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Honda Accord Repair Questions

Answer: The wheels can be aligned on your car, but the process is very involved on your model of Honda. The problem you are experiencing is probably toe in or toe out condition. Check the tread on your tires and see if each individual tread has a feather on the edge of the tread. This can be further verified by rubbing your hand back and forth over the tread. If you feel the edge of the tread as you move your hand one way but not the other, you have a toe in or toe out condition. A toe in or toe out condition can be easily reset by your service center.

Question:  1998 Honda Accord mileage: 96,000.  At what mileage is it a must to get a new timing belt?  And, when that is done, should you really get a new water pump at the same time "while they're in there"? Also, any idea what I should expect to be charged for this?

Answer:   It is a good practice to change the timing belt and the water pump at 60,000 miles. 

Question: 1999 Honda Accord  mileage: 116,000. All of a sudden I'm am hearing a very bad squeal under my distributor cap when I pulled into a gas station. Upon reaching home, I took off the cap and noticed a lot of clay colored powder underneath. I replaced the cap and rotor and used forced air to blow the inside clean, however I still hear the loud squealing sound underneath the cap when the engine is running. The shaft does not seem loose and the engine runs smooth when it is running. Am I supposed to lubricate something? (With what?) Or is there another problem with the distributor.

Answer: The Achilles heel of a Honda is the distributor. It sounds like your bearings have failed and the distributor will have to be replaced.

Question: 2003 Honda Accord mileage: 55,000. My engine keeps cutting off. First, the odometer drops to zero (while on a highway), but the car keeps running for a few minutes and then the engine dies. I put the car in neutral and coast for about a minute, and can restart the car. Yesterday on the highway, the engine would cut off every 40 minutes. Where should I look for a problem? As an added note, I was driving too fast and jumped a dip. I brought my car to a local shop who replaced the distributor, two days later; I had to buy a new battery.

Answer: Check the coils on your car as we have found they have a tendency to short out.

Question: 1998 Honda Accord mileage: 125,000. I drove to Minnesota from Canada yesterday, and filled up with "Off Road" gas, which I was unfamiliar with but thought it was just a higher end gas, the lady then got upset and told me I had put diesel fuel instead of gasoline into my car, I had it pushed out of the way, and there it sits as we were unable to siphon out the gas. I will go back tomorrow and try to find a garage to help me, do you have any advice, guidelines or precautions in dealing with this. Apparently this is the forth time it happened at that station this week.

Answer: Siphon out as much diesel fuel as possible and the refill it with gasoline. Your car may smoke somewhat until the tank is used up but rest easy; the diesel fuel will not harm your car's engine.

Question:  1997 Honda Accord LX mileage: 107,725.   I began noticing a strong front-end vibration, which occurs when I depress the brakes, whether at higher speeds for necessary rapid braking, or in routine braking at 30 mph or less.  The car is usually driven in the city, both stop-and-go and freeway.   This car doesn't have ABS.  This is the first real problem I have had with an unusually good vehicle over the years.  Is this problem related to the brakes, or would you suggest I look at some other possible cause?  Thank you very much for your help.

Answer:   Your vibration while braking is probably caused by the front rotors not being true.  Replacing the front rotors should fix your problem.  Replace the rotors if they are below the minimum thickness to be turned.  Also, torque lug nuts so as to not distort the brake rotors.

Question:  1998 Honda Accord mileage: 108,100.  My car seems to stall and pick up acceleration at is own will.  Not sure if it is because of a small leak in the radiator.  Also, the muffler has a hole.  We had an engine tune up done and were told that should take care of the problem, but it didn’t seem to help.

Answer:   Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system.  An independent auto service center can scan your computer for fault or error codes.  The information should pinpoint the malfunctioning components.

Question:  1999 Honda Accord mileage: 124,000.  When I drive my car it shuts off on me and when I try to start it back up, it only cranks but will not start.  After about twenty or thirty minutes, it cuts back on only to happen again after a while.  Could it be the fuel pump?  My car is carbureted not fuel injected.

Answer:   The fuel pump is a possibility but more likely, your problem is the ignition module and or pick-up coil.  A rebuilt distributor will have both of these parts in it.

