New to 3G-any times how to make this car more Reliable

[dinhscot]

Ok I just bought a Low mile 1989 auto 3G (70,600 miles) and i want to really baby and keep this car running for as long as possible.

beside oil change every 3k mile.. what things do i need to do to keep this car running like a new car?

What things goes wrong with this car that i should look into?
does the Water pump, alternator, auto transmission go out a lot?

thanks for any help and supoort.

scott

[86ccord]

Ok I just bought a Low mile 1989 auto 3G (70,600 miles) and i want to really baby and keep this car running for as long as possible.

beside oil change every 3k mile.. what things do i need to do to keep this car running like a new car?

What things goes wrong with this car that i should look into?
does the Water pump, alternator, auto transmission go out a lot?

thanks for any help and supoort.

scott


ive seen alot of the trannys go out..but to tell you what, just do your routine checkups and tune ups and you will be fine.. and run some seafoam every now and then and you will be fine..

[codyJDM]

As any car of this age, the suspension must be looked into(for safety and driveability)

Check your bushings and balljoints throughout, you'd be surprised about how much little pieces can affect the way your car handles.

Overall though the car is pretty sound, A/T is common to have a few problems, but thats about it. As long as you keep up with the usual fluids you will be good to go! Good luck and good find :thumbup:

[A18A]

i would replace the cam belt, water pump, check all the hoses in the engine bay & check up on all fluids. might also want to get a spare alternator as they shit them selves quite often. also pays to check up on the suspension too for play, worn bushings etc..

[Pico]

Like A18A said change the timing belt and water pump. I know it has low miles but I would check compression on it just to be sure.
Drain and refill the trans and make sure to use the correct fluid, do a major tune up on it and maybe flush out the cooling system.
This way you'll know what's been done to the car and you'll have some peace of mind

[dinhscot]

Thank you guys for all your imput!

I don't know the repair history of my car. It seem to drive and run strong... oil is even new on it. but that can mean anything. I'm gonna write down a list of Things to replace so that i don't run into any issues. like major engine failure.

Timming belt is gonna be my next thing i'm gonna look into as wel as the transmission flush. coolent change.

thank for your info and help:welcome:

[w261w261]

*** I've added to or changed this post several times in response to others' comments ***


The main difference between people that have reliable old cars and people that don't is that the people with reliable ones do maintenance in advance of failure. If you don't mind being stranded every once in awhile, then you can wait for a part to fail before fixing it. This allows you to get every bit of use out of it, but at the cost of the inconvenience. Me, I go for preventative maintenance.

Many things will announce themselves in advance before they fail completely. The front end will get progressively more loose before a ball joint fails, a muffler will get louder and louder, etc. For those parts, if you pay attention to what the car is telling you, you can replace them in plenty of time.

But there are other things that won't give you any warning. Those you should replace on a schedule. Here's some from my list:

1. Timing belt. At 70k, you have to assume it hasn't been replaced, and it's now 20 years old. Do it now, along with the water pump. If the timing belt fails, you stop Right Now! Some say if the belt fails you might also bend some valves, but others here say that won't happen. In any event, if the belt is indeed age 20, it could go anytime.

2. All hoses. I think they should be replaced every four years, but others say you can go longer. Some are more heat-risked than others, I guess. You can squeeze the big ones to see if they're soft-feeling, but I just go ahead and get them all. Unfortunately, "all" includes about 8 little hoses that go to the idle stabilizer valve and idle air control valve. I can almost guarantee they've never been replaced on yours. When you or your mechanic flush the cooling system, be sure to tell him to put in Peak antifreeze or something that is bright green, not the yellow stuff. The reason is you need a nice dark coolant to check its level in the overflow bottle, which isn't so easy to see in the best of cases, with light-colored coolant it's really difficult. The water part of the 50/50 mix should be distilled, which you can buy at a grocery store. Make sure your mechanic uses it too, or uses premixed. Also, the problem with flushing with a garden hose (e.g. not distilled water) is that a good part of the flushing water will stay in the system unless you open both the block drain and the radiator drain. Most people just use the radiator drain. Therefore, if that is what you do, you really have to drain as much out after flushing as you can, then top up the system with a distilled water/coolant mix. Drain again, refill again. Check with a tester to see what the lowest temp the mixture will support. If it doesn't make it down to -35 then drain and refill with 100% coolant. Don't forget, you aren't getting the whole system when you drain. Eventually you will home in on the right mixture. It's easier than it sounds, and you will end up with a nice, long-lasting green mixture, which will pay off in your coolant not getting that rusty look for a lot longer.

