tr0n

Doh! I just realized while going over the posts to see if I missed anything that I did miss something! Cleaning the IACV! Well, guess I will do that tonight too. Does anyone have a better picture, overhead of the engine compartment, maybe with a colorful arrow pointing to where I should be looking? Thanks...

brakedrum

Sure a fouled or just an old worn out plug can lead to misfire. I fouled once fouled one in my honda doing some high speed hot-weather interstate driving with repeated rapid acceleration. The car was still drivable, so I limped home and started pulling plugs. I found the burned up one on the second pull, but I went ahead and replaced all of them. Not sure about wiper hose for pulling and starting plugs. The fuel injector hose I use is about 8 inches long but is a thick black hose with a small center. Anybody worth their paycheck at the auto parts store will know what to give you, and if if is where you have bought a lot of other stuff, they really should GIVE you that piece of hose.

brakedrum

Got a couple of hoses and an electrical attachment. I think you have been working right at it or even on it.

brakedrum

The IACV is not a cheap part. Be careful working with it. Protect the rubber gaskets on it and so forth. Brake cleaner or throttle body cleaner will both work. This is not for an Accord but an older Integra. Got some good photo's, though. I can't seem to imbed this link, but here it is:http://www.team-integra.net/sections...ArticleID=1174

tr0n

AAaaahhh... So it's on the end of one of the hoses that attaches to the FITV. Now I think I can handle it, hope it's not a b to remove...

brakedrum

Just use the right socket. I think its' 12mm. Put a little elbow grease in it and they should come off. If you can't get those bolts off you have no business under the hood j/k. Now a starter assembly bolt would be a different story. I once dealt with one of those and had to use a breaker bar to finally free it. That one bolt turned what should have been a simple job into a lot of aggravation, but, I got it done with no "professional" mechanic involved.

journeyforce

On your clicking problem, did you take the valve cover off the engine? The clicking might be lifter noise.

Also while it is advisable to change plugs after a blown head gasket, you don't need to remove the plugs to remove the head and change the gasket.

A good tech would recommend replacing the valve cover and PCV valve but that would not be in a head gasket service. Most likely he simply replaced the head gasket and coolent and that was it.


As for the leaking coolant, check the following:

Radiator
Radiator cap
Hoses
Thermo housing
plastic overflow tank

Can you get a presure tester for the cooling system?

Good luck

L

P.S see attached pic of a 1993 Honda Accord Engine I found on a local dealerships web site. This car has 65,000 miles on it (so they say) I hope this helps to guide you in your quest of repairing your car

brakedrum

Nice engine pic. There it is folks. "Honda. Simple."

brakedrum

I see they "reduced" it to $4995. Haha. I wonder what they were asking at first. You know, if that had EX trim and checked out okay, I would be tempted to throw a lowish offer at them. DC area car. If it ran on those streets for 65,000 miles, suspension work being needed is a real possibility. Still a nice looking unit.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

journeyforce

Well it is listed at $5080 at the Sport Honda website

http://www.sporthonda.com/profile.as...&zip=&distance=

I would say the suspension is ok on the car, Maryland state inspections leave no stone unturned.

The carfax says it was registered in MD with 15 miles on the clock. Perhaps it is a Columbia/ Laurel car

I find the DX refreshing with no power windows, locks or other things. Just a clean and simple Honda.

I might have considered it also but I bought my 2001 Accord EX only last month and enjoy all the toys it has

Cheers
L

brakedrum

They have that unit listed on their site as having Dual Airbags. It only has a driver airbag.

That car does have a mighty quiet carfax report. Is that good? Bad? 15 years without a peep. Hmmmm.

http://www.carfax.com/cfm/ccc_displa...CB7548PC057789

tr0n

Man, I wish that my engine was that spiffy... I checked my PCV valve and it is clean as a whistle! No oil spillage! Wooo! So maybe that was the issue with the oil down in with the plugs? *fingers crossed*

How can I get the remainder of the oil that's left in there out?

I cleaned my IACV and it hasn't helped. I couldn't get the two hoses off, so I had to make due with squirting the carb cleaner straight on there and scrubbing it down under the hood. The engine will still choke and die after putting a load on it like turning on the headlights, pressing the brakes, turning the wheel, etc.

Next step?

brakedrum

Do you have a voltage / ohmeter. If so, you really need to unplug the IACV and test the plug for voltage with the ignition switch on, but car not running. That thing has to have power in order to adjust the speed when the computer tells it some additional load is about to take some power away from the ignition system.

You also might want to face the possiblity of needing to replace the IACV, but don't do it yet. If if comes to that, you might find one at a junk yard. Some of the junk yards save you some money by letting you take the part off the wreck yourself. You now know how to locate and remove an IACV.

