I just bought this:


It's in totally mint condition. Not one ding, dent, spec, crack or rust spot anywhere.

It is a 5spd ex with HIGH mileage but everything is in good shape.

What are some things I should take care of right away? What are some "weak links" in the 1991 accord's "chain"? I am already planning on replacing the dizzy and the rear brake shoes.

Thank you for your time!

 

Some things I would check would be:

-p/s rack (known problem for cb7's)
-plugs and wires and rotor and dizzy (a nice tune-up is always good)
-Check the condition of the timing belt and all other belts
-Check for an oil leak around the oil pan (oil pan gasket is notorious for leaking)
-Wouldn't hurt to check your brake lines (mainly by where they connect to the calipers)
-Check for any hesitation upon start up, sometimes the EGR ports get clogged

Other than that maybe some seafoam, an oil change and a .

edit: I would also check the condition of your radiator (plastic core's are pretty weak) and possibly opt for an aftermarket aluminum one




Modified by .ken at 9:55 PM 10/7/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .ken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Other than that maybe some seafoam, an oil change and a .


Modified by .ken at 9:55 PM 10/7/2005</TD></TR></TABLE>

Stay away form seafoam please. Your seals will thank you later.

What do you consider high mileage? My 91 Accord has 267k on it and still runs like a new car. If your car has anything less than 200k, I don't consider it high mileage for these cars.

 

Check your axles. Thats just a common HONDA problem that is acknowledged. So check those, make sure the boots are good. Cause if the boots rip, then its 400$ to replace the axles.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check your axles. Thats just a common HONDA problem that is acknowledged. So check those, make sure the boots are good. Cause if the boots rip, then its 400$ to replace the axles.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yea.. I can get reman'd axles for 60$ a pop at my autoparts store so that ain't bad.

The owner just had the timing belt, water pump, radiator, battery and spark plugs replaced. The inner boots on the axles are good but I haven't seen the outer boots.

How about the P/S pump? What's the common problem? Leaks, pump?

Do the 91's use R12 or R134a for the a/c?

Car has 214k miles.

 

im in the same situation as you. 180k on it i think-more or less. not looking as clean as yours though. bad condition hand-me-down. off topic question here but:

she fogs up big time. humid/rainy days or winter time. shes horribly fogged up. the defogger doesnt seem to work at all. the back works fine,but the front doesnt seem to work well at all. not to mention the four windows be steamed up.

 

I guess you can check the whole a/c system. yea my car fogs up a lot too. only thing is to aim the hot air onto the windshield which makes the fog go away. acually in the summer sometimes i find a/c on and cold air into the windshield helps. check the a/c for like, too much moisture in the ducting or somethin.

 

can you break this down for a newbie like me.


-p/s rack (known problem for cb7's)
^whats a p/s rack?

-plugs and wires and rotor and dizzy (a nice tune-up is always good)
^you mean spark plugs and its wire? whats a dizzy?

-Check for an oil leak around the oil pan (oil pan gasket is notorious for leaking)
^how much is for a new gasket?

-Check for any hesitation upon start up, sometimes the EGR ports get clogged
^whats an EGR?

just for my knowledge. help if you want

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThunderCat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">-p/s rack (known problem for cb7's)
^whats a p/s rack?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

There is a 'rack' that I for better words connects between the axles/wheels and the p/s pump and gives you power steering. Easiest way I could put it...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThunderCat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">-plugs and wires and rotor and dizzy (a nice tune-up is always good)
^you mean spark plugs and its wire? whats a dizzy?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

dizzy=distributor cap but I also meant to include rotor too
spark plug wires and spark plugs

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThunderCat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">-Check for an oil leak around the oil pan (oil pan gasket is notorious for leaking)
^how much is for a new gasket?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ummm check http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com or http://www.slhonda.com
(around 19 dollars)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThunderCat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">-Check for any hesitation upon start up, sometimes the EGR ports get clogged
^whats an EGR?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve...basically it redirects exhaust gases back into the combustion chamber to lower emissions.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Justin Klemgold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Stay away form seafoam please. Your seals will thank you later.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I am not saying use it every 10K but over 200K + miles a once over treatment on the internals, intake manifold and fuel system IMHO is a good idea.

 

oooooooh p/s rack stands for power-steering rack. im slow lol. and isnt the rotor somewhere near the wheels? thanks alot ken.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThunderCat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oooooooh p/s rack stands for power-steering rack. im slow lol. and isnt the rotor somewhere near the wheels? thanks alot ken.</TD></TR></TABLE>

rotor is inside the dizzy (distributor) that spins to make contacts with each point on the topside of the cap. Rotor could also be confused/termed with your brake rotors .

http://www.hondaautomotivepart...2.gif

(#3)

 

you the ******* man

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .ken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I am not saying use it every 10K but over 200K + miles a once over treatment on the internals, intake manifold and fuel system IMHO is a good idea.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your opinion will give him far more headaches than he'll want. Stay away from Seafoam. Anyone who suggests using it, doesn't understand what it does to your seals.

