Gasket:
www.oreillyaut...
NGK 7100 Spark Plugs:
www.oreillyaut...
MERCH: shopWatchJRGo.com
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Common Questions:
What motorcycle do I ride? A few. Ducati 1198, Honda Goldwing, Honda Grom, Honda Ruckus
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#CheapCar #HondaCivic #Civic #oreillypowered

[@agrobison3386]

And now Gabe needs new front tires. 😂

[@WatchJRGo]

It was those meddling kids doing burnouts in the middle of the night 😬

[@talon262]

@@WatchJRGo Way down there in Mexico...

[@rpavlik1]

I gotta get me one of those abandoned airstrips in Mexico near me.

[@mds2465]

@@rpavlik1 something like that yes! 🤣 😂 🤪

[@edwardndriskoll]

Gabe is a genius. Got a Free Honda for his broken Saturn. Hahah. A1

[@WatchJRGo]

Josh told me that was his plan... If he keeps breaking things I'll fix the Saturn and drop it off at his house 🤔

[@WhiskyCardinalWes]

@@WatchJRGo Smart man, that Gabe!

[@geraldlafleur7776]

Ya, wait how did he get hurt?

[@wayslow]

@@geraldlafleur7776 doing superhero stuff obviously.

[@nathanmodine]

@@WatchJRGo what Saturn did he break

[@cheapcargarage]

You should adjust the valves while you are there. They don’t need it often but considering how half assed the previous owner did the valve cover gasket, you may want to check it.

[@tatio2007]

Aren't they hydraulic valves?

[@cheapcargarage]

@@tatio2007 Admittedly I haven’t adjusted valves on a civic since the early 2000’s but they did require it then. I didn’t have a clear view of the rockers but they looked like they had adjusters on them.

[@tatio2007]

@@cheapcargarage true.. it was an honest question... I didn't see it well enough either. I thought somewhere around 99 or 2000 they started to switch over

[@tatio2007]

@@cheapcargarage looks like honda has been using hydraulic lifters in V6 since late 80's 😳 but not on single cam 4 bangers

[@jeremyparsons2944]

@@tatio2007 the sohc C engine v6 had hydraulic lash, all other honda engines have mechanical lash adjustment

[@socksonfeet8125]

Already cleaned EGR and have also changed valve cover gaskets. No oil in the plug wells anymore, but still have random misfires on all 4 cylinders. Not burning oil, not losing coolant, no color to exhaust on startup, no funny smells, etc. Only thing I can think of next is intake manifold needs to be cleaned. Aside from that I don't know where else to look for random misfires on all 4 cylinders. Maybe clogged cat? But I'm pretty sure a clogged cat would throw a code. No codes other than random misfire codes.

[@yodasbff3395]

The oil analysis should be interesting since it was filthy under the valve cover. 👍👍👍

[@K0Kaz]

The shoulders at the bottom of those D motor valve cover bolts pretty much prevent over torquing, but sometimes even w good new gaskets it also prevents the gaskets from sealing tightly enough.

[@WatchJRGo]

For sure, I don't think they were even close to tight after that last change. 🍻

[@briangreen]

I did one of these valve cover gaskets and was super simple, but leaked afterwards. I looked up a service manual and there is a suggestion to put RTV on the corners and the cam area. That fixed it.

[@elesjuan]

I've always found, oddly, the miata is one of the easiest cars ever to work on so long as you're not trying to do something under the dash. Then did timing belt and water pump on girlfriends 04 civic, along with several other things... I think that civic was probably the easiest "modern" vehicle I've ever put a wrench to. Everything take like 15 to 60 minutes. Was the 2nd easiest water pump I've ever seen.

[@1unsafer]

Doing water pump and TB on an 01 pretty soon. Any tips? These are fantastic cars. Mine has 211k on it

[@elesjuan]

@@1unsafer well, we talking miata or civic here? Miata, nothing of note really. It's pretty straight forward. The civic, best advice I have, make sure you jack up the front of the car when you're refilling coolant. It was a pain to burp air bubbles otherwise.

