I hear a lot of advice about rebuilding. don't put old parts back just get new parts.

a lot of perfectly good parts being thrown away assuming that they are bad.

similar to the myth about 3000 mile oil change that so many people still follow even when its been proven over and over that its not necessary. we are still wasting so much oil and money.

shop manual gives somewhat basic things to check for.
wiggle it if it wiggles replace it... that's about where it ends


I know theres people here with degrees and machine shops and all kinds of knowledge that can contribute to some useful info..


what im referring to:
water pumps
timing belt tensioners
harmonic ballancers
timing belt wear
other belt wear
pistons
main/rod bearings ( it said they shouldn't come in contact with metal) so there shouldn't be any wear on them at all when they are only few 1000 miles into it.
then transmission bearings
clutch bearings
master and slave cylinders
and other parts that are common to throw away without even checking.

 

from my rebuilding experience.
oil pumps- a lot of people just toss them

get a impact Phillips and pop the cover off. check clearances and check for wear on the gear and the pump. if theres no wear thres no need to replace anything excep the seal

water pump. if theres no noise or wobble and it rotates smooth then it should still be good.
timing belt - if theres no physical damage and no cracks between teeth then it should be good.( burn marks, cracks in belt teeth and overheating is very obvious on t-belts)


I also reuse the valve cover gasket until it starts leaking. if it leaks slightly then add silicone. currently im using vc gasket reused about 6 times already still without silicone and no leaks. but I keep the gasket surface smooth and somewhat polished.so it seals good.

some VC gaskets I get start leaking right away so I put silicone on them and replace it next time.
spark plug wires- measure the resistance. if within specs then clean the metal contacts and keep using them.
I switched between somewhat new NGK and unknown mileage old *** OEM Honda wires and didn't notice any difference even wideband didn't show difference in afr. but both sets are within specs

I also successfully reuse gaskets for almost everything with no problems.
if a gasket surface is damages in a small spot. I put some grey sealant only on that spot and so far had no issues with vacuum leaks

same with throwout bearings I have 5 of them
4 are used with high mileage and one was brand new with nly about 13000 miles and is completely blown out..on stock clutch
they other 4 don't make noise don't wobble and seal is intact. so I don't see why they cant be used again


but what I would really like to know is how to inspect transmission bearings instead of just swapping them out because they are pretty expensive. and by the time I finish replacing every bearing and seal I might as well buy one from speedfactory that was already rebuilt.

 

There is so much to retort on in this thread I don't even know where to begin. From the poor format and formulation to spouting false information. If you don't have the money to replace something in question then I suggest you make an educated decision or cross your fingers and ride the wave instead. It is your gamble and everyone is going to have their own opinion on what the right thing to do would be. It all comes down to what suits the who, what, when, where, and why side of things at that particular time and situation. This thread is about what junkyards are for.