Bought a Cheap Accord

Never knew til it was too late, holes in the a-pillar and roof.. If it's still Honda glass in there chances are it's still original not screwed around with. Just my $0.02 I'd keep the regular glass unless you have a really good glass installer..
Yep, the glass looks to be original based on the markings on it, and that's why I don't want to mess with it. If it was an aftermarket windshield, I'd have probably already had it replaced. I used to know a really good glass guy, but he retired and I don't know of anyone else.
 
Replaced the seals in the power steering pump today. It is seriously cold outside and consequently in the garage but I was able to do most of the job on the bench in the basement. With it off, you can see just how bad it was leaking.
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I cleaned it up and used all the seals from the kit, they all worked perfectly.
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I decided I would flush the power steering fluid as best I could. Here's the fluid I got out.
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I've got a lot of small air bubbles in the fluid, so it's gonna take some time to burp those out, but the pump is bled enough that it has quieted down. I used this Fram brand Honda fluid.
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Yep, the glass looks to be original based on the markings on it, and that's why I don't want to mess with it. If it was an aftermarket windshield, I'd have probably already had it replaced. I used to know a really good glass guy, but he retired and I don't know of anyone else.
ok sounds good, not trying to tell you what to do, but good to know you're aware of really bad glass installers, didn't want them to screw up what might be ok. Maybe I should learn how to install glass?! Then I wouldn't have to worry!! :cool:


Replaced the seals in the power steering pump today. It is seriously cold outside and consequently in the garage but I was able to do most of the job on the bench in the basement. With it off, you can see just how bad it was leaking.
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I cleaned it up and used all the seals from the kit, they all worked perfectly.
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I decided I would flush the power steering fluid as best I could. Here's the fluid I got out.
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I've got a lot of small air bubbles in the fluid, so it's gonna take some time to burp those out, but the pump is bled enough that it has quieted down. I used this Fram brand Honda fluid.
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thanks for the update about the power steering pump.. wow that thing looked like it was soaking in pump fluid, wow.. nice clean up, did you use an ultrasonic cleaner? Or only degreaser? thing looks brand new!
 
thanks for the update about the power steering pump.. wow that thing looked like it was soaking in pump fluid, wow.. nice clean up, did you use an ultrasonic cleaner? Or only degreaser? thing looks brand new!

It definitely was soaked. I didn't use my ultrasonic on it, just brake cleaner and an old toothbrush!
 
I replaced both accessory belts today. I got Bando ones from RockAuto. The belts that were on the car were Gates brand and while they weren't worn or cracked, they were squealing pretty badly at startup and chirping occasionally. I tried tightening them a bit, but it didn't make a difference. I recorded the service in the Carfax maintenance tracker and then took the car through the carwash afterward to clean as much salt off as possible. Supposed to be warmer next week!
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I've acquired all the parts (I think) for the next job on the list- timing belt. I got an Aisin belt kit, which came with the belts, the pulleys and the water pump. I also got a cam seal, balance shaft seal, crankshaft seal, and both tensioner springs. Went OEM for those items. Hopefully start on this sometime next week.
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Started on the timing job today. Definitely an involved job. The crank bolt was definitely a pain. Eventually my Milwaukee impact with a weighted socket got it. Looks like the belt was done before, the belts on it are Gates and they look to be in decent shape. The water pump had no markings on it, so I'm guessing it's a generic brand. All of the oil seals were leaking.
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I've got the old belts off, and I've got the new water pump on. I stopped there for the day.
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Started on the timing job today. Definitely an involved job. The crank bolt was definitely a pain. Eventually my Milwaukee impact with a weighted socket got it. Looks like the belt was done before, the belts on it are Gates and they look to be in decent shape. The water pump had no markings on it, so I'm guessing it's a generic brand. All of the oil seals were leaking. View attachment 261968
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I've got the old belts off, and I've got the new water pump on. I stopped there for the day.
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Any idea or guess how long that timing belt had been in there? I didn't scroll back to see if you mentioned it. Also.. oil seals leaking, guess it's about that time if they have never been replaced.

glad you decided to replace it! It definitely needed the maintenance/help
 
Any idea or guess how long that timing belt had been in there? I didn't scroll back to see if you mentioned it. Also.. oil seals leaking, guess it's about that time if they have never been replaced.

glad you decided to replace it! It definitely needed the maintenance/help
No idea how long it had been installed but it was really not in bad shape. The seals were for sure the worst part.

