Replacing Cam Plugs

[Chad-NSX]

Just came from my Acura dealer and they claim they can replace my leaking cam plugs (not cam seals) without removing valve covers. They claim the old ones will just pop right out and the new ones can be pressed right in and they do this all the time on other engines (4 cylinders was mentioned) since they do not work on many NSX's. I'm skeptical from the research on NSX Prime I had done and reading in the manual as I thought to change cam plugs requires removing the valve covers and lifting the cams as a minimum which obviously would involve much more labor/cost, valve adjustment, etc. Anyway, they gave me an estimate of $352 total and will order the cam plugs and let me know when available to schedule the work. Same shop/mechanic did my timing belt, water pump replacement and valve adjustment this last summer and did a satisfactory job. The mechanic is a Certified Honda Technician and my car is the first NSX he had worked on. Can someone confirm for me the cam plug replacement is really this simple? Thanks!

 

[NSXCessive]

Just came from my Acura dealer and they claim they can replace my leaking cam plugs (not cam seals) without removing valve covers. They claim the old ones will just pop right out and the new ones can be pressed right in and they do this all the time on other engines (4 cylinders was mentioned) since they do not work on many NSX's. I'm skeptical from the research on NSX Prime I had done and reading in the manual as I thought to change cam plugs requires removing the valve covers and lifting the cams as a minimum which obviously would involve much more labor/cost, valve adjustment, etc. Anyway, they gave me an estimate of $352 total and will order the cam plugs and let me know when available to schedule the work. Same shop/mechanic did my timing belt, water pump replacement and valve adjustment this last summer and did a satisfactory job. The mechanic is a Certified Honda Technician and my car is the first NSX he had worked on. Can someone confirm for me the cam plug replacement is really this simple? Thanks!

The cams will need to be removed to replace the cam seals and end plugs as well as cleaning out the old liquid gasket/Honda bond and reapplying as well applying lube to the cam and seals on reassembly. I would follow the service manual on the sequence or work that is required.

It definitely not as simple as removing the valve covers also what year is your car? Earlier year cars also have noisy LMAs which click randomly when they are gunked up and worn out. Might as well double check the valve adjustment as well since the cams will be out. Maybe now would be a good time to do all since your mechanic will be removing the cams to do the seals.

 

[Chad-NSX]

Thanks for the input. My car is a '95 with just over 100,000 miles, midnight pearl - I'll get some photos of it uploaded someday! The point I was trying to make is the technician plans to replace all four cam plugs without ever opening up the engine (removing valve covers, lifting cams, etc.). I was just surprised replacing the cam plugs could be done this way from the information I had researched previously - this seemed far too simple. I found a video yesterday though of replacing cam plugs this very way on a Honda Civic so it must indeed be possible? Had we known the cam plugs were leaking last summer when I had all the major maintenance work performed (water pump, timing belt, timing belt tensioner, harmonic balancer, inspected cam seals, valve adjustment, etc.) we would have replaced then but we thought at the time all the oil leaking in this area was coming from a leaking valve cover gasket (which it was likely leaking also). I'll be glad when I get this last issue with the cam plugs fixed as the car will be in great condition then, finally!

 

[vivanshah]

It is possible to not fully remove the cams - by angling them a certain way the plugs can be removed and replaced I believe. But the covers must definitely be removed. They don't just pop out/in.

i think your mechanic is in for a surprise. Where do you live? maybe there's someone more familiar with NSXs not too far away?

edit: see larryB's posts in this thread:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-35569.html

 

[Chad-NSX]

Yep, I had found larryB's post too and so you are confirming my concern with similar findings! But then the other day, I found a video where they replaced cam plugs on a Honda Civic this way (popping the old cam plugs out and pushing new ones in without getting into the engine) so I was a half believer this is a possibility for the NSX too. Do you suppose the cam plug designs between a Honda Civic and NSX would vary enough to the point this might work for a Honda Civic but not an NSX? Seems like they should be similar but dunno I guess...can't seem to find a very good picture of stock NSX oem cam plugs to compare to the one's in the Civic video. I live in no where Kansas by the way - not many NSX's around here!
Here is a link to the video I had found for the cam plug change on the Civic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kft_rAlFGe4