[@1unsafer]

@@elesjuan Thanks. It’s a civic. Attacking the water pump because of high mileage and some overheating even while in motion. Fans check out, pressure test checks out, and both oil and coolant are clean. Hoping it’s not a head gasket 🙏🏿

[@christopherperea397]

R8's are cool but I love these every day repairs

[@69Dartman]

My ex 95 Neon had those hemi style spark plug tubes and wells and it started using oil faster so I noticed the valve cover by a plug was wet so I pulled the wire off that plug and it was almost completely full of oil. Two others were pretty full and one was dry. It never started missing and most of them were dripping. I managed to find the unique one year only spark plug tube gaskets, and the valve cover gasket eventually and I replaced the metal tubes and sealed them up and they stayed dry and oil use dropped way down till it finally ate the timing belt and I gave up but I got many years of service out of it and it ran great with almost 190k.

[@itsnotme07]

Make sure you fill the gas tank and do a full detail before Gabe gets his ride back. Super Service! LOL

[@nbrowser]

Got one of these Civic's in my shop right now...plug tube #1 is full of oil, it's gonna get a new valve cover gasket set with plug hole seals, plugs, wires and a new cap n rotor since they are still OE on this car. It did however throw us a P0301...yep misfire cylinder 1.

[@WatchJRGo]

Ohhh, an old one with the spark spinner... might was well re-seal that thing while you're in there, they love to leak! 🍻

[@coolissimo69]

Gabe you are fortunate to have a friend like JRGO, wish you well and the best recovery ever.

[@rxtuninginc8444]

He should help him fix the sky then he can sell the Honda.

[@coolissimo69]

@@rxtuninginc8444 you don't know if he wants help, or waiting for parts, you don't know the situation.They are friends you know.

[@Gabe-ABNCW3]

I am indeed most grateful to have a friend like JR! Cheers!🍻😉👍🏼

[@100PercentJake]

Wow, finally getting work done on the Civic? But it's been doing such a good job holding the shop down

[@deanstanley2277]

What are you talking about, Gabe had it..no.

[@PaulBarwick]

Yo Gabe, sorry to hear of your mishap. Heal quickly my friend.

[@talon262]

I swear, Gabe is trying to become the modern version of The Six Million Dollar Man a body part at a time. Seriously, heal well, Gabe...and stop jumping off roofs! ;-P

[@PaulBarwick]

Dang, years of using KZbin and I just now noticed that we can edit our comments.

[@Gabe-ABNCW3]

🍻😉👍🏼

[@grayfool]

Now Gabe can have his say "Thankyou for my service". You're welcome.

[@Gabe-ABNCW3]

🍻😂👍🏼

[@HeavyTanker-vx4oq]

Valve Cover Gaskets. Great on a I4 in a big engine bay, but imagine a engine bay that size, with a DOHC V8 Shoved in it. Welcome to the Lincoln LS. I love the cars, but you might as well be working on a Jaguar, because well, IT IS ONE. I recommend one for the channel. They are fun little Sedans. And other then the Valve cover Gaskets, and Timing Chains. They are pretty reliable. And they are the closest you can ever come to a 4 door Mustang. 280HP, 5 speed Auto, Electric Open Diff that sometimes acts like a LSD. Quite like mine, Especially with exhaust mods, currently for a set of Highflow cats, and a muffler delete. And the thing just sounds MEAN.

[@rxtuninginc8444]

My brother has an LS with a manual. Unfortunately couldn't get the V8 like that so had to settle for V6

[@saturnslutII]

Try a 2.7T in an Audi B5S4. all day project

[@HeavyTanker-vx4oq]

Mike Litorus those Manuals are very rare 2800 or so were ever made.

[@JT-un7dc]

Sometimes the spark plug tube seals are the cause of the flooded out plugs on Hondas. Also you should have adjusted the valves while you were in there. Hondas run a lot better when the valves are adjusted

[@rpavlik1]

"Somebody didn't torque it properly" - tightens it with impact wrench

[@jongrabbe3357]

He did say he had it on "baby mode".

[@willoverkill8461]

Vintage WatchJRGo video, changing a Honda valve cover gasket

[@peasantgarage2468]

My daughter had one of these. We retired it with 350 000 kms mainly because the automatic trans started slipping and it had twice the mileage on its roof! Great video!