2a. Clean your overflow bottle, so you can best see the level of the coolant in it. Failure to check fluids is high on the list of things not to do on old cars. The 3G does not make it easy, with a low obscure mounting point, but if you have a clean bottle and a flashlight, it's very do-able. See my posts on how to clean the bottle (take out the battery, the battery tray, the bottle, and swab it out with some phosphoric acid. Takes an hour or so).

3. Thermostat. Do with the hoses. It isn't expensive. You might as well get the temperature sensor (I think it's called the TW sensor or somesuch) that's near the thermostat too. When it starts to go the engine won't run right and finally won't start.

4. Auto tranny fluid. Use Honda OEM. Don't delay on this as there's probably some crud in there already, and a tranny fix is expensive. Manual tranny...use Honda fluid also. Change every 15k miles or so, but in practice you can probably do it when you change a drive shaft. If I get a torn boot, I myself put in a whole new shaft at that point, and I use Honda OEM. Expensive, but no problems.

5. Plugs, plug wires and air filter. Change the oil every 3k miles. Some here put in synthetic and say it makes a difference. I don't use it myself.

6. Buy a big bottle of Techron and put it in the gas when you fill up. You might want to use two bottles with two consecutive tanks of gas. Techron is the best to clean the fuel injectors.

7. Go under the car and check the rubber booties that are at the inboard and outboard ends of the driveshafts. If the boots are torn that means that sand etc. has gotten into the cv joints, and they need to be inspected and repacked with grease. Clicking during low speed turns is the symptom. The boots need to be replaced if they're torn of course.

8. Check the ball joints for wear. There are 6 of them, 4 on the front and two on the back. At 70k, they're probably ok.

9. Look at the bushings for the stabilizer bar, radius rods, and control arms. Check the steering rack for leaks, and never use anything but Honda power steering fluid, or at least fluid that specifically says it's for Honda..big trouble if you use something else. Look at the brakes and the wheel cylinders for dry rot. Replace the brake fluid, which should be done every 2 years, as it absorbs water.

10. If you're really into preventative maintenance, you might replace the main relay, as the solder develops micro-cracks. The install is a bit of a chore, but see the plentiful posts here on how to do it.

11. Take a look at the radiator. Plenty of cars have had a new one by now.

12. Does the battery have a date on it? If it's 4 years old, get a new one before it fails on you in the winter. Take the wires off the battery posts (remove the ground wire first and put it on last, the reason being that if the ground is connected and you mistakenly short the positive post to the car with a wrench, you will produce a big spark and probably blow the alternator....don't even think about what can happen if you connect a battery backwards!) Buy a battery post/clamp cleaner thingy and thoroughly clean the post and the clamps. Get a set of those red/green felt circles that go around the posts so you won't get a buildup of corrosion.

13. Take a look at the ground wires. There's one from the valve cover to the front of the car, but mainly look at the main one from the battery to the frame. Take it off, and clean the end and where it attaches. Replace the wire if it looks rusty.

14. Check the tail lights for water pooling in the bottom of the units. Their seals leak. I use gutter tape so the water draining from the trunk lid gutters goes over the tail lights as opposed to down across their inside face. Eventually the water will get high enough to short the bulbs.

15. Clean the sunroof rear drains. When they get blocked the water pools in the sunroof cutout, and when you put on the brakes you get a shower down the back of your neck. The drains are reached by taking out the trunk liners and cleaning out the plastic tubes that drain out behind the wheel wells. Use a panel-popping tool sold in auto stores to get the buttons out, using a screwdriver will make a mess.

16. Replace the pitiful sealed beam OEM head lights with Hella's, so you can use a nice replaceable bulb by PIAA or Sylvania. That way, you can actually see where you're going at night. Most of the replacement headlights on eBay are junk. Buy quality.

17. When your driver's window starts not wanting to go up, it might be the switch, as that's the one that gets the most use, but is probably the coil in the auto-drop controller, which is behind the door panel. Eventually, you won't be able to raise the window at all. There are posts on here on how to install a new one.

18. Check the tires and get some decent ones if they're worn. Get an alignment.

19. I bought a tool box and have in it a set of tools including a metric 1/4" drive socket set, all types of pliers, one of those 4 in-one screwdrivers, a spare headlight bulb, taillight bulbs (actually there's a clip for a spare tail light bulb on the inside of the covers to access the bulbs). Get some assorted spare fuses, a Maglight-quality flashlight (plus a small Maglight for the glove box). A quick tire repair kit. There's probably more stuff in there I can't remember now.

