I don't know which transmission that picture shows, or which transmission I have (I do know that it's a 5-spd auto)... but that picture doesn't look like my own transmission. Mine has what appears to be an inline filter bolted right on top of the transmission. Must not be a commonly replaced item though- replacement is not indicated on the maintenance schedule, and the Honda dealer doesn't stock the filter. If it's reasonably cheap, I'll probably replace it one of these days (maybe when I install a cooler) and cut the thing open & have a look.
Anyway, I replaced the belt tensioner pulley and the belt. It was much MUCH easier to replace than the belt and tensioner on my old Corsica- so far I'm impressed with how easy this vehicle is to work on. Yeah, it's small and tight in places- but there's definitely more engine room than a comparable GM.
Checked my quick & dirty radiator repair, and it appears to be holding just fine.
I've been keeping an eye on the master cylinder, and I'm beginning to think that I WON'T have to replace it. The first time I washed the area off, a little brake fluid came back the next day. Washed it off again, and just a tiny amount came out. Washed it again, and none at all has returned. I know that the front brake pads have just been replaced- and I know that sometimes if a master cylinder is moved beyond its normal range of travel, it can make seals leak (as they encounter new crud and new surfaces. And the leak is often temporary. Hopefully that's the case here.
I repaired the broken air cleaner bracket- it was making an annoying rattle. I used a technique that I invented when I was 19 and needed to repair a plastic part that was hard to come by and difficult to glue effectively. Now that I'm taking some engineering classes, I realize that I was effectively building a composite material for the repair- with JB Weld as the matrix and steel wire as the reinforcement. It's a little time consuming and a little ugly, but very effective if you don't want to spend much money or search the junkyard for parts. I've documented the repair here... I reckon some people here may get a kick out of it:
Here we have the broken air cleaner base:
First step, drill lots of tiny holes all around the break area:
Do this for both pieces... both sides of the break:
Now sew the two pieces together with thin steel wire. I've used small strands of copper wire in the past, and it works ok. But I think steel wire is better for obvious reasons. This wire is some 'jewelry wire' that the wife had laying around... costs about $.50 per roll. I probably used 6 ft or more of wire. More is better IMO:
Now, pack JB Weld (or probably any ol' epoxy- this is JB Quick) in all around and between the wires, paying special attention to pack the epoxy through the small drilled holes- to ensure that this repair remains tight.
It makes for a really sturdy and permanent repair (if a little ugly). I used exactly the same technique to repair some heater controls on an old F250 approximately 14 years ago. A friend of mine still owns the truck, and the repair still holds.
Anyway, I loosened and re-tightened the motor mounts as per Honda TSB 04-024. The front mount moved a little, so there was definitely tension on it. I ran an idle-learn procedure while I was at it. At this point the vibration is still noticeable, but much better. And from what I've read, SOME amount of vibration at idle is just inherent to the design. At some point I'll get around to replacing the plugs, setting the valves, and checking/adjusting the idle speed (all these are due soon enough according to the Honda maintenance schedule), so these MIGHT improve the idle. But it's no big deal at this point.
Yesterday we took the car on a drive for about two hours. The car ran great... no problems to speak of except that the power outlets weren't working (a 15-amp fuse fixed that). So I officially handed the car over to the wife today... and scraped the "Wicked, Wicked Girl" sticker off her old Lumina. I thought about just covering up 'girl' with 'mechanic'... but it just doesn't sound right.
Time for me to go buy a seat cover for the Lumina so I don't grease those light gray seats on my drive home from work.