I worked pretty hard on this today. I forgot to order one part, a seal retainer for the balancer shaft seal. It was a recall; the seal had a tendency to blow out and cause lost oil pressure. The recall campaign ended in 2003, but the part is still available. Luckily the Honda dealer was able to overnight it for me. It was $4.
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Got everything for the timing set together, new seals, belts, and tensioners on. Getting the lower cover back on was a real pain. I had to lower the front frame crossmember a bit to create some clearance to wiggle it into place. Torqued the crank bolt to 181 ft lbs per the shop manual.
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I need to get the valve cover back on still and I'm also replacing the radiator. Besides being covered in greasy smhoo, the old radiator is missing something important- a drain petcock. A new Denso one was only $60 so I went that route. I have the fans swapped over and got it sitting in place, but still have to hook up the hoses.
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Other than that and filling the coolant, this job is just about done. I'm really glad because it feels like it has taken forever and this was a very labor-intensive job without a lift.
 
No idea how long it had been installed but it was really not in bad shape. The seals were for sure the worst part.

I worked pretty hard on this today. I forgot to order one part, a seal retainer for the balancer shaft seal. It was a recall; the seal had a tendency to blow out and cause lost oil pressure. The recall campaign ended in 2003, but the part is still available. Luckily the Honda dealer was able to overnight it for me. It was $4.
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Got everything for the timing set together, new seals, belts, and tensioners on. Getting the lower cover back on was a real pain. I had to lower the front frame crossmember a bit to create some clearance to wiggle it into place. Torqued the crank bolt to 181 ft lbs per the shop manual.
View attachment 262376View attachment 262377
I need to get the valve cover back on still and I'm also replacing the radiator. Besides being covered in greasy smhoo, the old radiator is missing something important- a drain petcock. A new Denso one was only $60 so I went that route. I have the fans swapped over and got it sitting in place, but still have to hook up the hoses.
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Other than that and filling the coolant, this job is just about done. I'm really glad because it feels like it has taken forever and this was a very labor-intensive job without a lift.
Glad to hear you were able to get the part, and overnighted, even better. No petcock on the radiator? wow.. so the only way to drain it is by pulling the lower hose.. ya that doesn't sound oem to me! and the lower timing belt cover, yup mine always seemed to warp right when you needed to install it back on!

$60 for a new radiator is a really good price! and it always seems the darkest before the dawn! lol..here you are feeling it's taking forever, but it's almost there! You've done a lot of good repairs while you balance work/college classes! I think it's awesome work! :cool:(y)
 
I finished all the timing belt stuff, valve cover back on, got the new radiator in and hoses all hooked up using new OEM Honda clamps to replace the ones I previously had on the trans cooler lines as well as the one for the radiator hose itself.

I filled and bled the coolant system, used a gallon of clean, used Subaru Super Coolant I had around from my mom's Outback, half a gallon of new Subaru Super Coolant, and topped the rest with Peak Asian Blue concentrate.
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Took the car for a short ride to the gas station and back. All the timing job stuff seems to be fine, however, when I got home I noticed that the coolant hose from the intake manifold to the heater control valve had a decent leak. I was aware that it was very soft from oil leaking on it, and my guess is that while lifting the engine up and down with the floor jack, it got a small tear. It doesn't look too hard to replace, and at least I have a petcock on the radiator now. That'll be a job for later in the week.
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I finished all the timing belt stuff, valve cover back on, got the new radiator in and hoses all hooked up using new OEM Honda clamps to replace the ones I previously had on the trans cooler lines as well as the one for the radiator hose itself.

