Holy cow this drive belt tensioner is difficult. I can only get it to release a few mm at most using a standard wrench. Is this supposed to take a breaker bar?

EDIT: I got it after trying a different angle.

 

Many years ago I went to work turning wrenches in a friend's repair shop. My first job was to reinstall a cylinder head on a Toyota pickup with a 22R. All of the bolts, nuts, washers, brackets, etc were in 2 coffee cans and a large box. I managed to get it back together with no leftover pieces, but I cannot count the number of times I had to remove a bolt from some other installed component, because I needed it for another one due to length.

 

A friend told me similar story about a new engine. A long bolt went where a short one was supposed to go and drove it right into the timing chain.

I'm having trouble removing the intake manifold:
Intake Manifold Removal Difficulty - YouTube

 

You can go ahead and pull the thermostat out and that big open tube at the front where the upper hose attaches. I thought I saw some RTV or such between the valve cover and the intake manifold, might be holding it. Could use a razor knife to split the old seam. Of course, could just have been a shadow. Be sure that two wire connector in foreground right is removed, that's the coolant temp to ECU sensor. The one wire job next to it is coolant temp to gauge sensor.

 

Do you mean remove the sensors themselves or the connectors to them?

 

Just the connections. The two wire has a small wire clip that comes off, slip it back on the connector shell so it won't run away. BTW, greasy "mechanic clothes" or coveralls might not be welcome in the home laundry, certainly something you can dump in at the coin laundry. Since battery is out of the truck, you need entertainment out there for the big game. Nothing like tearing an engine apart to bring out the nearby technocrats, be sure they don't hide a bolt on you....

 

ok I already had those connectors removed then. I've somehow managed to only get my hands and arms dirty so the laundry is safe for now As for the technocrats there is a guy next door that has 3 of the same model/color Honda civic and he's always working on them. Somehow I think we have different taste in vehicles

 

I wear something I can throw away when finished, like some of the FUBU or Sean John wear that my youngest son abandoned when he moved out.

Let me ask a question or two, you said distributor (4.0 does not have a distributor).
Did you mean the fuel rail (it does distribute the fuel)?

Coil pack? I replaced my front O2's on my 97. To see the fasteners on the coil packs, I used a walkboard beside the driver's side. I placed a 2 by 10 atop two stacks of blocks. That made it easier to lean in and see what I was working on. Pulling the hood like you did also helps. I am 6 ft and still can't reach or see half the stuff under the hood standing at ground level.

I think the coil packs should have been mounted elsewhere, there is plenty of room beside the plenum.

I agree with Buzz that you probably have some sealant holding it down, so be careful since it is aluminum, you don't want to bust anything.

Did you pull the radiator yet? I would reccomend you eyeball that short hose going into the waterpump, mine was sevrely cracked and allowed antifreeze to ooze out there.

You also said you found several bolts loose. I can't help but wonder if that is something we all should put on our checklist for periodic verification of tightness. (As if we had such a CheckList). I would hate to think all this could be avoided bty tightening a few loose bolts!

You will find that when you start one fix on these old beast, you find a few other things to do while you are in there. But once you do it, think of how much you learned and when you are out in it, at least you will know lots more than you did earlier.

Welcome to the ADDICTION.

 

I like the idea of a scaffold to lay on over the engine compartment, but his garage is so small that he has to step outside to change his mind. Of course, it beats the shade tree on rainy nights or when it is 28 degrees plus wind chill outside.

Hope he is using a blanket over the fenders (wings to the Brit ex pats) - belt buckle will do a number on the paint.

 

It's just some RTV holding the front of the intake to the heads. See if you can't get something to give you leverage under the front of the intake. Keep in mind the end under the intake may puncture the valley pan gasket. Try to avoid that if you can but keep in mind you'll be replacing it anyway. Don't go crazy but steady pressure with either a long piece of wood or a crow bar should pop the intake free.