 

...my 91 SE had 230 and was running better than many 2000's out there...

 

what is this known problem with the power steering on 90-93 accords?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Justin Klemgold &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Your opinion will give him far more headaches than he'll want. Stay away from Seafoam. Anyone who suggests using it, doesn't understand what it does to your seals.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well some mechanics recommend it, others don't...its a matter of opinion.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by v4lu3s &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what is this known problem with the power steering on 90-93 accords?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was talking to my mechanic who has worked on hondas for 10-15 years and he was telling me that the design of the p/s rack was kind of a shitty one and the boots tended to fill up with p/s fluid and crack and leak...he quoted me almost a grand (labor + parts) to replace it and the only people he knows that still makes the rack are that of remanufactured ones. He could be wrong but I have seen this problem in more than a handful of cb7's and he isn't the kind to hike up prices or make up ****.

 

hm well thats a new one on me, in the past year at the honda repair center i work at we have changed 88-91 prelude racks, 94-97 accord racks and 92-95 civic raccks, but even on the 250k or more 90-93 accords we haven't done more than change a boot every once in a while. Even the cost of the 94-97 replacement wasnt more than $600 as well includeing the alignment.
Myabe that is more a problem up north where the temperature changes cause more problems.

 

ken-


with the problem the p/s has: does it cause the steering wheel to become looser? i cant seem to handle her with one hand no more. shes alot looser now.

 

i would check tie rod ends before worrying about the rack itself.

 

Here's some things I've had trouble with in my '91 Accord:

Oil leakage (Started around 180K)
Needed a new distributor at 246K
Moisture in tail lights (Not much of a problem, just a nuisance because the brake light stays every time it rains)
Power steering fluid leakage (241K)

Those are the main things other than a few other stuff that just comes along with an old car. Other than that, you have a winner . Good luck with the car!

 

You guys don't have to worry about me and Seafoam. I've been working on and building hondas (mostly hatches and CRX's) for the last 8 years... I know a thing or two about certain products.

I "tested" seafoam on my roommates car... needless to say, he has a new engine in it now. It quite possibly is a good product but I agree with the opinion that if it's a high mileage car... don't use it. My seals are old and using seafoam could potentionally cause more problems than it cures "at this point."

You know what they say... If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The engine runs BEAUTIFULLY and everything works.

I think the FIRST things I will do are:
Flush radiator system,
Change brakes (think front rotors are a bit warped)
Change rear brake Shoes
Replace Distributor... "distributor King rocks!"
Tint the windows
Install a stereo.


In the future I might get some nice gun metal wheels and a decent shock/spring combo to improve the looks but that will be the extent of any modifications to this car... It is meant for comfort, not speed!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rice_classic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You guys don't have to worry about me and Seafoam. I've been working on and building hondas (mostly hatches and CRX's) for the last 8 years... I know a thing or two about certain products.

I "tested" seafoam on my roommates car... needless to say, he has a new engine in it now. It quite possibly is a good product but I agree with the opinion that if it's a high mileage car... don't use it. My seals are old and using seafoam could potentionally cause more problems than it cures "at this point."

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly. People think their engines run so much smoother without knowing the consequences. And those consequences aren't going to rear their heads in the first month or even the first year after using it...it's a gradual consequence that rears its ugly head well after you used that crap...then you attribute it to something else.

 

When I see cars with blue smoke, a lot of the time it may not be a leak from the valves, but rather the piston rings. Someone how sea foam is going to expletive up a metal on metal seal? If there is sludge there acting as a seal, then sea foam didn't make the engine "worse", rather there is a problem to fix first.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">When I see cars with blue smoke, a lot of the time it may not be a leak from the valves, but rather the piston rings. Someone how sea foam is going to expletive up a metal on metal seal? If there is sludge there acting as a seal, then sea foam didn't make the engine "worse", rather there is a problem to fix first.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Seafoams use is supposedely to clear up carbon deposits, not clear out oil sludge.

So, one has to ask themselves where that carbon buildup goes....in other words, it's also extremely hard on your cat and o2 sensors aside from the already mentioned seals.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by v4lu3s &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hm well thats a new one on me, in the past year at the honda repair center i work at we have changed 88-91 prelude racks, 94-97 accord racks and 92-95 civic raccks, but even on the 250k or more 90-93 accords we haven't done more than change a boot every once in a while. Even the cost of the 94-97 replacement wasnt more than $600 as well includeing the alignment.
Myabe that is more a problem up north where the temperature changes cause more problems.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That very well could be...either that or my mechanic is a drug using weirdo.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rice_classic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think the FIRST things I will do are:
Flush radiator system,
Change brakes (think front rotors are a bit warped)
Change rear brake Shoes
Replace Distributor... "distributor King rocks!"
Tint the windows
Install a stereo.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like a good start man!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ThunderCat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ken-


with the problem the p/s has: does it cause the steering wheel to become looser? i cant seem to handle her with one hand no more. shes alot looser now. </TD></TR></TABLE>

No it just usually causes leaks and bad boots.