I filled and bled the coolant system, used a gallon of clean, used Subaru Super Coolant I had around from my mom's Outback, half a gallon of new Subaru Super Coolant, and topped the rest with Peak Asian Blue concentrate.
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Took the car for a short ride to the gas station and back. All the timing job stuff seems to be fine, however, when I got home I noticed that the coolant hose from the intake manifold to the heater control valve had a decent leak. I was aware that it was very soft from oil leaking on it, and my guess is that while lifting the engine up and down with the floor jack, it got a small tear. It doesn't look too hard to replace, and at least I have a petcock on the radiator now. That'll be a job for later in the week.
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good job! ya the heater hose failed on my 96.. same stuff, nope not hard to do that. looking great!
 
Thanks folks. Wound up having some time to replace that hose today. Luckily had it in stock at work. For anyone's future reference, Dayco lists two hoses. 87888 as "Valve to Intake Manifold" and the other, 86122 as "Valve to Engine". Either one might work, but the Honda part number 79721-SV4-000 only crosses over to 86122, so that's what I went with and it was virtually identical. The old hose was really bad. Lucky this didn't happen on the road.
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I also replaced the culprit in this mess, the distributor o-ring seal. That part number is Fel-Pro 72416 for anyone's future reference. The old one was brittle like hard plastic. I know the inner seal is also leaking at least a little bit, but that seal isn't available to purchase from anywhere that I'm aware of, being a Hitachi distributor. The only solution is to replace the entire distributor. I'll monitor it, and if the leak is still bad, I'll address it, but hopefully the larger outer o-ring fixes most of the leak.
 
Well a few more minor updates. I managed to find and order the inner seal from a seller on eBay. It was the only place I could find one. It's coming from Arizona, so I won't have it at least for another few days. I'll get that installed when it arrives.

And a couple more small leaks showed up. The upper coolant hose neck developed very small drip. I got a "Duralast" by Fel-Pro o-ring gasket (made in Japan, interestingly enough) and a new upper radiator hose.
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The neck was very corroded. I cleaned it up best I could and installed the seal with a healthy coat of silicone grease and it seems to be sealing just fine.
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And now the power steering pump, even after replacing the seals in it, is leaking a tiny bit. Not as bad as it was, but still getting wet. I may just replace it with a new aftermarket one at this point. Definitely a bit frustrated on that leak.
 
Well a few more minor updates. I managed to find and order the inner seal from a seller on eBay. It was the only place I could find one. It's coming from Arizona, so I won't have it at least for another few days. I'll get that installed when it arrives.

And a couple more small leaks showed up. The upper coolant hose neck developed very small drip. I got a "Duralast" by Fel-Pro o-ring gasket (made in Japan, interestingly enough) and a new upper radiator hose.
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The neck was very corroded. I cleaned it up best I could and installed the seal with a healthy coat of silicone grease and it seems to be sealing just fine.
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And now the power steering pump, even after replacing the seals in it, is leaking a tiny bit. Not as bad as it was, but still getting wet. I may just replace it with a new aftermarket one at this point. Definitely a bit frustrated on that leak.
Nice! I had a 1995 Honda Odyssey, and under the hood it looks very familiar. Also I may be getting my hands on one of these Accords soon, but a wagon. So scrolling through your posts gives me a good idea of stuff I will likely have to replace as well. Keep on keeping on!
Btw, what kind of MPGs are you seeing?
 
Well a few more minor updates. I managed to find and order the inner seal from a seller on eBay. It was the only place I could find one. It's coming from Arizona, so I won't have it at least for another few days. I'll get that installed when it arrives.

And a couple more small leaks showed up. The upper coolant hose neck developed very small drip. I got a "Duralast" by Fel-Pro o-ring gasket (made in Japan, interestingly enough) and a new upper radiator hose.
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The neck was very corroded. I cleaned it up best I could and installed the seal with a healthy coat of silicone grease and it seems to be sealing just fine.
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And now the power steering pump, even after replacing the seals in it, is leaking a tiny bit. Not as bad as it was, but still getting wet. I may just replace it with a new aftermarket one at this point. Definitely a bit frustrated on that leak.
I wanted to let you know that I picked up a no-name chinese power steering pump (from ebay) when mine began leaking (96 civic). I mentioned before I didn't re-seal it, didn't have the time, had to get it back on the road. Anyway, the no-name was perfect, excellent bearing very smooth rotation on the shaft, and it was like $60. And the power assist was much better than the factory, I ended up with a great steering feel. Just to let you know what's out there. The reman's were a joke.. $200+ for something that just had a coat of paint slapped over rust! re-done in mexico.. junk..

also.. good to hear you stopped the leak around the radiator elbow connection!
 
