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Hybrid Vehicles Honda Civic GX (natural gas) Honda Civic GX Engine Questions
55 messages, Last post on Mar 29, 2009 at 9:12 AM
You are in the Honda Civic GX (natural gas) Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: yip_choi (Mar 23, 2006 4:05 pm) As to a "Minor tune up" ,nothing to tune up. Spark plugs on these last 80,000-100,000 miles easy .I would stay away from that shop. Bad ecm computer ?, don't think so. This vehicle may still be under the federal emissions warranty , or if it is a california car , the california emissions warranty. As to the gas smell , you prob. have a very small leak in one of the fittings at the tank in the trunk. FBALDWIN is a frequent poster on this board and knows all the emission warranty info. If you are in so. cal , or the bay area, you have a choice of several dealers with cert. gx tech's. |
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Replying to: yip_choi (Mar 23, 2006 4:05 pm) It is very rare for the computer (ECM or PCM)to fail! It is well protected from damage. The computer sensors or wiring are more likely to fail because of the environment they operate. A trained technician will have a computer "scanner" that can read any stored codes and the data that is produced by the sensors. This would only be the first step in diagnosing any problem with the OBDII system. A specific trouble code will direct the mechanic to a problem area for further diagnoses. In the late 60's and 70's technicians performed a "tune up" which included replacing the spark plugs, points and other parts that frequently failed. The carburetor idle mixture was adjusted. Most of the time the performance of the engine improved. The term "tune up" does not apply any longer. You will never see "tune up" in the maintence book. Any technician with training with OBDII or preferably with ASE A6, A8 and L1 certifications should be able to properly diagnose your engine problem. The fuel system should only be repaired my a technician that has reviewed the Honda GX service supplement. |
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Replying to: yip_choi (Mar 23, 2006 4:05 pm) |
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Replying to: yip_choi (Mar 23, 2006 4:05 pm) Thank you very for all of your help. My mechanics finally fixed the problem. After he changed cap & rotor and spark plugs wires, the problem is gone. In addition, he did a tune up. However, I was told not to use aftermarket parts because the ECM of Honda Civic from year 1998 to 2000 are so sensitive. Any aftermarket parts might trigger the ECM to lit the engine light. I am glad that the first problem is solved. However, I am looking for the way to find if there is gas leaking because I can smell some natural gas when I first open the door after parking overnight. In addition, I don't have refueling system (Phill) at home, so I go to PG&E (3000psi) or Pinnacle (3600psi) to refuel. How many mileage it can run with a full tank? The empty tank light will lit when it reaches 150 miles. I believe the tank is 8.5 gallon, but we cannot fill up all with fast-fill such as in PG&E or Pinnacle. With 30 to 34 mpg, what is the maximum mileage I can drive? Can anyone give me some hint what are the extra maintenance has to do for this CNG NGV car? Thanks in advance.
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Replying to: yip_choi (Apr 15, 2006 11:03 pm)  70 deg. f. to completely empty. Real world useable is about 5.5 3000 , 6.5 3600. The owners with a phil at home get more range than stated above because of the slow fillup. 150 - 175 miles with a 3000# fast filup is about correct. I have gone 50 miles with the low fuel indicator on many ,many times ,but I ran out once , had to be towed . Keep in mind ,the fuel gauge is a temperature compensated pressure gauge , not a level gauge. How much is PG&E ? Last time I was up north ,2003 , they were 97 cents 
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Replying to: lakewood90712 (Apr 16, 2006 9:53 am) I was told my 98 civic has a bigger tank (8.5 gge) than 01 to 04 model. Well, I guess the 0.5gge does not make big difference. On the other hand, I always refuel at Pinnacle with 3600psi. Again, the low fuel indicator always lit up around 150 miles. As you mentioned, you have gone 50 more miles with the low fuel indicator, does it mean I can drive about 200 miles? Can you explain more about the fuel gauge is a temperature compensated pressure gauge, not a level gauge? do you mean I should not trust the fuel gauge because it also depends on temperature. PG&E charge $1.86 per gallon. You can refer to this link: http://www.pge.com/nots/rates/tariffs/GRF.SHTML Thanks!!! |
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Replying to: yip_choi (Apr 16, 2006 9:01 pm) 3600. Honda had some pre production brochures in 1997 that had estimated specifications. The low fuel warning is calibrated for about 50 miles , but I try to avoid driving more than 20 after activation. The 01-05 with the cvt does use approx 10% less fuel per mile. The "Gauge" . The gas sold to us is 88-90% methane , the rest is propane, co2 , nitrogen ,water , and misc. contaminants. Gas law dictates a given quantity of gas will occupy a certain space at a certain pressure and temperature. Raise the temperature and keep the space constant , and the pressure will rise , but you have the same quantity of gas. Your honda senses pressure and temperature and its computer makes calculations for the properties of natural gas to give you an approximate amount of fuel left. Actually pretty simple. Time to get off my soapbox now.
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Replying to: lakewood90712 (Apr 17, 2006 6:56 pm) Similarly, cooler ambient temperatures create less pressure for the same weight of CNG, allowing for a larger fill at the same pressure.
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Replying to: nostrom0 (Apr 19, 2006 8:32 pm) The fuel gauge is temperature and pressure compensated. |
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The Honda Service Manual GX Supplement provides simple instructions for replacing and or servicing the fuel filters. The Maintenance schedules indicate that filter B (low Pressure) should be replaced every 10,000 miles and filter A (high pressure) should only be inspected including drain every 10,000 miles. Both schedules (severe and regular) specify the same procedure. Replacing the low pressure filter is similar to replacing an oil filter. The first step is to relieve the fuel pressure between the engine and the manual shut-off valve. This should only be done after reading and understanding the GX manual. I hope this does not become a dealer scam to sell both filters every 10,000 miles when the schedule indicates only an inspection of the high pressure filter every 10,000 miles. Frequently new car dealers make their own maintenance schedules which include more service and parts (and more profit)than the Honda schedule. The factory service manuals can be purchased from Helm. The |
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