Question:  1987 Honda Accord mileage: 164,000.  When car is started after sitting all night heavy smoke from oil is being burnt off. I have replaced head gasket, valve stem seals, oil seals for camshaft and I am lost as to how oil is leaking into cylinder to cause this.  Motor runs great otherwise.  Please help if you can suggest something I have missed.  No smoke is visible after a few minutes. Compression in all cyl. 150-155

Answer:   If the engine has excessive “blow by” oil will be in the engine breathers and PCV system.  All that oil ends up in the intake manifold.  On start up, a big “slug” of oil is drawn into the cylinders and burnt.  Replacing the piston rings may be your cure.

Question:  1989 Honda Accord mileage: 166,000. Well I'm a young 20 year old Air Force person that likes to do a lot of things to my used Accord SE-I. I have the means of access to a car garage. My question is my car needs a new muffler and exhaust pipe. I went to Meineke and Midas which tried to charge me $212 dollars for the assembly and exhaust pipe and etc. Labor was only 24 bucks. I called around to parts stores and all together it would be $102 dollars. I can do it myself but will there need to be any welding at all? Or connect the pieces and go? I can't use a blow torch I can get one but don't know how to use one. People at the parts store said just take apart the clamps and put on the new muffler and connect the exhaust pipe to the muffler and that’s that. Is this true? Help I'm so confused.

Answer:  The muffler and exhaust pipe can be changed without a torch. With exhaust systems, we have found that most aftermarket systems fit your car well.

Question:  1999 Honda Accord mileage: 68,000. I'm considering having my timing belt changed early. Are their any other repairs I should do at the same time?

Answer: Yes there is. With the timing belt service, the balance shaft belt, belt tensioner and the water pump should also be replaced.

Question:  1986 Honda mileage: 262,000. I have recently noticed that the longer I drive the car the hotter it begins to run. It doesn't matter if sitting in traffic or moving. I can turn the heater on and it will come down a little, but never truly reaches normal operating temperature. Also I notice that while the overflow reservoir generally has coolant in it, the radiator usually is down below the fins in the radiator and can take up to a pint of water to bring it back to the top of the filler neck. About three months ago it did have a small crack develop in the top around the filler neck that I was able to plug using that gas tank/radiator epoxy repair stuff and a tube of Prestone leak stop. My guess is that I do need to replace the radiator, just because it's old, but could this be a head gasket problem as well? Where is the water going to and why does it continue to work toward meltdown? Any suggestions?

Answer:  Our first thought is that your problem may be the repair on the neck of the radiator you mentioned. For the cooling system to function properly, it must be airtight. As the engine cools between drives, a slight vacuum occurs in the radiator "pulling" coolant from the overflow tank back into the radiator. The vacuum may not be forming in your cooling system. Another possibility is a blown head gasket/cracked head. Have the radiator check for carbon monoxide (exhaust) being present in the system. This is a simple test with the proper equipment.

Question:  I have a 2001 Honda Accord 8,000 miles. It has a "knocking" noise coming from the right front wheel whenever I am turning. The noise is more severe when I am turning left. I am thinking that it is the constant velocity joint. If so, any idea of the cost of getting it fixed and how difficult a job it is (able to do at home or must be done at repair shop).

Answer:  You are right. You have a constant velocity joint that is failing. The best way to repair the problem is to replace CV joint (right side outer) with a new joint, next best is to replace axle with a rebuilt unit. The job is not too difficult but be careful any time you are working with suspension components. An auto part supplier should be able to quote the prices for you.

Question:  1990 Honda Accord DX mileage 99,000. Occasionally the car is difficult to start. What should be done for a "tune-up?

Answer:  It sounds like you are due for a major tune-up. Replace spark plugs and plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, fuel and air filter. Fuel injection should be serviced by cleaning throttle bore and idle passage.

Question: 1994 Honda Accord mileage 102,000. Please tell me where my thermostat is. I removed the top radiator hose going to the engine and its not there.

Answer: It is located in the housing at the end of the lower hose (engine side). If no thermostat is present, it may have been removed.

Question:  1995 Honda Accord EX, 124,000 miles. I noticed a small crack near the top of my radiator where radiator fluid has been slowly leaking out for the last two months. The car has not ever had a problem with overheating since I have owned it. Is there some way to seal it or does the radiator need to be replaced. What can cause a crack to happen and what is a reasonable price for repair?

Answer:  The radiator needs to be replaced. The tank is plastic and they do crack due to stress and vibration. Replace the whole radiator to avoid further repairs on the same radiator.

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