[@tmphotography8443]

had the same oil issues on the SR20 powered Primera / Infiniti G20 with the spark plugs getting oil down the shafts , admittedly it did have 170,000 ish on the original gaskets , guess it helps if you care for cars better how long these parts survive too . 15 yrs of love from me on that car

[@hurbye]

You should do a video on an engine oil flush treatment on this civic and do like a before and after.. Tons of us drive Civics and like to see if it works or not

[@jonsingle1614]

I always feed my Honda a soft taco supreme with a baja blast....

[@ajustin614]

The 1.7 in 2004 was underpowered even in 2004. I drove one brand new when I was 17 as a daily and it was hilariously slow, but at the time it still felt kinda nice.

[@alanleclair1]

Thanks for the little burn out at the end! Totally takes me back to my days driving the same vintage Civic with no tach!

[@johnasbury7511]

Get well soon Gabe

[@BennyT_3434]

Man that dash looks hilarious without the tach....serious bare-bones edition!

[@framebangin4banger]

i own a 05 civic coupe and im loving this series

[@vincei2147]

I own two. XD One might have been k swapped. ;)

[@BlewShirtGuy]

This would be another good candidate for the BG Engine Flush like the Camaro.

[@WatchJRGo]

It could really use BG dynamic... I actually bought this car so we could test all the chemicals like that on it! 💯

[@jamesmedina2062]

@@WatchJRGo Well get to it Mr Honda Master mechanic!👍

[@MrMattDat]

Nicely done. Always good to get back to basics.

[@clifbradley]

Like the Exxon Valdiz up in that valve cover. I think I saw a dead pelican and a stranded sea turtle in there

[@VanisleNSX]

I used to love those old Civics!

[@techguy3424]

I'd like to find a good example of one in the ex trim in the same color that I had. Loved that thing, not very fast but it was fun with the 5 speed.

[@blackcountryme]

It's the base model, that's why it's still here, less to go wrong.

[@rosieclark3661]

No doubt about it 🤔💯⚠️

[@benjamin_esau]

You are the civic whisperer!

[@mikemontgomery7337]

Just can't beat those little Hondas !!

[@ua7pyro591]

Those aftermarket fel pro never last a long time. Always use oem for simple things like this

[@stevestudley4060]

Getting back to basics. How refreshing.

[@glassvial]

It was nice of Gabe to break this for you so you had something to do, lol

[@TheBarberShopScott]

Yay more Civic

[@WatchJRGo]

Last one for awhile though! 😂

[@TheBarberShopScott]

@@WatchJRGo they don't break down often 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@alexhier5051]

@@TheBarberShopScott 🐂

[@generallyhelpfulsoftware646]

I would subscribe to a channel of nothing but fixing 7th generation Civics. It might get monotonous though I will admit.

[@shortafewbolts]

I can't believe how hard you work and humble. AutoAuctionRebuilds is replying and posting on instagram "stupid subscriber" if he doesn't like the question and actually posting his monthly youtube income.

[@KrazyStabbzTV]

Love seeing the civic videos :( maybe Gabe will break the civic like he broke his ankle, then maybe we’d get another civic video lol 😂

[@Gabe-ABNCW3]

Don’t tempt me with a good time!😂🍻

[@MatSpeedle]

Done this sort of fix on many cars over the years, very satisfying :D

[@downsyndromebear]

I know you have done videos like these in the past, but keep them coming. Your videos helped get my confidence up to work on my old Toyota. Those purple street lights drive me crazy! I really hope the city/evergy gets that taken care of soon.

[@shamwaymoonyos9578]

I had the 2001 Honda Civic LX 5-speed manual coupe. Very underpowered especially awful when you have the auto version. Very uncomfortable seats. In any case good riddens. This was now 7 years ago. Been rocking a 2015 WRX since then and haven't looked back :). I'm happy.

[@jeffthorpe8667]

If you freeze the spark plug well seals before install its a lot easier. Drop the bolt gaskets in hot water to make them easier.

[@michaelhawkins5530]

Thank you Honda for designing essentially zero slack in that harness to make it more difficult.

[@WatchJRGo]

You can remove the harness with a few more plugs but wiggling it out isn't too bad 💯

[@samlwackson8696]

All about that fit and finish baby

[@HillDill]

Insomnia isnt so bad when JR uploads at midnight.

