I'm starting to regret that I ever decided to buy a honda. I've owned all the major Japanese brands...along with a few European (Benz, Jaguar etc.) and nothing has been a greater PITA! than this honda!. Today I decided to change the coolant (previous owner had it running on pure water!!!) I used a heavy duty torque wrench...thinking it would be a snap getting off that 19mm bolt. Well, the bolt refuses to budge but the head gave way...it's now completely rounded! The long and short of it is that I couldn't drain the block....just the radiator. Thing is, the manual says total coolant capacity is 2.7 US qrt. This includes the resevoir. Well, without being able to drain the block, thesystem took 1 US gallon!almost twice the stated capacity.What gives? and how do I deal with the bolt?...get it drilled out or just leave it be?

 

use some extractors on the bolt. you can get them at sears for $5 or so for two.

also you cant listen to shop manuals, you have a rare engine, i wasnt even aware that the F20B was an option in the 96's... maybe an engine swap?

 

We never got the F20 in USA in '96. But we don't know where he is...

 

You are correct...i'm outside the US and the car is a JDM model

 

It seems the bolt has fused to the surronding metal...believe me, tremendous torque was applied. If the bolt head had not given way, perhaps the engine block itself would've been damaged. I think i'm just going to leave it be and do another partial drain and refill in order to get as close as possible to a 50/50 coolant mix

 

Each time I've removed that drain plug it takes a lot of torque, then lets go with a loud SNAP. It's worse the first time on each engine. So NEXT time it probably won't be so bad.