I just picked up a 1989 Honda Accord off a buddy for 400 bucks. Runs decent, has a minor accident in the front, needed fender and headlight, as well as the trunk lid brake light assembly. So i went to the junkyard and picked up a fender, headlight, and trunk light assembly from what I thought was an 89 Accord. When I get home, the trunk light assembly is slightly different that what I have. the trunk light assembly i took off my car has the key hole in the lens itself, the new light assembly I purchased has the keyhold slightly to the left of the lens. Overall they are different in size, and not compatible...so I went back to the junk yard and bought a whole trunklid with light assembly and figured that would be a sure way to go. They couldnt have changed that much right? . Turns out the new trunk lid and light assembly were too wide to fit on the car! after searching the junkyard I cannot find a light assembly for the trunk that has the keyhole IN the lens, as my 89 accord does. Whats going on? are the hondas at the yard just mismarked? what year do you guys think my parts are coming off of? I was under the impression that like 86-89 was the year range, but in 88 they changed a few items, like bumpers etc. Please any help would be greatly appreciated.


on a second note, The engine has a sporadic idle. It goes up....and then down....and then up...and then down. I have heard alot of modified hondas go by that have the messed up idle as I do..which makes me think its maybe a vacuum leak or something like that? Just wondering if its common knowledge around here, thanks for all your help










Modified by vegasvento at 10:00 AM 3/19/2008

 

86-87 have some differences against 88-89,
But the other IMPORTANT information is what model? DX& LX are a different [carbed]animal than the LXi which is fuel injected and has a sunroof.
Also 4 door and Coupe have differences.
there are different reasons for idle surge between a carbed model and a Fuel Injected model.

 

Thanks for the reply, Its definatly Fuel Injected, and according to the guy i bought it from, as well as autocheck, its a 1989 Honda Accord LXI Coupe. However, it has a solid roof, no moon/sunroof. Does anyone know specifically if 86-87, or the 88-89 have the trunk keyhole molded into the right side lens, or if its in the plastic tub to the left of the lens? I'm just confused, as Im almost positive mines an 89, yet all the 99's and 89's at the junkyard have diff taillights. Would the sedan, and the coupe have different size trunklids in the same year?

 

any advice?

 

Would i be better to post this in the pre 1989 forum as some of my questions/confusion relate to the older cars/parts...even though my car is an 89

 

TTT, sorry for the pics being so dang large, I figured photobucket would resize them
Just lookin for someone to chime in on the trunk/light sizes between the years...