20. Buy a couple of those reflective triangles or flares, in case you get stuck at night on a dark curvy road.

21. Eventually you will leave on your headlights and run down the battery, or you will get a flat. I bought one of those jump starters / air compressors (a good one, prob cost $75) and keep it lashed to the inside of the trunk. It's bailed me out a couple of times, and I've been a good samaritan more than that. Cheap insurance, and an easy way to be a hero to those who are not prepared and would be up Shit Creek if not for you.


That should be enough to get you started. Remember, a reliable car is a product of the original manufacturer (ours is GREAT, of course) and constant diligence.

[A18A]

wow very informative post there ^ :)

[carotman]

Amen to that. REplacing the coolant lines every 2 years is too early I think. They rarely fail before at least 8 years. The ones that will fail 1st on these cars are the heater core lines.

I inspect all the coolant lines every 6 months and replace the ones that are worn. I still have the OEM rad hoses on my 87 :D

[Zwolfe]

Holy christ that's an indepth and informative list and all good information.

Don't worry about babying your car that thing hasn't even been turned on yet.

Problem is, I swear Honda's are more reliable being ran than sitting.

I have 271k miles on my 89 LX-i engine & auto transmission. So far, no reason not to expect to exceed 300k. And damn I get great gas mileage too. 36 mixed 41 highway 32 in the city.

I change the oil (PennPlat 5w30) around 7k miles so that's roughly twice a year. I change the transmission fluid every other oil change so that's about every 14k.

The stock alternator on my car went out at 239k miles, unless someone put on an OEM unit in the past which I would doubt. The transmission, as far as I am aware, is the original. The water pump should never fail as long as you always use genuine OEM water pumps when you do the timing belt.

The auto transmissions will last the life of the car as long as you aren't doing anything it wasn't intended to do within reason and you are good at changing the fluid out at least once a year. The only time I have had a Honda transmission go bad on me - ever - is when I was screwing around not paying attention to the transmission fluid and didn't change it.

Definitely get the coolant system flushed. If you want to be ghetto be like me, undo the radiator plug on the bottom, stick a garden hose in the top of the radiator and turn on the water, and start the car and watch all of that nasty crap come out from the radiator drain plug. Turn car off when the water finally starts to look clear - maybe 15 minutes later. Then either use a 50/50 premix or condensed with distilled water mixed 50/50. I still am using the original radiator at 271k. And I don't suggest the ghetto fix if you have animals running around especially dogs they like the taste of antifreeze and they will die or you will end up at the vet, and they still might die.

If it rains and you move the car and you get rained on you'll want to check the moonroof drain lines it's easy you just tear into the trunk a bit getting to the lines on the sides it's not rough. I don't literally mean tear though.

Basically w261w261 laid out the holy grail for maintenance that needs to be covered or investigated. The only difference is I don't use Honda OEM fluid (except for power steering) and I put Seafoam in the gas tank instead of techron but choose your own poison the Honda ATF-Z1 AT fluid is wise if you're not sure what to put in the transmission.

And don't use FRAM filters. Use NAPA WIX Purolators whatever just don't use FRAM, I have had multiple instances in my own family (literally all of us do our own maintenance) where they either developed tiny cracks and leaked slowly, caused engine knocks on startup, or outright ruptured. For real. I doubt a shop is going to disclose that information to someone.

Check those rear upper ball joints as well. Not fun if they decide to split going down the road.

[w261w261]

Amen to that. REplacing the coolant lines every 2 years is too early I think. They rarely fail before at least 8 years. The ones that will fail 1st on these cars are the heater core lines.

I inspect all the coolant lines every 6 months and replace the ones that are worn. I still have the OEM rad hoses on my 87 :D

Yeah, I think I was thinking more of the brake fluid when I wrote 2 years. I wouldn't go with 8 years, but changed my post to say 4. Some of them are more prone to heat damage than others.

When I replaced the little IACV and Idle Stabilizer valve hoses, I didn't notice the one that exits the IACV. It spouted off a couple of months ago, and I bet it was the original on the car. Not bad...20 years to failure.

<<Then either use a 50/50 premix or condensed with distilled water mixed 50/50. >>

That's right, I forgot to mention that and the rear ball joints. I'm going to amend my original post. Maybe if we keep adding to it we can make it a sticky.

[dinhscot]

I have to say wow! thank you w261w261 and others for well written write up. perhaps we can have what w261w261 wrote made into a sticky as too how to keep your car running and things to watch out for.

