Repair and Maintenance - Honda Civic 8th Gen

[helper_learner]

I think the Chinese are just dummies they dont fulfill the purpose....

@Xulfiqar
@capsat
@brownrose78
@Hassan1991

[omaruser156370259465]

Have you noticed a change in your car's exhaust note after the cat was stolen by the mechanic?

[Hassan1991]

Chinese cat converter?
Never heard about it.
Buy oem brand new.

[Mun33b]

Catalytic convertors usually last a long time, but if theres issue with fuel trim or oil consumption, it will choke out. No better way to clean it. Only option is to replace.
Mechanics break the catacomb mesh and sell it, around 7000rs per kilo.
Few things wrong there:
The spark plugs are original iridiums and last about 1lac km. Copper tip ones are not suitable and not recommended. As there is a difference in resistance, it will impact your ignition coils and being of different heat range, wont provide optimal ignition aswell. Revert back to your original spark plugs or replace them with new oems asap to avoid additional expense.
The Vtec gasket is mentioned for 1k rs, pretty cheap. Are you sure it was original part? chinese/taiwan ones dont last long. Always insist for original parts as they save you money in the long run and the ustad doesnt get to touch your car often.

[Mun33b]

Chinese ones are a waste of money. New oem costed around 1.3lac 2 years back. No idea whats the current price. You may visit junk yards and find some used (not cleaned one) for around 40 to 50k. Thats a bluff if you dont know what you are looking for.

[pwuser164499793779]

Honestly I cant say for sure when he took it off, cause I never drove until my father became sick and now its completely driven by me now that he's no longer with us, but as simple as I can word it, jab tak cheez sahi na chalai ho pata nhn hota how its supposed to be, which is the case here, after this little repair job the car feels absolutely more responsive, so only now I realize what i had been missing out on.. the engine is still a bit loud comparatively to when we got the car so if that's relevant to the Cat Con maybe that would explain it still being louder than it once was?

It has calmed quite a lot down since the mount was changed but still not exactly the level it was when we got it.

[farooqk80]

What engine oil did you pour? Shell, Caltex, Zic are all 5k+. Oem plugs are 3k+ per piece. please only get oem new parts.

[farooqk80]

Always buy parts yourself and pay for labour. If you're in isb/rwp and i can suggest you some reliable shops i get my stuff from

[pwuser164499793779]

I just took it back today as even though the oil didn't drip yesterday I woke up again today to drops on the ground, definitely not as much as it once used to but still there regardless. As per your advice I asked him to replace the plugs with the genuine Iridium Spark Plugs as well, which he stated would cost around 11k?

Is there anyway to differentiate between the Taiwan one's and genuine ones? Cause he did bring it up in a packing even though the guy who delivered it in front of me had torn off the label up front of the packing I could see just that it was a "Honda Part" and in packing unfortunately.

He stated the the Cat convertor from a Junk yard would cost me around 80k hence suggested if I'm on a budget the Chinese one would do the job for me, I haven't asked him to get either yet as I AM on a budget for now, just want the car to not drain the engine out and work smoothly until I can get it to its peek condition bit by bit.

[pwuser164499793779]

It was Honda 10w30 Genuine oil that they poured into it. And OEM (Iridium?) plugs are costing me 11K here which I've asked him to replace the one's they installed before as I've handed her back to the mechanic for oil drips again.

This time the oil drip wasn't as much as before and there wasn't gear oil dripping out but as he'd stated if it drips still, its covered in his assurance policy so I drove her right back to him this morning.

As for the shops! That would be a huge help, the only reason I didn't go part hunting was because I wasn't aware of shops where I can get the parts from reliably, and indeed I am from Rawalpindi!

[farooqk80]

Don't trust your mechanic for plugs. Market is filled with fakes. Get NGK from PartsCentral if he has in stock. They will cost you less and honda repacks it in its own packing, else get Honda genuine ones from him though they cost more.

