I have a 92 accord ex coupe auto. that i just recently purchased. its an auction car so Ireally have no history of how the previous owner treated it. Its definitely time for fluids to be changed and flushed, specifically the antifreeze and auto. tran. fluid. Several ppl have told me that if these fluids have not been changed in a long time (or ever), then a flush and change could seriously do damage because of all the buildup. Should I attempt this on my own, take it to repair shop to have it professionally done, or not even mess wit it? Thanks

 

you can do it on your own with little difficulty. When I got my car, I just took it to the honda dealer and let them deal with it........

 

First off, I am the biggest fan of basic and preventive maintenance.

Having said that, when I bought a truck that I knew had not had either the radiator or tranny flushed/serviced, I had 5 different mechanics all tell me the exact same thing. basically they said that I would be opening the door for more problems to arise. It went against everything I thought I knew, but after so many said the same thing, I left well enough alone. I can honestly say that for the 60K I drove that truck, I never had any trouble with either of those systems.

Best of luck with your new car, and remember to keep it OEM!

 

thats the dilemma i have. it has 124k & everything runs good for a 92. I just want to be able to the best care of it. even if it means i have leave as is. any other thoughts?

 

Do yourself a favor and start your new (To You) car at "Milage Zero". Assume basic maintaince was not performed for some time in anticipation of selling it. Have both the Coolant system and the Transmission Flushed without fear on complications. It's done every day of the year.
This way, you can plan your maintaince schedule based on this starting milage.

P

 

i know thats what i want to do. i just don't want to make a bad situation worse. some ppl don't take care of their cars.

 

I would also check the brake fluid. If it looks dirty, it too should be flushed. I would, however use a vacuum pump to bleed them. That should avoid the master cylinder going out on you shortly after. Pumping the brake pedal all the way down, after having the old fluid in there for a while, could be a death blow to the MC. It needs to be done, in any case. even if you wind up having to change the MC. Good Luck, and Happy Hondaing.

 

i was going t flush my radiator when i got my car at 130k and i talkd to several macanics and they all said like lewdawg said not to get it fluchd just cause that could damage the piping and casue more problems but all in all id do what P_Adams says he knows his stuff and would be the one to know how to handle it

 

To Flush, or not to flush; THAT is the question. Is it better to have flushed (and lost) than have never flushed at all?

Cooling system flushes: as long as the flush machine operator limits the machines pressure to no more than the 18psi normally seen in cooling systems, nothing could or will be damaged. If anything was to occur, it would only be because that component was ready to fail anyway.
Transmission Flushes: This is the only way to insure all the Transmission fluid is changed. Normally the machine operator will splice into the Trans cooler pipe going to the radiator. The system is low pressure, and the normal drill is to continue to pump clean fluid thru the Transmission until the circulating fluid goes clear. On the off chance that some particulate matter were to start circulating, there are several small screen filters accessible from the outside which can be cleaned. This is a very rare occurrence.

P

 

Flush !
For your transmission:
Provided by another forum member. I cannot remember his name and he WILL flame me!

Honda Auto-Trans Flush = 1 case (12 qrts) Honda ATF aprox $50. 1 new drain bolt washer $1.
1) Put the front of the car up on jackstands with the wheels off the ground. Put a large container under drain plug.
2) Remove the transmission drain plug (3/8" drive ratchet works fine). Let transmission drain and wipe sludge off drain plug.
3) Reinstall drain plug and snug (not tighten). Fill transmission with three quarts of ATF.
4) Start engine and shift into drive. Gently accelerate and let transmission upshift through the gears (don't go over 50 MPH).
5) Step on brakes and bring speedo to 0.
6) Shift into reverse and accelerate to 20 MPH.
7) Bring speedo back to 0 with brakes. Shift to park and shut off engine.
8) Repeat steps 2 through 7 TWO MORE TIMES.
9) Drain the transmission once more. Reinstall drain plug and tighten firmly (don't forget to reinstall crush washer).
10) Remove jackstands and put vehicle on level ground.
11) Fill transmission with 2 1/2 quarts of ATF. Start engine. Shift to drive, then reverse, then put back in park and shut off engine.
12) Check transmission fluid level. Top off if needed to bring fluid level to the top of the crosshatch marks on the dipstick.

 

Yup, that's the ol' "Change the fluid three times and call it a day" school of transmission fluid changes.
I'll continue to advocate the "Twenty minutes on the BG Machine" route. I haven't the time, patience and disposal resources to get rid of 8 qt's of dirty ATF (Thank You)

P

 

thanks alot, really appreciate it guys.

 

The dealerships in my area do not recommend power flushes with the nifty BG PF5 machines. Besides for what they would charge even if they did I could pay for 10 do-it-myself flushes.