how to get therm housing bolt off 2 change D-ring

[rebuild]

I have been wanting to change the thermostat housing D-ring for a while but cannot get anything on the one hard-to-reach bolt. How do you get to it or what do you remove to make more space? Have to use a distributor wrench? Also are those bolts brittle? I saw some old posts and many broke theirs. So is it good practice to just swap the bolts with new ones (where to get?) and use anti seize?

[Bluntman]

I thought I would have to remove the EGR pipe to get to the nut, but I didn't have to after all, a stubby closed end ratcheting wrench and a lot of patience worked for me ( I used one with a "flex head" to get a decent fingertip grip on it). It was tight but it worked out, and I didn't have to deal with removing the EGR pipe. Patience is a virtue on this one. Good Luck.
http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71441&highlight=egr+pipe

[rebuild]

Do you know what brand the wrench is so I can get a look at it? Did you replace your bolts? Thanks. I'm near Orange County right now - can you see fireworks from there? Disney fireworks are great.

[Bluntman]

Do you know what brand the wrench is so I can get a look at it? Did you replace your bolts? Thanks. I'm near Orange County right now - can you see fireworks from there? Disney fireworks are great.

I can hear them. They start at 9:30 every night.

[Bluntman]

Do you know what brand the wrench is so I can get a look at it? Did you replace your bolts? Thanks. I'm near Orange County right now - can you see fireworks from there? Disney fireworks are great.

Out of all the Snap On etc. tools I have, all the stubby flex heads were just a hair to thick at the rounded end to get on to the nut at a flat angle, or a hair to long to clear the water pipe that comes out of the head. What worked very well was from Harbor Freight ( Pittsburgh Metric 5 pc. Stubby Flex Head Ratchet Wrench Set Item# 98955 ). I looked on their website but it was not on there. I did replace all bolts and nuts. And if you live in Orange County or near, the place to go for fasteners, bolts etc. is Hillco Fasteners in Garden Grove. I live close by them. http://www.hillcofasteners.com/

[rebuild]

I'll stop there if I get back to OC. I don't know what the size of those bolts are (or the original material). Are the replacements better quality (like hardened stainless steel maybe) or stock? I guess that's the place for head bolts too.

What will bring me back to OC is if I can't figure out how to do my timing belt. I got a quote from a place over there on Chapman for $250 (best out of quotes I got - $550 was highest) then I could go travel some more and not worry about my TB with 105k on it breaking.

[Bluntman]

I'll stop there if I get back to OC. I don't know what the size of those bolts are (or the original material). Are the replacements better quality (like hardened stainless steel maybe) or stock? I guess that's the place for head bolts too.

What will bring me back to OC is if I can't figure out how to do my timing belt. I got a quote from a place over there on Chapman for $250 (best out of quotes I got - $550 was highest) then I could go travel some more and not worry about my TB with 105k on it breaking.

Here are your nut and bolt sizes for that area. The two nuts that hold the housing to the head are #30 in the diagram ( 8mm ). That has nothing to do with the socket size which is 12 mm.
http://www.bkhondaparts.com/billkay/jsp/prddisplay.jsp?catcgry1=ACCORD&catcgry2=1989&catcgry3=4DR+LXI&catcgry4=KL4AT&catcgry5=WATER+PUMP+%28PGM-FI%29&ListAll=All&vinsrch=no&systemcomp=List+All&prdrefno=&quantity=0&act=&count=0&hidSwitch=&hidIrno=

[car6289]

The two "nuts" that hold the thermostat housing to the head are 8 x 1.25mm (require 12mm socket or wrench). The two "bolts" that hold the thermostat outlet housing to the thermostat housing are 6 x 1.0mm (requires a 10mm wrench or socket).

[Bluntman]

The two "nuts" that hold the thermostat housing to the head are 8 x 1.25mm (require 12mm socket or wrench). The two "bolts" that hold the thermostat outlet housing to the thermostat housing are 6 x 1.0mm (requires a 10mm wrench or socket).

I just caught the "nut" thing and corrected the wording before I read this. I knew I would get a wording check. But I was doing a few different things at once.:D:D

[car6289]

I'll stop there if I get back to OC. I don't know what the size of those bolts are (or the original material). Are the replacements better quality (like hardened stainless steel maybe) or stock? I guess that's the place for head bolts too.

What will bring me back to OC is if I can't figure out how to do my timing belt. I got a quote from a place over there on Chapman for $250 (best out of quotes I got - $550 was highest) then I could go travel some more and not worry about my TB with 105k on it breaking.

The timing belt replacement interval debate is continuous. http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73027. If your timing belt has 105k on it and it is still in good shape and you have faith in the belt, travel on. One thing to remember a rubber belt in the environment that is a car engine will deteriorate over the course of time and eventually fail. Be it the Russian or casino variety it's still roulette. Spin your engine take your chances. IMO change it sooner than later.

[car6289]

I just caught the "nut" thing and corrected the wording before I read this. I knew I would get a wording check. But I was doing a few different things at once.:D:D

Nut or bolt doesn't matter much, that lower one is a bugger to get off with the EGR pipe in the way.

[rebuild]

If I could do it on my own it would be changed by now. The outside of the belt looks fine but I could not see closeup enough to check out the sides of each of the ridges. I did see oil - at least from the valve cover and grommets, but maybe from cam seal. Not sure if leaking oil pan gasket gets oil in the lower timing belt cover or not. Wonder if anyone uses a timing belt cover gasket? I'd like to clean all that thoroughly in there and go with a new extended life TB and tensioner. I don't know how I can turn the crank. So although I drive on it, I am nervous about the belt cause it's gooey in there and I couldn't see the important parts up close.

[Dr_Snooz]

Look more closely at the higher bids you got. If you have leaking seals, you should have those replaced while they are changing the belt. If not, then you will have another oil-soaked belt again in a very short while. The cheap bid is probably to replace the belt only and leave the leaking seals go. Not a very good investment if that's the case.

Oh, and patience is the only thing that will get that lower nut off. You don't need to replace the nuts at the head, but the bolts at the thermostat cover might need replacing because coolant tends to drip on them over time and corrodes them.