hello

i have a 2007 fit with 69k miles and the CEL appeared and disappeared while driving on the interstate. I was told I needed a valve adjustment and it will cost me 500..i know that's overpriced and in the future I will go somewhere else.

but i barely drive my car and don't have many miles on it, so this is concerning to me.

is it unusual to need a valve adjustment this early? does this mean i will have to frequently get it adjusted? thanks!

 

My 2007 has 245000 kms and no value adjustment yet. So, in my experience, it is unusual and you should not have to have frequent adjustments.

 

just got a call and 2 coils are burned out (?)
so it'll be another $200

freaking me out

 

69K is perfect time to do the valve adjust. all the Japanese cars used to require adjustment every 60 to 80 K.

its 200 bucks for all 4 coils from rock auto and with any ability to use 2 wrenches its a 20 minute job. Do the plugs at the same time. Tired plugs ruin coils packs!

Its also about engine run time, your car may not have massive miles but how much time does it spend sitting in traffic? Or does it do a lot of short trips? Driving pattern is more important than mileage in a lot of cases..

 

okay thank you, i do not know ANYTHING about cars. that is interesting they changed the adjustment intervals. the dealership is ripping me off with everything and if this ever happens again i have another place in mind.

i feel better. i was worried this would be an ongoing issue that would breakdown? is there anything else i can do to prevent it from happening?

you're absolutely correct, i take very short trips and i live in the city!

 

The fit has a funny engine,, In 2007.. its a recycle of an old design with Vtec added..
The original engine was a 80's vintage Civic and it needed the valves adjusted regularly, partially because the material tech was not nearly as good as it is now and they didn't understand how to put aluminum heads on cast iron blocks like they do now.

My 07 ran like a new car with the coil packs and new plugs alone. The valve adjust smoothed it WAY out.. (Mine is at 132K) PO had it all done at about 80K but they cleaned the coils instead of replacing.. So I got to do it..

Just think of it as a standard service and a good indy mechanic will get it all done for 4 to 5 hundred every 60K to 80K miles and you'll never have problems on the road. And you'll get better gas mileage which will take a small bite out of the cost.

If it makes you feel better my KTM motorcycle needs a full tuneup every 35K miles,
it takes about 5 hours and costs about 1300 bucks.. (IT ONLY HAS 2 COIL PACKS AT LEAST... )

 

cool, 500 every 60-80k miles is totally reasonable. i had a civic and the cat. converter would break once every 2 years so I think that ordeal gave me PTSD, lol

 

1300 is nuts

 

Think of maintenance in terms of YEARS or MILES. So 70K miles or SEVEN years whichever comes first.

Your maintenance is NOT coming up 'early'.

You might think about other maintenance that could be due on an 8 year old car. Transmission fluid change (whether automatic or manual). Brake fluid flush (recommended every 3 years regardless of miles).

 

I like this:

And this:

 

To add my two cents, I had both valve adjustment and coil pack replacement on my 08 Fit at 75K. Valve adjustment fixed rough idle and stalling when cold and coil pack fixed engine skipping at highway speeds (an unsettling feeling).

Please tell me the new Fits have self adjusting valves.

 

Its the rush after that makes it worth it.. 100 HP dirtbike..

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...gutKe5Yp4hOrFg

Its like a really hot dangerous girlfriend..

 

the tech warned me that my other 2 coils were going to go out soon. he said that valve adjustment was a little unusual (prob from city driving) but the coils being replaced is standard maintenance.

here is the report...does this sound normal?

 

Holly, if you are worried about being told that you need work that is, in fact, unnecessary and being ripped off — I know I always am — you shouldn't be. A valve adjustment at your mileage is a good idea (the Owner's Manual notwithstanding), and, from what my colleagues here on the forum say, it may be quite reasonable to replace the coil packs.

2 coil packs versus 4 coil packs? I would change them all at the same time just to be thorough, and I wouldn't be bothered by the cost, but others here will disagree.

 

Rock auto sells the coils for just under 200 for 4. Honestly its too easy to pay the dealer to do it.. 1 beer job tops..

But I like that the tech did actually note down that the valve adjust helped and the coil packs topped it off.

 

Hey All!
First post, been reading this site for years.
Just did 4 coil packs and plugs on my sons 2008 base with 150K, because of the "misfire" code. I used the brands recommended (Hitachi and NGK). Made a BIG difference, runs much better, but it still idles rough especially when its cold (relatively speaking here is sunny south FL!) So I'm going to do the valve clearance check and adjust next. It's a little "ticky" but since it hasn't been check, it's time. I haven't done a valve adjustment since the 1970s but I guess it's like riding a bike (which I also haven't done since the 1970s). THANK YOU for all the great input and info on this site. I wouldn't even consider doing it if this info wasn't here. What did we do BEFORE the internet????? Anyone out there remember life before the internet? ....Or am I THAT old.

 

It looks like getting to the valve cover is half the job. Do you guys leave the throttle body attached to the upper intake manifold? And move the whole thing out of the way? I read that removing the battery makes getting that stuff out of the way easier. I bought the Haynes repair manual but it doesn't look like it will be much help. Thanks.

 

There is a DIY with pics around here as well as a Utube..

I unbolted the upper intake, left most things attached, didn't touch the battery. Took out the coil packs first, then the plugs then the valve cover. Both my gaskets were re-usable IE in good shape. Took a total of about an hour and a half of real work, but it was a sunday, I wasn't in a hurry and had a six sitting on the tool box, which did mildly slow the process down.

 

Thanks dwtaylorpdx, I won't be able to start on it this weekend, it's my sons car, and he has a job, goes to school, and has a girl friend, so the car rarely gets a day off. I think I'll get the 2 gaskets just in case, amazon has them for about $30 for both. And maybe a 12 pack just in case, liquor store has them for about $15. I'll keep you posted.

 

Now thats a shade tree mechanic plan..