1996 Acura LSX

Hello all,
I just recently found out that the engine in the LSX is the same one as the Rodeo, Trooper and the passport. Imagine that, honda...acura...isuzu...lol
Anyway, my brother inlaw is the lucky owner of this vehicle, I myself have a 97 Rodeo, and it appears that somewere along the line, one of the spark plugs was cross threaded in the head, and now has walloed out the hole so big that the plug will not fit.
My Father is planning on doing the old Heli-coil method on this vehicle this weekend.
My question, has anyone ever ran acrosss this problem, and if so, is is a "requirement" that the head be removed for this procedure?
Next question, if that is the case, would it be better to just buy a reman head, but I'm sure that would mean you should buy both and basically do a valve job?
The reasion I ask is, my Father and I have done valve jobs on our older vehicles, V8's, straight 6's, VW bug engines, but never done one on an overhead valve engine.

Does anybody have any recomendations on what to do with this? Brother-in-law is on a budget keep in mind, like all of us, lol.
Thanks in advance.
John

Because heli-coils require tapping out the hole to make bigger/re-thread, I would pull the head just in case filings end up in the cylinder.

Heli-coil is probably the cheapest route, especially if there is nothing else wrong with the head.

Steve

heli-coil is the way to go--just be ABSOLUTELY sure you don't float the center at all when drilling out the hole prior to fitting the new threads. This would offset your plug and I don't know how much room you'd have for error. I learned this the hardway on an aluminum intake. Now I have lots of "custom" parts to fit my new hole placement . . .

I've never seen an Acura LSX before...I know the only Acura SUV model is the MDX...but do you have a pic or a link to an LSX??? I've owned a 1987 Acura Integra and 1998 Integra, but NEVER seen or heard of the LSX (unless its foreign)....just curious...

Looks like the Trooper, in that sense.
try this link
http://www.automobiles.com/review_desc.asp?c=1341&t=year&id=1996

I've never seen an Acura LSX before...I know the only Acura SUV model is the MDX...but do you have a pic or a link to an LSX??? I've owned a 1987 Acura Integra and 1998 Integra, but NEVER seen or heard of the LSX (unless its foreign)....just curious...

Looks like the Trooper, in that sense.
try this link
http://www.automobiles.com/review_desc.asp?c=1341&t=year&id=1996


Well I'll be a monkey's uncle....there it is!! Thanks!

Hello all,
I just recently found out that the engine in the LSX is the same one as the Rodeo, Trooper and the passport.

IIRC, Isuzu supplied Rodeos and Troopers to Honda/Acura to be rebadged as Passports and SLXs in exchange for the Odyssey, which Isuzu rebadged as the Oasis. Gee, I wonder who won that trade off?? Honda/Acura gains a whole new group of SUV buyers for their Odyssey based Pilot/MDX and Isuzu, well what's left of Isuzu ends up only selling rebadged GM vehicles.

Gee, I wonder who won that trade off?? Honda/Acura gains a whole new group of SUV buyers for their Odyssey based Pilot/MDX and Isuzu, well what's left of Isuzu ends up only selling rebadged GM vehicles.

LOL, ironically, I own a Honda and an Isuzu...

I've also owned a few Cavaliers with the 3.1.

My current truck (Isuzu Rodeo, 92 4x4) has the GM 3.1 and it works ok. I am looking at putting a 4.3 GM in it though, as I worked in a machine shop that dealt with them.

No one won...they all scored equally as I can tell. My opinion (you won't like it), Honda sold me a piece of tin can Civid (02), but it runs awesome fuel milage and just flies (190KM/h w/1.7L) on the highway :)

Give me my truck, and my girlfriend can keep her Civic, unless I need to make it somewhere down the highway FAST!!

Steve

Sorry, forgot to mention my point... Listen to smarquez1, and do this job right....

If you're going to heli-coil, pull the head and use the proper tools to do it. I doubt Honda (with their limited space) will give you ANY space for error.

You can 'coil' it, but just keep the tools accurate!!

Steve

Thanks Guys for all your input. I'm not the one doing the work, so I guess it's up to the mercy of the person getting it done. I agree, the head should come off, but it looks like they are going to try and do it without doing that.

I have a question. I own a 97 Rodeo with the 3.2L. Is that a GM product? Man, I hope not. I really hope that it's an actual Isuzu engine.
Thanks again.
John

Sorry, forgot to mention my point... Listen to smarquez1, and do this job right....

If you're going to heli-coil, pull the head and use the proper tools to do it. I doubt Honda (with their limited space) will give you ANY space for error.

You can 'coil' it, but just keep the tools accurate!!

Steve

Thanks Guys for all your input. I'm not the one doing the work, so I guess it's up to the mercy of the person getting it done..........

John- If I was to go thru all the trouble of pulling a 3.2L head, I'd just go ahead & replace it with a reman unit or a good used one. You figure all the work going into pulling one of these heads: Intake has to come off, exhaust has to come off, Timing belt has to come off, not to mension all the associated hardware, covers, plugs, fittings, etc.... Plus all the gasket replacents when it goes back on. A MAJOR PITA of a job!!! :banghead: If it's up in age/mileage, I'd do the cowboy method & either suck or blow :smokin: the small amount of aluminum chips outa that cylinder before I put the spark plug back in & sparked it up. :2cents:
G/luck
Joel

My thoughts exactly, Joel.
But, it seems like you would want to do them both while you were there, which brings up a another animal.
So, now we go to the timing belt replacement, then the water pumps, gaskets.
an, the next thing you know, you have basicaly rebuilt the top end of the motor, lol.
We are sticking to the "simple" (ha ha) method for now.
do the helicoil in the car, and try to suck out what we can with the Shop vac.
I'm thinking while drilling to use the Vac, maybe it would keep the shavings up out of the cylinder.
Anyway, thanks to all for the advice.
I will post after this weekend with the "news", good or bad.
John

John- If I was to go thru all the trouble of pulling a 3.2L head, I'd just go ahead & replace it with a reman unit or a good used one. You figure all the work going into pulling one of these heads: Intake has to come off, exhaust has to come off, Timing belt has to come off, not to mension all the associated hardware, covers, plugs, fittings, etc.... Plus all the gasket replacents when it goes back on. A MAJOR PITA of a job!!! :banghead: If it's up in age/mileage, I'd do the cowboy method & either suck or blow :smokin: the small amount of aluminum chips outa that cylinder before I put the spark plug back in & sparked it up. :2cents:
G/luck
Joel