TechnoGecko
01-24-2006, 10:42 AM
I've got an 88 Accord Hatchback w/. 165k on the clock. Everything has been going suprisingly well up until the past week here. The car began to loose power steering fluid, and I noticed the whole side of the engine was covered in it. It appears that it is leaking from a low pressure hose on to the belts, and then getting sprayed all over the engine. However, at the same time my A/C no longer works. Unfort I don't have a fuse diagram for the box inside the driver footwell, but it blows the 4th fuse over from the left ( the 10A ) I believe. Hitting the A/C button will cause the compressor to kick in for a second, and I can see the clutch engage but only for 4-5 seconds before it blows the fuse again.
On a seperate issue this car has always been a little odd with its fast idle. When I first bought the car it would occasionally fast idle even after warming up but would always shut off by tapping the gas. However, now it fast idles almost all the time and stays there. In the past few days it's been idling as high as 4,000. I decided I would just take it in the dealer to have them look it over for their flat $50 diagnostic charge due to being really busy this week.
Just heard back from them. They're dicking me around to say the least. They say the power steering system is gone and needs to be replaced, pump, rack, and all hoses. Yet when I asked, they couldn't tell me where it is leaking from. They say the fast idle is caused by a bad carb and that it has to be replaced, and that the entire A/C system is destroyed - that the compressor, clutch, clutch coil, and all hoses need to be replaced. Total, $3300
Now, considering I paid $600 for the car I just started laughing. Anyway, I told them not to worry about it and I would come pick it up. So, in a nutshell i'm looking for any detailed advice as to where I should start looking to resolve these issues.
1. What is causing the fast idle? Specifically, what vac hoses control that - they're cheap so I might as well just replace them rather than guess if theyre good anymore. Also, it isnt that hard to clean the carb, guess I just need to sitdown this weekend and do it and see if that makes any difference.
2. A/C. Not sure where to start. There is a pouch of wires by the driver headlamp that clips in to a clip on the front of the car and is covered by a plastic cover. From there 1 wire runs down to the compressor I believe. Whats this for? The entire thing is soaked in power steering gunk, so I need to get it apart and clean it - possibly shorting out there... I dont think its the compressor as it has worked perfectly for almost a year and it still kicks in for a few seconds when I hit the a/c button.
3. Power steering. High pressure hose has been replaced already when we bought the car, so I know its not that. Any other common leak points that would cause it to drip on the belts and get thrown everywhere?
Thanks in advance guys. Got a rather large project ahead of me...
On a seperate issue this car has always been a little odd with its fast idle. When I first bought the car it would occasionally fast idle even after warming up but would always shut off by tapping the gas. However, now it fast idles almost all the time and stays there. In the past few days it's been idling as high as 4,000. I decided I would just take it in the dealer to have them look it over for their flat $50 diagnostic charge due to being really busy this week.
Just heard back from them. They're dicking me around to say the least. They say the power steering system is gone and needs to be replaced, pump, rack, and all hoses. Yet when I asked, they couldn't tell me where it is leaking from. They say the fast idle is caused by a bad carb and that it has to be replaced, and that the entire A/C system is destroyed - that the compressor, clutch, clutch coil, and all hoses need to be replaced. Total, $3300
Now, considering I paid $600 for the car I just started laughing. Anyway, I told them not to worry about it and I would come pick it up. So, in a nutshell i'm looking for any detailed advice as to where I should start looking to resolve these issues.
1. What is causing the fast idle? Specifically, what vac hoses control that - they're cheap so I might as well just replace them rather than guess if theyre good anymore. Also, it isnt that hard to clean the carb, guess I just need to sitdown this weekend and do it and see if that makes any difference.
2. A/C. Not sure where to start. There is a pouch of wires by the driver headlamp that clips in to a clip on the front of the car and is covered by a plastic cover. From there 1 wire runs down to the compressor I believe. Whats this for? The entire thing is soaked in power steering gunk, so I need to get it apart and clean it - possibly shorting out there... I dont think its the compressor as it has worked perfectly for almost a year and it still kicks in for a few seconds when I hit the a/c button.
3. Power steering. High pressure hose has been replaced already when we bought the car, so I know its not that. Any other common leak points that would cause it to drip on the belts and get thrown everywhere?
Thanks in advance guys. Got a rather large project ahead of me...