I can just pitch my honda owner book good bye because w261w261 cover almost all the basis.

here is a question? from you guys personal experience does paying premium price for brand name oil filters/syns oil worth it?? the differnce in price for "the best" can sometimes be 3 to 4 times as much. I always use what on sale like 2 for 1 special and such (fram oil filters ~$3, oil name brand but around $1.5qt, etc all in all oil change under 10bucks)... but now i'm getting mix feeling because if they are indeed better i'm more than willing to pay a few extra dollars as long as it keep my honda running happy for a long time. but isn't oil oil?

I don't think i need to use syn oil if you are gonna change mine oil every 3-4k miles and don't really race car (ie drive the car hard). But for long lasting stuff like brake, coolent, I will always perfer higher end product like top of the line NKG plugs, ceramic pads, etc... just because it take them longer to fail i guess.

What I like to know is what products out there that you use and found to be a good fit for our honda accord. especially from people who have maintain there loving hondas running past 250-300k miles. I like to adopts the same repair plan and use the same product you guys use. Oil,brake,etc.. or should it always be OEM from honda dealership?

thanks very much for you input.

[Demon1024]

wow 7k? really? thats a bit long isn't it?

[AZmike]

wow 7k? really? thats a bit long isn't it?

Not for a synthetic oil like he is using.

[Zwolfe]

here is a question? from you guys personal experience does paying premium price for brand name oil filters/syns oil worth it?? the differnce in price for "the best" can sometimes be 3 to 4 times as much.

I usually go to Advance semi regularly, also you can look at other auto parts stores fliers ONLINE and see what deals they got for the week / weekend. You can find good deals on oil and oil filters regularly. Then I'll stock up if I feel I need to. Very comparable to buying regular grade oils and filters, you just have to put in a little extra effort.

Advance usually has regular specials on Pennzoil Platinum and Purolator PureONE filters, which is precisely why I use that. Sometimes specials on Mobil 1 oil, and filters. Sometimes I'll use those. I see less deals (or don't pay attention) to the other brands.

I try to be cheap, and still provide quality stuff for my car. It just takes a little extra effort.

For an oil change + filter done myself the materials run roughly around $20. $40 roughly a year isn't going to break my back, and I rest easier. If I was a complete maniac and changed my oil every 3 months $80 / year isn't going to harm me either. I spend cash on enough stupid stuff enough the way it is.


but isn't oil oil?

Yes. But synthetic will last longer. It will not last forever, but it breaks down not quite as fast as dino oil. If you frequent Bob Is the Oil Guy forums there's guys showing some dino oils being good for 5k miles. I just change my oil when I no longer see a golden hue on paper from the dip stick, which is roughly around 7k miles, or twice a year.

I can also tell when my car needs an oil change too w/o looking. That's hard to explain but funny enough my mom has the same sense too. I can just tell the retardation of the performance, and it's better (to me) afterwards. Perhaps it's my magical butt dyno, I don't know.


I don't think i need to use syn oil if you are gonna change mine oil every 3-4k miles and don't really race car (ie drive the car hard). But for long lasting stuff like brake, coolent, I will always perfer higher end product like top of the line NKG plugs, ceramic pads, etc... just because it take them longer to fail i guess.

You would be more than perfectly fine with whatever the hell regular oil if you're just going to do 3/4k intervals most likely. You could get away fine with $1 dollar quart bottles of Motorcraft 10w30 at Odd / Big Lots, which funny enough is pretty good quality so I read for the price.

For spark plugs NGK is the way to go but BOSCH and such can be used in a pinch if there's some wild conspiracy against NGK in your area. I use NGK V-Power, good ol' copper and get just as good gas mileage as anyone else on these forums, and with an auto.


What I like to know is what products out there that you use and found to be a good fit for our honda accord. especially from people who have maintain there loving hondas running past 250-300k miles. I like to adopts the same repair plan and use the same product you guys use. Oil,brake,etc.. or should it always be OEM from honda dealership?

I use whatever store brand DOT3 brake fluid, hardly ever change the stuff even though I should. Last time I changed the brake fluid it was in my Odyssey and I just happened to be replacing a faulty master cylinder (probably due to not changing the brake fluid I am sure).

Have never changed the power steering fluid, even though I should at least use a turkey baster and pull some out and put in new every now and then - probably every oil change really. I really need to swing by a Honda shop and pick up some Honda PS fluid thanks for the reminder.

There isn't a lot to it, just think of what your car might enjoy having you do for it. It'll reward you for years to come.

Honda I hear these days has a life-time antifreeze if you really want to blow the money on it. Get some power steering fluid while you're at it. And use Honda OEM genuine parts especially on engine components - especially the timing belt related stuff, gaskets and seals. There is no better unless you're building some beast, and worth the money.


thanks very much for you input.

Hope I helped.