[@batsonelectronics]

my 2007 Elantra 2.0l can be changed out in 15 minutes. I did it not long ago for the 1st time in 122,000 miles. Barely leaked but removing the valve cover made getting to the 2 rear Coil Pack bolts easy , and the coil was dying and making the car a little rough. It was also original. Had a plug wire go bad and cause a misfire a week later, then a week after that another one. ( I had the old ones as emergency spares) so I bought a new set. Seems plug wires go bad about every 7-10 years and mine were that old. I had 10 bolts to remove to do mine.

[@greathornedowl3644]

Love the Civic, like many Honda's and Toyota's, average everyday person cars, not cars for indestructible superheroes like Gabe, who can leap buildings in a single bound.

[@Mike_Atwell]

I bet Gabe would prefer if his Saturn were fixed... Please lol. I wanna see you either do a timing chain replacement or an LDK swap in there.

[@theEagleBeagle]

ultimate basic transportation. DO they make gauge clusters with a tac for those? If so, maybe it'd be a good junk yard dive away.

[@markkelley8559]

Nice quick video. Good content, quick fix, for a engine that will last forever ... please just service them !

[@shan6021]

How do you not loose more bolts, nuts, and screws with your haphazard placement of them all over the engine bay? Love your videos.

[@WatchJRGo]

I sort them in piles based on where they go 🍻

[@jegsdinogod5091]

Im having issues with a 2005 civic and i would have liked to see how the engine was running prior

[@snowyowl7042]

Get well soon Gabe, miss hasseling you on video.

[@MassiveTrackHunter]

That Altima really Gets on it!

[@edwardmalfroid946]

Check valve lash while in there?

[@SixOhhGeeTeeOhh]

on my old civic I must have changed those gaskets 3 or 4 times, never seemed to work

[@jamesmedina2062]

It seems like a thin valve cover. Honda was "saving weight"!

[@johngoodwyn8246]

That Honda need's the full BG treatment !

[@TheWingrider92]

saw someone changed the valve cover gasket on a parking lot once for this same model of civic

[@tmomrik]

Wow, your O'REILLY'S is way different than the one by me. They never have any actual auto parts in stock, but they do have wax and fuzzy dice. I needed sway bar bushings and they said it would take 5 days to get in and I had to pay for shipping. Thank God for Parts Plus store two doors down.

[@TheMechanicj]

Make all Honda valve cover jobs seem easy. That’s not the case the v6 you gotta remove the Intake etc but hey I’m here watching lol

[@daveebertz4206]

That’s a very cool car, too bad they don’t still make them that way

[@lilredexptsc]

Have to replace the valve cover gaskets in my 92 Daytona ES V6 I wish it was going to be this easy.

[@billnalder1017]

I see you went to the O'Reilly's there in Mexico that trip!..haha

[@WatchJRGo]

It was just an Altima, I couldn’t have been going that fast 😳

[@billnalder1017]

@@WatchJRGo hahaha!

[@lowkey8517]

B5 a4 1.8t not to bad of a job.

[@bigjohnson7415]

Love the Honda's. Is that a check engine light on? Need the Altell!

[@rxtuninginc8444]

Autel

[@bigjohnson7415]

@@rxtuninginc8444 That one too!🤣

[@WatchJRGo]

It's the airbig light for the seat belt switch 🍻

[@WhiskyCardinalWes]

The ultimate Econobox car. 😀

[@michaelhall9138]

They are NOT coil packs…. They are individual coils-on-plug.

[@mds2465]

That valve cover gasket is a breeze compared to the J series engine. I have to do that job on my 2011 Pilot. I’m not looking forward to that. I also have to do a valve adjustment as well while I’m in there and you should probably consider doing the same with this Honda as well, or at least check the valve clearance and making sure everything is within factory specs.

[@revanda85]

Please check the valve clearance on Hondas when you have the valve covers off. One of the number one reasons they misfire is valves too tight

[@rxtuninginc8444]

Who cares it's a single cam. These engines are $200 all day everyday

[@SeanBaker]

I just love this channel.

[@tatio2007]

Never understood thumbs down on posts like this... are they mad they didn't do it first?

[@boilerhousegarage]

I can't believe you didn't paint the cam cover while it was off and ditch that resonator air box next to it. I know it's a flip, but it's a Civic man!