Nice! I had a 1995 Honda Odyssey, and under the hood it looks very familiar. Also I may be getting my hands on one of these Accords soon, but a wagon. So scrolling through your posts gives me a good idea of stuff I will likely have to replace as well. Keep on keeping on!
Btw, what kind of MPGs are you seeing?
Thanks, yeah I think the Odyssey's were mechanically very similar. The wagon versions are cool, there are two of them in the junkyard near me. Haven't tried to calculate fuel economy yet, but I'll let you know what I come up with when I do.
I wanted to let you know that I picked up a no-name chinese power steering pump (from ebay) when mine began leaking (96 civic). I mentioned before I didn't re-seal it, didn't have the time, had to get it back on the road. Anyway, the no-name was perfect, excellent bearing very smooth rotation on the shaft, and it was like $60. And the power assist was much better than the factory, I ended up with a great steering feel. Just to let you know what's out there. The reman's were a joke.. $200+ for something that just had a coat of paint slapped over rust! re-done in mexico.. junk..

also.. good to hear you stopped the leak around the radiator elbow connection!
I recall you saying that you got a no-name Chinese pump for your Civic. I like to fix OEM stuff when I can, but if this thing is still leaking, I don't think it's worth playing with again. I'll try a cheap aftermarket one at this point.

And yeah, the remans (I think they are all Cardone or reboxed Cardone) are stoopid expensive and they look like they dip them in a gallon of black Rustoleum when they are done. No thanks!
 
Thanks, yeah I think the Odyssey's were mechanically very similar. The wagon versions are cool, there are two of them in the junkyard near me. Haven't tried to calculate fuel economy yet, but I'll let you know what I come up with when I do.

I recall you saying that you got a no-name Chinese pump for your Civic. I like to fix OEM stuff when I can, but if this thing is still leaking, I don't think it's worth playing with again. I'll try a cheap aftermarket one at this point.

And yeah, the remans (I think they are all Cardone or reboxed Cardone) are stoopid expensive and they look like they dip them in a gallon of black Rustoleum when they are done. No thanks!
yeah I couldn't remember if I mentioned it before, didn't want to convince you to buy a no-name. But if you did, I just wanted you to know it was pretty good. I like OEM too, but when nothing was available I took a chance. There were reviews here on BITOG, a guy with an Acura also tried the no-name power steering pump had really good luck with it. I think he said it was 3 or 5 years still running fine.

it's really something that you're running into the same exact issues my civic had, looks like Honda used very similar parts for accord and civic, being within a year of each other. I should start making a list of all the problems I had as it aged that way you might know what's coming up in the future!
 
Been a couple weeks and it's finally time for an update. Today was parts day from the mailman.
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10 days or so ago, I got the seals for the distributor, went to replace the inner seal, and long story short, I damaged the bearing in the process of replacing the seal. So...

I order a remanufactured Cardone distributor from eBay that I found for $80. That was the best price I could find, unfortunately it had to ship from California and took a week to get here. It finally arrived today and I installed it, andddd... the car wouldn't start. So I pulled the new remanufactured distributor off, took it to the bench, swapped all the electrical components from my old distributor to this new one, reinstalled it, and now the car started and ran.
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And best I can tell, no leak.

Also, I ordered a no-name China eBay power steering pump. The quality actually seems quite good. It seems to be made from molds of an original part, as there are part numbers cast in it. The bearing says "NTN Japan", it may be a fake itself, who knows, but it spins smooth. Anyways, installed and no leaks. Should've just gone this route from the start.
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