I go to Waqar autos in Azhar Shaheed market, saddar. His prices are less than honda
For brake pads go to umair traders in gawalmandi. He is the only supplier of akebono in the twin cities i know. His prices are wholesale too.

you can get plugs from waqar autos too

[farooqk80]

For cat, you should only get oem. I dont think there are chinese cats.

A piece of advice, get all the work done infront of yourself and never leave cars to mechanics.

Also ive noticed you used a aftermarket cheapo oil filter. they have very less pleats and area is very less. Always use oem as they cost 1100 from waqar autos.

[farooqk80]

https://www.facebook.com/PartsCentralPK

He is trusted by countless pakwheelers including myself. He doesn't deal in fake parts

[pwuser164499793779]

Got it, its good to have someone I know I can trust for my parts and for a reasonable rate, as for the filter I think he said he'd used Guard? And that's true, I always used to get the Honda genuine oil filter but in the emergency where the oil had leaked the guy who replaced the oil only had this available hence this mechanic also replaced the oil filter with the same guard one thinking that's the one I use, for sure I will definitely get the OEM one once again.

And I understand, I would very much prefer to have the work done in front of me too honestly, cant risk anything else going missing again as well lol.

Thank you for the link! I've bookmarked it and I shall contact him for the plugs, just asked the mechanic he hasn't purchased them yet.

[Mun33b]

Yes when Catalytic converter mesh is removed, the car becomes louder. Its specifically much louder on cold starts.
80k for kabuli catalytic convertor is too much. It was around 45k here in Karachi.
For oem vs fake spark plugs, you will have to compare them side by side. The brand and number laser etching on fake ones gives it away. Also the tip of spark plug is not upto the mark. The ceramic is dull and has impurities too. This all can only be inspected side by side. Having only the fake one wont be enough if its your first time.
Find a good reputable parts vendor in your vicinity, dont leave it to mechanic to source parts, else he will make sure to get you the lowest quality crap.
Here is the original packaging, unfortunately dont have picture of plug itself:

[omaruser156370259465]

Yes the car becomes louder if cat is absent. Btw how much fuel average does it return in city driving?

[Taimur92]

Just get the NGK spark plugs from the parts central guy. He is a trusted seller. It's not easy differentiate between fake vs original for someone with no experience.

You can drive the car around with catcon no worries but if you want the engine sound back to what it used to be then you have to get a catcon. Chinese are just steel mesh without the rare earth metals in them, new is recommended but too expensive, best would be if you could take someone experienced with you to market and get used good condition original cat.

[pwuser164499793779]

This once again helped a lot, I got the genuine plugs from the above stated vendor thanks to Mr. Farooq, costed me 12k, I've another thing added to my curiosity though, what's the difference in the Laser Iridium and Iridium spark plugs?

I asked around in Sultan ka Khoo for the Cat con, and the prices for kabuli part they stated was from 40k to 65k, just wanted to check what the prices are as I wouldn't know about Chinese and other variant this is just from what they stated was Kabuli would cost me that much.

Your reference number and pictures of the parts have definitely helped a lot! Can't thank you enough for taking the time out to guide me bit by bit.

[pwuser164499793779]

It's giving me roughly 10 km.. might be off on the calculation but let me explain.

I usually get a fuel every third trip work-home routine so of PKR 1,000

That is roughly 6.62 Liters, this lasts me 3 trips as in From home to work, to home and to work again. My workplace is 23 Kilometers from home.

I'm sorry for making this a mathematics question outta the textbook for college lol. But yes, that's the way it is, and that's not with an empty tank, That's when its down to usually 4 bars on the meter, so occasionally it lasts 4 trips as well.

[pwuser164499793779]

I got them from him! Replaced the copper one's before I got the car back, also as for the sound that would definitely be top priority to get it once I can afford it, but as for reference I would assume that this is chinese? https://www.pakwheels.com/accessories-spare-parts/catalytic-converter-for-honda-civic-reborn-2006-2012-3769714