[AaronMartinSole]

Thanks Dave. I wonder what made my car stop spewing thick smog out of the tail-pipe. I thought it was the clogged PCV valve but from what you've said, maybe it was the new oxygen sensor instead.

Yeah I read up a lot on transmission fluids. I mean there's just an endless debate about it. Some guys swear by Honda MTF, others say Honda MTF is crap, is glorified 5w-30 with some additives, and that it's given them bad performance. Some guys swear by Pennzoil Synchromesh or GM Synchromesh which they say is the same thing, but they say there's a certain kind which is friction reduced or something like that. Some guys swear by synthetic 10w-30 or 40, other guys swear by AMSOIL Manual Synchromesh. The manual calls for 10W-30 or 40, but I think I might have read somewhere that the oil back then was different or that it was changed and now Honda recommends their MTF now instead, I don't know for sure. I remember reading something that seemed like it was official from Honda saying 10W-30/40 motor oil should just be a temporary use. The only reason that would make sense is either A. the oil back then was different or B. they changed their recommendation based on new information. I honestly would be fine with any of these options, but I kind of like AMSOIL. Maybe because it's harder to get and kind of somewhat more special in that sense, like a club, lol. Or maybe because the bottles are shiny and pretty heh. Or maybe because I believe they're better with all their testing that they show. I just want to see more independent oil tests. There was one oil test, some sort of wear test, that had a surprise shower: Valvoline Durablend. That's what I've got in the Civic right now. But who knows if it's the same stuff or if the test was done properly or anything. Maybe Consumer Reports or some other agency has done more independent and fair and reliable, unbiased testing. All I know is I love putting fresh fluids in. Like sweet honey.

I had filled the transmission supported on four jacks, the two back jacks an inch or two higher. I let the car down, opened the drain plug, put my finger in, and felt fluid right level with the bottle of the plug. Feels good. Great advice on trying to take off the fill plug first. Obviously I took off the drain plug first, lol, and had a heck of a time trying to get the fill plug off. Guess what got it off. A broken 1/2" torque wrench from Harbor Freight. Lol. It's a glorified breaker bar now. Hey, can't beat that right? Escalator becomes stairs. Thank you for the convenience.

Now a lot of people say those additives they sell at the auto parts store are just snake oil. I once thought so too. But I think a lot of them actually work properly used and understanding that no, they're not going to fix a mechanical problem and they are at best, a temporary or shot in the dark. Fuel additives however I think are good. I had a riding lawnmower once that was running really rough, and jerking me back and forth, no smooth acceleration. Put a bottle of I think Chevron Techron in there and it ran and accelerated smooth as a whistle after that. So I think for most fuel injectors, those could clean them fine. But I'm sure some are so bad they need to be taken out and sent to get cleaned.

Yeah I just changed my fuel filter. An Asian girl on YouTube showed me how. Another Caucasian girl on YouTube showed me how to change my serpentine belt. But I never did. I failed at that. Now I'm sure I could do it now but, belt is still sitting in the garage, six months later, lol. But turns out my old Carol Corolla didn't really need a new one, not yet, but she'll get it when she does.

Valve adjustments are fun. Feels nice to have all the valves properly set, all nice and even and everything. And hopefully it adds some fuel economy! Who doesn't like neatness and cleanliness and order? Feels like YEAH!

Hopefully after I get all these mechanical things sorted and the smog, I can start making over this old heifer. I want to do horrible horrible, unspeakable things to it, like colored windshield wipers and fake air vent decals and an LED light up shift knob. Oh man, why does that excite me so much. I'm so excited to do those horrible tacky things. But it might make some young kid very happy. "THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVAR!!!" I haven't even begun thinking about eco-modding it. I wasn't planning on to actually. Wanted a car to look normal and maybe potentially half decent, not like my dear old Corolla Insight. Might attempt or at least start reading up about valve adjusting. Couldn't find a valve adjustment tool, so I got a nut driver and a wrench instead. And tomorrow is the big day, the SMOG TEST. Wish me luck.