IF the car runs, put the 93 Octane in it now, full tank, and a bottle of Techron or other good fuel system cleaner in there and take her out and run her hard. Accelerate it hard a few times from a standstill. You can try that in your driveway too, but I alway like to actually blow a car out on the road. I said "out" not "up."

edit: Using an Ohmeter, that plug should produce about 8-15 ohms. If less, or none, you probably need to replace the IACV. Also check for continuity between the termnals on that plug and a ground. There should be no continuity. If there is continuity, the IACV needs replacing. You can get a cheap ohmeter at your auto supply store or possibly walmart. It doesn't need a thousand bells and whistles. It just needs to work.

journeyforce

It sounds like it is the IACV might be having kittens and could be the cause of your problem. One of the jobs of this part is to bump up the Idle to compensate for a load (i.e. full turn, A/C etc)

The other thing I can think of is perhaps the computer is getting lazy and not sending the IACV the signal to raise the idle. The IACV is controlled by the computer. While Honda computers are usually very reliable, it is not impossible that your could be going bad. Check the voltage to the IACV and see what it tells you.

Cheers

L

journeyforce

Well if one take a look at that mileage and divides it by 16 years (2009-1993) it looks like about 4095 (with a bit of rounding) a year on it so my guess is that it was one of the following:

1. an older driver (aka the little old lady that only drove it to the store)
2. spare car
3. car that was driven for a while and was put away (perhaps owner could not drive it anymore due to injury/ age and stored it)

I would be more worried about the fact it sat or was only driven to the store and back and never allowed to warm up then any accidents. At 4095 miles a year for 16 years, it is very unlikely that it was in an accident.

It looks like it was garaged out of the elements because the paint is both shiny and complete (the cars of that era used a paint that was very susceptible to elements and produced white splotches on the paint) and no Honda rot on the rear fenders

It looks complete with the correct bumpers (DX got black molded bumpers while LX and EX got painted ones)

The only thing I see missing is the radio antenna unless it is power antenna or it was a manual extendable antenna

All and all a nice car of that era

steven_b_03

check out the alternator...when my 92 was doing that my diode (?) was going out...

also, wires were bad (like corroded bad) rotor was shot, cap was cracked, plugs were GONE (no more ignitor dealy that causes spark) etc...but from what I'm hearing as far as load goes is the alternator is going out...I took it to 3 shops and no luck

also, check a few grounds to make sure that they're tight...but I think it's the alternator...

btw it's gonna be a SOB to get off for a first-timer...I think there's a thread in here somewhere, but most shops will test it for free...highly recommend disconnecting the battery first lol

dude, on a semi-personal note, I've been EXACTLY where you are...check my profile/album for my pics of my baby, but I've put blood, sweat, tears, and enough language to power the ISS for a year. I tell you what, it's all been worth it. I've put a distributor, 2 rotors, a cap, 3 thermostats, a battery, 2 alternators, and various other fun parts like cold air intake and projector headlamps (still not done swearing about that one...) and I don't regret a single one...and believe me, when you figure out the problem, it's more satisfying than signing the paper work on that 08 chevy/ford/dodge/bmw/whatever.

brakedrum

The color suggests an older person/couple, the manual tranny does not. So, if all you do is basic maintenance and update your registration once a year, would carfax still be that clean. What about all those inspections the car would have to have had. Wouldn't at least one of them show up in carfax?

Maybe the car has been sitting for many years, which as you point out, would be a bad thing. It would be nice to get a look at the underside of it. Anyway, the trim is not to my taste. When I bought my EX in 1993, I honestly thought the sunroof and the few extra horses were not that important, but, truthfully, I have used the heck out of that sunroof and always appreciate the extra ponies when I enounter a hill.

Funny thing is, even with the low miles and great condition, no dealer has any business asking more than about $2800 for that vehicle.

brakedrum

Man, the body colored bumpers make a big difference. Looking at that DX, the big black bumpers just seem wrong. I think I do see the power antenna on the drivers side rear. If taken care of, those antennaes work forever. Still, that dealership is just praying for the right Honda Accord enthusiast to come along and pay $2k more than the car is worth. Someone like us, who have discussed the car for a whole evening now. haha.

P_Adams

The oil issue in the spark plug tubes will not be addressed by the fresh PCV Valve.
Although excess crankcase pressure can make it worst, the real cause is a set of O'Rings which seal the spark plug tubes.
Four (4) upper O'Ring seals for the Vtec B1 version and
Eight (4 Lower and 4 Upper) O'Ring seals for the non Vtec version.

If you want the proceedure, let me know.

P

brakedrum

Good point about the possibility the computer is not letting the IACV know about the increasing load. tr0n, when this is over, you're going to know more than you ever imagined about how your Accord works.

brakedrum

tr0n, what I said earlier, or the way I said it, was wrong.