[@cbassart]

Hey JR did you know that Honda has two holes in the hood one for regular stuff and the other for maintenance further towards the back of the hood? it will hold the hood at a higher angle making it easier to work on.

[@TheDamiensdad]

Subaru also does this.

[@pamboskourtoulos5239]

Very enjoyable. Well Done

[@ProjectZGarage]

you should clean the motor and do the wrinkle red paint on the valve cover to add more HP lol

[@NickJThibault]

seen you’re face when that guy didn’t say thank you for holding the door

[@warummussmeinnameangegeben6502]

Another car that makes Valve Cover Jobs easy: VW Passat 1.9 TDI from like 2002. Nothing in the way, no problems. Other extreme: Volvo White Blocks - the valve cover doubles as the cam retainer. Cant even take it off, without volvo special tools.

[@karelvvv]

... 1980's and 1990's VW's with the EA111 engine, 3 bolts, Aircooled or Wasserboxers, that's a clamp...

[@lazarusbambakidis6820]

lost it when he pulled out THE DEW

[@WatchJRGo]

Baja Blast was designed for testing engine vibration 💯

[@sirseriously]

@@WatchJRGo If they had Baja blast in Jurassic park they would have gotten warned before they left the visitor center. True story.

[@gwilli]

@@sirseriously 🤣🤣🤣

[@MichaelSmith-kr9qw]

I had a 04 VP Civic Coupe was a fun car to drive and the fuel mileage was consistently 38 mpg great little car to drive but it met its maker one evening a woman who happened to have a little too much sauce decided she wanted to park her Hyundai in the trunk.

[@johnsnow1355]

Watch out on hondas for coil shorting out causing a electrical fire. Happened to a co worker the coil when into melt down and actually got the plug so hot it blew out of the head.

[@Kimsey47]

Need to let Elliot in there with some Simple Green!

[@jwhart4287]

“Little Baja blast” 😂

[@germanium1872]

People calling his GTR an Altima got JR angry, so he had to show how fast it is.

[@techguy3424]

Just make sure to keep up with the timing chain on these. Had one pop, hello new engine.

[@rxtuninginc8444]

Keep up with the timing chain? Chains don't need to be replaced. They only do when no maintenance was ever done on time. Pretty sure these are a belt. Big difference.

[@techguy3424]

@@rxtuninginc8444 had one snap at 75k on mine back when I had it.

[@jamesmedina2062]

@@techguy3424 belt no?

[@techguy3424]

@@jamesmedina2062 yeah looked it up, it is a belt. Regardless, it was an expensive fix.

[@Emeraldant92]

That Baja blast tho 👀

[@mds2465]

VWs/Audis are horrible cars to do a valve cover gasket replacement job on. A buddy of mine is one of each that both need it replaced. I’m not looking forward to that job either

[@ChrisVargasrpht2000chris]

that thing is not a rice rocket, it's just a great A-B commuter car.

[@Dabodizafa]

Baja Blast...the best Dew ever!

[@In_memory_of_Dad]

And that is the definition of friendship 🙂 P.s That's the definition of friendship 👍

[@Cartier_specialist]

Surely even though the Civic is the price leader model it still has a rev limiter. I'm guessing if you just matted it the rev limiter or fuel cut-off would eventually kick in at I'm guessing 7250 rpm.

[@WatchJRGo]

It has a limiter for sure... but power falls off way before the limiter so you've gotta listen and feel 🍻

[@rxtuninginc8444]

Those engines only make power until 5400 afterthat its just noise and no forward momentum.

[@user-gp9st9jb3l]

I have a 2003 Honda Civic I just change the spark plugs change the oil on it but when I drive it it smoke white can you tell me what is it thank you

[@stevec5000]

He must have gone to the O'reillys in Mexico?

[@108media4]

You should change the PCV

[@shawnallonby1126]

My honda is draining the battery and when it gets low it has no power at all. Put coils battery altenator terminals on it but still not fixed. Nobody knows what it is. I was told that it burned the wire up that runs from the altenator to the fuse box. I put it in the shop that didn't help. Couldn't get it to town (20 min) bc the way its running. Help plz

[@peterdaniel66]

Hate to say it but these years were the worst for Honda insofar as reliability and durability.. They cheaped out like mad these years, they even said so themselves.

[@dave11686]

Impossibru. Hondas never break