Notes from under the hood

If I WERE a real mechanic, this would be a fun name for a column of sorts, or perhaps another blog. But alas, I just play one on tv.

Last night proved me half right - I can indeed change my own spark plugs on the Accord. Once I discovered how to get at them, and how to contort my 6'4" frame into the engine compartment to get a ratchet on the plugs, it was fairly simple. I learned one thing quickly however. It's probably MUCH easier to change them when the car has had time to cool off. Lots of parts around the engine get really freakin' hot. And freakin' hot metal on bare skin kinda smarts.

So once I located and removed the plugs and put new ones in place, I figured I was halfway home to successfully saving myself a bunch of money by doing it myself.

Sadly, the spark plug wires were straight out of some science fiction movie, and are wound into other wires and they disappear into the engine block with no distributor cap in sight. Crap.

Now I not only have to return the replacement wires I purchased, but I'll probably have to suck it up and have someone much more skilled than I replace them for me.

There is a certain point at which I will stop taking my engine apart for fear that I can't put it all back together. Last night I came right up against that point. I was happy to hear the engine roar to life after I had replaced the plugs, to be honest.

The bummer is that I was really stoked to see how much more mpgs I could get on the highway after my self-tune up. But knowing the wires are an integral part of that, it won't be fair to measure it just yet.

Having said that - my next task will be to figure out if it's possible at all to drain both the trans fluid AND the coolant myself. I seem to remember my dad trying the latter when I was a kid, with disastrous results. So if it's not readily clear how to get it done, I'll save that for señor mechanico as well. 

Now, if I can just find time to also grease the points on the tractor, mow the lawn and seal the driveway this weekend, I'll be all set.

Sure thing. 

I'll be sure to think about all this stuff when I'm screwing around at the pool with the kids. 

(sigh)

Summer.