When you check for voltage on that IACV connector and find the voltage is in spec, the IACV becomes your suspect. If the voltage is out of spec, then the computer or a ground becomes your suspect. I have never dealt much with IACV. Mine has been good all along. I'm sure it will go kapooey soon though. haha.

journeyforce

Hello Brakedrum,
To answer your carfax question. In Maryland, we don't have that every two year safety inspection thing VA and PA have. maryland only has one safety inspection that a car has to pass before it is registered and the 2 year smog check. In Maryland a brand new car is exempt from the safety inspection due to it being new. So after that inital inspection or exemption, you never have to have it inspected again in MD unless you sell it to somebody else or the car winds up on a car lot to be sold.
The smog check will not show up on a Carfax report because MD does not report them. I find that Carfax is a great tool but not one that should be totally relied on because if you get major engine work done at a local "mom and pop" kind of small repair shop, they may not have the time or capibility to make the info known to Carfax verses a big repair shop that can up link the info.
The same goes with accidents, I looked a few cars and the carfax reports only listed police reports for accidents with no collision shops listed fixing. My guess is if you ether do the repair yourself or get a body shop repair without making a insurence claim, it will slip under the wire also.
In this car's case, it is most likely what it looks like; a good condition 16 year old car.
As for your comment that it maybe unlikely that it was owned by an older driver because of it being manual, in most cases you would be very correct as most of the 60-90 year old crowd use cars with auto trans, but there are a few (like my dad who is in his 60's) that still drive and enjoy manual transmission cars
Plus assuming that this owner is in his 50's 60's or 70's, that person when he/she bought the car 16 years ago would have been in their mid to late 30's, 40's or 50's respectively.
As for the price, yes it is high considering the book value for it is in the $2000-$3000 range and that might be why it is still on the lot after a few months (according to Carfax it arrived in December 08)
However that said, I would be very surprised if it does not sell even for that inflated price because of the following:
1. Its a Honda (a company known for reliability)
2. It looks well maintained and in great condition and at 16 years old it is still opt to be more reliable then something newer at that price
3. That engine is legendary for reliability, high mileage durability and alot of them are still on the road.
4. It has low milage and a good condition body (in what was perhaps one of the best loved of Accord generations)
I have no doubt with good care it should last another 16 years
Cheers
L
p.s I know the feeling, I can not wait until spring to use my sunroof

brakedrum

Good afternoon, JF,
In #35 in this thread, after I was talking about the possibility of the suspension on this car having taken a DC and close to DC type beating on the roads therein, you mentioned MD being very detailed in vehicle inspections, but in #47 you seem to be saying that, other than emissions, MD only looks at a vehicle one time. What's up with that?

Visualizing potential buyers looking at this car on the dealers lot, I bet the MT is a turnoff. A lot of people think driving in big city traffic with a MT is a pain. Not me. I would prefer it any day. My only problem with having a MT in an area like DC or Montgomery County is that my Honda is such an extension of myself and I am so in tune with my transmission that I would be tempted to punch it on every caution light I come up on. With that area being saturated with those traffic cameras, I would be getting tickets in the mail all the time. No, a boring automatic would be my best bet in DC.

I'm going to track that car and see what happens to the price. Perhaps they will sell it now that it's under $5k, but, it is still no competition for properly priced cars of the same kind with all the power goodies. I think the dealer got juiced up seeing such a nice vintage unit and started reaching for the sky right away. Now they are trying to come down to earth. Meanwhile the car sits, possibly to the point that repeat tire-kickers just call it, "the older-looking brown one." Low mileage is a great thing, but in and of itself, it does not sell a car.

brakedrum

Alright, tr0n, your thread has been momentarily hijacked by a plain looking 93 Accord DX that happens to have had a very easy life, but keep us posted on your progress. It's got to be hard staying at it when one problem after another pops up, but, once you get your car back in tip top running condition, it will pay you back for all the hard work.

journeyforce

Hello Brakedrum,
What I meant by a detailed inspection is that Maryland requires a car/ truck to be fully inspected before you can tag and register it. it is a one time upfront thing each owner must do on the vehicle before they register it. For example, Jon buys a 1998 Civic off somebody (privite seller), he must get it MD state inspected before he can tag it and drive it. Once it passes inspection, he can then drive it legally forever as long as he pays the tag/title renewal fee every two years. He never ever has to get safety inspected again. Now let say he sells it to Jane, she must now get it inspected before she can tag the car.

In short MD opts for one big safety inspection up front for each new owner instead of VA or PA which requires a safety check every two years and then gets a window sticker denoting this. Maryland inspections are though and require a vehicle to gone over really well.
Some of the things they check are:
Brakes
Wheels
Wheel Rims
Electrical things (horns, lights, gauges etc)
Body (they make sure there is no rust holes in the floor or in a vital area of the car)
Seats
Safety belts
There are other things but I have to look at my sheet that came with my car.
A dealer that sells cars must have the car inspected before he can put it on his lot to sell it. A MD state inspection is valid for 3 months or 1000 miles for private sellers and 6 months for Dealers, if you don't get it tagged by the time limit you must get it re inspected.

So for example if I bought this Honda from Sport Honda, I pay for the taxes, tags and for the car (of course) and drive it off the lot and never ever have to get a safety inspection for it again. I do however have to get it emission inspected
In short the lack of listing of MD inspections on this carfax report is normal as we don't have two year safety inspections like VA and PA folks. This car should have had just one inspection listed, which was the inspection that Sport Honda did on it before it came on its lot. The original owner would have had an exemption because it was new and sold by a dealer.
Hope this helps
Cheers
L