89 With LOTS of PROBLEMS!!!

[Funky]

First off, this isn't my car. Its my girlfriends first car. And I'm trying to make it nice for her so it will last her a long time.

Anyway,

1)It has an oil leak coming from around the drain plug. It drips right off of the drain plug and falls off. I replaced the plug and used a copper gasket/seal and still leaks. So i'm assuming it is dripping down from there???


2)There is no check engine light/oil light with the key in the ignition. Are the bulbs burnt out or a bad fuse possibly? Also the temperature sky rockets until the car is fully warm then it slowly comes down to normal operating temperature...could be gauge or faulty sending unit???

3)It has a bad leak coming from both sides of the front (where your feet are) I've personally seen it drip but haven't had the time to look. Could this be caused by the front sunroof drains breaking/coming apart?

4)When you go up a small hill in the road the steering wheel goes to the left, and once you come down it goes to the right...why is that?

Thanks, Trevor

[Demon1024]

Wow that sounds like fun :)

1) More likely the gasket at the base of the oil filter mount

2) check the bulbs first they're pretty easy to get to
2b) it could be the temperature sensor or you could have a bad thermostat. I'd replace the thermostat first as it is cheap and much more pressing if thats the problem.

3) leaks water right? never had one with a sunroof...

4) putting my money on motor mounts on this one.
Tires inflated properly? I believe radius rod bushing if bad enough could also do this with a bad alignment

[Bluntman]

Sunroof drains clogging are a common problem after 20+ years. Try to clean all 4 drains out.

[Funky]

Wow that sounds like fun :)

1) More likely the gasket at the base of the oil filter mount

2) check the bulbs first they're pretty easy to get to
2b) it could be the temperature sensor or you could have a bad thermostat. I'd replace the thermostat first as it is cheap and much more pressing if thats the problem.

3) leaks water right? never had one with a sunroof...

4) putting my money on motor mounts on this one.
Tires inflated properly? I believe radius rod bushing if bad enough could also do this with a bad alignment

Oil filter mount? I bet that is a cheap gasket. I'll replace it today and report back!

Ok sounds like the bulbs. Its not the thermostat because when the temp spikes I can smack the dash with my hand (above the gauge) and it goes back down to normal. lol.

Leaks water, I was unable to clean the front tubes, but I cleaned the rear. I have a feeling the front are disconnected or have a leak and are coming inside. I'm contemplating whether or not I should block the front off and test it out that way.

Alignment was just done at Les Schwab. They told me it needs a camber kit???


Also, this car has 185/75r14 tires!!! HUGE!!

[w261w261]

.....Alignment was just done at Les Schwab. They told me it needs a camber kit???

Has the car been lowered more than an inch or 1 1/2 inches? If not, you don't need a camber kit, but you might need a new place to get your alignment done.
Our cars do not have an adjustment for camber (if you are looking at the car from head-on, camber is the amount that the tops of the tires are leaning towards or away from each other).

If the car has not been lowered, or has been lowered just a bit, your camber is fine, unless there's been some damage.

[Funky]

Has the car been lowered more than an inch or 1 1/2 inches? If not, you don't need a camber kit, but you might need a new place to get your alignment done.
Our cars do not have an adjustment for camber (if you are looking at the car from head-on, camber is the amount that the tops of the tires are leaning towards or away from each other).

If the car has not been lowered, or has been lowered just a bit, your camber is fine, unless there's been some damage.

Nope, hasn't been lowered. It looks stock to me! I think I might need a new place now. lol:gun:

[Oldblueaccord]

It probably has some front end damage and the camber is off. Stock specs are 0. With adjusters I run -2 no ill effects.

I would look at your radius rod bushing for the wandering and also anything loose in the front suspension. I have several threads on suspension stuff here.

There is a single wire that reads the temp of the car off the top of the thermostat housing. If it old and corroded it wont readd correctly. i would make sure it is NOT overheating of course.


wp

[Funky]

It probably has some front end damage and the camber is off. Stock specs are 0. With adjusters I run -2 no ill effects.

I would look at your radius rod bushing for the wandering and also anything loose in the front suspension. I have several threads on suspension stuff here.

There is a single wire that reads the temp of the car off the top of the thermostat housing. If it old and corroded it wont readd correctly. i would make sure it is NOT overheating of course.


wp

I replaced the upper control arm. Didn't help much! But it was worn out.

Its NOT over heating. It is just the gauge.

[Oldblueaccord]

Standard front end check:

1: jack up one side of the car until one tire is off the ground. The other side tire must be on the ground. I use the jacking point under the doors.

2: grab the tire in the air at the 3 and 9 o clock postion and shake/rock back and forth. slow at first. You might need someone to help look underneath. This checks tie-rods,steering rack etc. start kinda slow and work your way up a little harder. Your looking for loosness at the joints. Use common sense of course the steering wheel will move or the other tire may move if you shake the shit outta it.

3: Grab the tire 12 and 6 o clock. Rock back and fourth.This checks the wheel bearing and ball joints(upper and lower) and upper links(bushings). There should be no play in the wheel bearings.

4: this check might show ball joints/upper link a little better. Use a pry bar under the tire at the 6 o clock pos. pry up look for slop ,looseness while prying. The upper link ball joint and bushings near the body are what your looking at.


This is your basic "front end check" any good mechanic should know. It works for all makes and models of cars.


Try this when you get a chance. Tighten the nuts on the radius rods they loosen up over time.

EDIT: heres the link



http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42403&page=2

EDIT: heres the link


Honda uses a very soft aluminium washer on there oil drain plugs. i would get a new plug and washer from the dealer and try that for you oil leak. Work your way up from there. The oil filter base gasket is not that easy to replace due to the filter base housing on the back of the block. There is a seal behind the distributor that leaks oil down that side on the block as well.


wp

[Demon1024]

Ok sounds like the bulbs. Its not the thermostat because when the temp spikes I can smack the dash with my hand (above the gauge) and it goes back down to normal. lol.



ROFL

well then it's pretty obvious :P

[Funky]

Oh great...now her car didn't start this morning. Cranked over and over and let it sit and finally started just fine.

Sometimes it will do this when you come out of a store and try to start it and nothing.

Any suggestions?

[ShyBoyCA6]

Oh great...now her car didn't start this morning. Cranked over and over and let it sit and finally started just fine.

Sometimes it will do this when you come out of a store and try to start it and nothing.

Any suggestions?

fuel pump main relay or you might have to pump it if its carb

[Funky]

Well, the check engine light bulb was burnt out..so I got some from a yard (incidentally dropped it!) and it works fine...but isn't on! Which is good...can be anyway.

I'll look for the fuel pump relay. Still need to fix the oil leak issue

[Bluntman]

Oh great...now her car didn't start this morning. Cranked over and over and let it sit and finally started just fine.

Sometimes it will do this when you come out of a store and try to start it and nothing.

Any suggestions?

ECT sensor will do that also.

[Funky]

Well, I fixed the oil leak today. I got a base filter gasket and also a aluminum drain plug gasket and it stopped leaking. I've very happy. So I threw some new oil + filter and an air filter on it:D

I'll have to check on that sensor or possibly pull one from the junk yard:chainsaw: