car died for good....finally

[baron4406]

Well its me again, the guy who's learned to hate Honda's. Finally got the Weber on, car ran ok. Finally seemed relaible. Didn't let me sit for a solid month, a new record!! Well last night it died, this time for good it seems. No fuel in the Weber so I figured my 4 month old fuel pump was dead. Casualty of the filler neck recall that NO dealer around here will do. Gotta love Honda huh?? Anyway I keep the tank clean and change the fuel filters monthly, must work since I just pulled the weber off to clean it and there was no dirt in it....no cleaning needed. So the fuel pump was under warranty, just put a new one in..........nothing. Still dead. So I started checking fuel flow, fuel gushes out of the tank nipple when I turn the key, so I figured a clogged fuel filter (not likely since I change them alot), so I changed the main filter by the tank, did the key check and fuel poured out of the filter. Cool!! Tried to start it again. nothing. Now I tuned my attention to the engine compartment filter. Changed that.........but left the fuel line off going into the filter. Its then i found the porblem, fuel is flowing into the fuel line that goes into the body (after the big filter by the tank) but its not getting to the fuel filter in the engine compartment. This means there is a clog in the metal fuel line that runs through the body. Looking at it in the parking lot where my car broke down at it appears this is a non-servicable part. So this car is dead for good, and thus ends my honda experiment. Going back to American cars, the "totally unreliable" cars that never seemed to let me down. Maybe I can try to find a way to run an alternate fuel line but I'm not sure how I'm gonna accomplish that. My neighbor is gonna tow my car to my house. I'd like to get it running somehow and get something for it........maybe I can at least recoup my investment in my Weber. Kinda stinks winter is brutal here and if it snows I'm screwed-my Camaro isn't too good in the snow. So you probably won't see me here anymore.....just wanted to thank you guys here. Honda cars are unreliable junk, poorly made, and have dealers that refuse to do government safety recalls.............but the guys on this board helped my out in so many ways I can at least take one positive note away from my ill fated Honda experiment. I hate to even bad mouth the cars since some of the guys on this board who drive them are the coolest and nicest people I've met. BTW if anyone wants this car and is in the eastern PA area come and make me an offer. '87 LX that's actually in very nice shape, interior is almost perfect. 5 speed with a new Weber carb. There's a TON of good parts here. e-mail me at [email protected] is your interested.

[shepherd79]

sorry to hear that Honda don't work for you.
i am sure if you post here you can sell weber here.

[baron4406]

Yea well now that I towed the car home I think I can run a new steel fuel line under the car and at least sell a running car. I'd get alot more for it that way.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

What kind of car was it?

[baron4406]

Its an '87 Accord LX 4 door 5 speed.

Just looked over it real good, the new fuel pump doesn't even have enough guts to feed fuel to the carb. My guess is water got into the tank and there is some frozen slush at the bottom of the tank. Its really the only explanation. I blew compressed air through all the fuel lines and they are clear. Maybe some drygas would help.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Hmm.... maybe my fuel pump needs to be changed to a weber pump. If there's slush try and put HEET in the tank. I think that stuff removes water and ice from tanks and lines.

[A20A1]

If you find out that you still have fuel problems after you've replaced the hard fuel line.

Check the float valve... my float valve unscrewed itself from the underside of the top hat and was putting constat pressure on the needle and float, that gave me a major fuel problem that had me running around checking the fuel pump and fuel lines as well.

[baron4406]

Well here's a trip, finally got fuel to the carb. Still wouldn't start, in fact the carb was actually flooded big time. With the throttle held wide open finally got the car to start. Throttle wide open it would only get to like 3000 RPM's and it was running unbelivably rough-plus there was MASSIVE amounts of smoke out the back. The car stalled then when I restarted it ran perfect. Wierd!!! So my theory of water in the carb/fuel lines seems valid, when the fuel pump went bad all this water was sitting there without the fuel.........and it froze. There was apparently alot in the carb too....strange since I just cleaned it a week ago. So until I can find a filler neck at the junkyard I'm gonna keep ALOT of dry gas in the tank. Its the only way to combat the water. Next weekend I'm off work so i can hit a few junkyards and get a filler neck. Then I'll drop the tank and clean it good. Then at least I can get market value for the car when I sell it. A carburated car like this ( a VERY poorly designed carburated car) just isn't reliable enough for a daily driver. However the car runs great and is in nice condition, so I'll be able to get decent money for it at least. Probably post it in the classifieds.

[shepherd79]

well, at least you found the problem.
talk to mike (a20a1) and he can help you with adjusting the carb.

[baron4406]

There really is only two adjustments, idle mixture and curb idle. Well three also a high idle behind the choke. Any others and you have to swap jets. No matter what I do the car won't run smooth. It hesitates and jerks. Engaging the secondary is a BIG hesitation. Still it runs alot better with the Weber.

[1989 DX R]

Too bad you got stuck with a car that got abused to the point that it made you hate Honda. That's probably the first I've heard of a problem like that, but I do know how it feels to have carb problems.

[Neuspeed87lx]

Originally posted by baron4406
Honda cars are unreliable junk, poorly made, and have dealers that refuse to do government safety recalls

how can you say honda's are junk ? because you have had some trouble with your 16 year old car.... ? these cars are getting old.... things need to be replaced ... no matter what kind of car it is .. how many dealers have turned you down to do the safety recalls ? im pretty sure its illegal for them to turn you down... have fun with your camaro

[Sean]

well how much for the 88lx 4dr ?? i be interested in the way it is ? name a price.

[baron4406]

Uh its an '87 LX 4 door. I posted my e-mail addy in the first post.

Neuspeed87lx- I'm 36 years old and I've owned over 30 cars. All american except for a Eagle Talon I just sold-and that car was made in America. I've owned old cars, about 15 turbo Mopars from Shadows to Daytonas, a brand new Neon coupe when they first came out to my present Z-28 Camaro. I can remember TWICE when they left me sit. Once a fuel pump quit on my '89 CSX-VNT, and another was when the alternator quit on an '88 Daytona Shelby Z. So far this Honda has broken down on me 13 times, in the 4 months I've owned it. One of those breakdowns was 70 miles from my house, the last one I had to walk 4 miles in 5 degree cold. BTW some of those Shadows I had were real rough, one I paid $50 for since it had an engine fire. I rewired it a bit, replaced stuff............and it got me to work for a year until I sold it. The little turbo motor had over 150k on it, and never quit on me. So I've seen first hand this bit about Japanese cars being more reliable is basically bunk. Will my Honda break down if I fix the filler neck?? I really doubt it, but it was Honda who dangerously under-engineered a vital componant of the car-then refuses to fix it. And tying to pass off carburators in 1987?? Heck even Horizons had fuel injection by then. Yea I'm griping because I listened to the hype about Hondas. Its funny tho my experience doesn't count, however if an American car huccups people are screaming how horrible they are. Its a darn shame because I really like this Honda, it drives nice, pretty spunky with the new Weber, everything works on it, and I actually like the 4 doors for piling stuff into it. Sure it rattles like any other car of this age but it still feels like at least some of the car was put together right. Its just that when a car has let you down as much as this one has to me.......its tough to rely on it even if you KNOW its been fixed. So some lucky Honda lover is gonna buy this car-and have a great time with it...........since I fixed all the bad stuff. One advantage to buying a used car I guess. Anyway I'm directing my anger to Honda motors NOT the members of this site, you guys are pretty cool and helpful and seem to be without the attitude that prevails in my Camaro message boards.

[baron4406]

Ok yet another postscript............finally called a dealer an hour or so away from my house..in a vain attempt to find a dealer who would even listen to me. FOUND ONE!!! The guy was cool as heck.....here the REAL kicker.........the recall WAS ALREADY DONE ON MY CAR. OMG this is the funniest thing I've ever heard. So Honda fixes the problem, and it basically comes right back. Sooooo it looks like its junkyard time this weekend.

[89AccordNate]

Yea but I guarantee your american cars wont run for 300k miles. Your car might be a pile of trash because someone abused it..but I guarantee if you had an american car abused like your honda has been abused, it would run worse, and would more then likely be long DEAD.


My carb car has over 185k miles on it..and it runs like its brand new. When your crapmaro can look as good as my car does at 12 years old (with no garaging), then come whining to me about how great american cars are.

Look at imports, and look at the same aged american cars..the american cars look like transformer mobiles compared to our still stylish hondas.

When you pull up to a stoplight in your camaro and get dusted..then you will have a little more respect for what they can do. Not trying to start a import vs american battle here, but one bad experience is pretty immature to assume something is bad. Thats like banging a bad girl the first time you do it.....does that stop you from doing it again? I hope not.

They have a reputation for a reason..not because someone just made it up.

Everyone has their good and bad luck, but it looks like you just got your hands on a bad car. I guarantee american cars dont have the reliability that imports do..its a proven fact.


Nate.

[baron4406]

Originally posted by 89AccordNate
Yea but I guarantee your american cars wont run for 300k miles. Your car might be a pile of trash because someone abused it..but I guarantee if you had an american car abused like your honda has been abused, it would run worse, and would more then likely be long DEAD.


My carb car has over 185k miles on it..and it runs like its brand new. When your crapmaro can look as good as my car does at 12 years old (with no garaging), then come whining to me about how great american cars are.

Look at imports, and look at the same aged american cars..the american cars look like transformer mobiles compared to our still stylish hondas.

When you pull up to a stoplight in your camaro and get dusted..then you will have a little more respect for what they can do. Not trying to start a import vs american battle here, but one bad experience is pretty immature to assume something is bad. Thats like banging a bad girl the first time you do it.....does that stop you from doing it again? I hope not.

They have a reputation for a reason..not because someone just made it up.

Everyone has their good and bad luck, but it looks like you just got your hands on a bad car. I guarantee american cars dont have the reliability that imports do..its a proven fact.


Nate.

Sure come to my house then we will drive around. Old Japanese cars RUST like there's no tomorrow. I have yet to have an '87 American car that has rust issues like this Honda. Will my engine go 300k miles?? I really doubt it that's a stretch. You did hit a key point, if you take car of your car it will last. As far as my "CrapMaro" as you called it, thank god for that car because it starts everytime and gets me where I need to go, unlike my Honda. So tell me a Honda that will run 13's bone stock and the motor will last 150k miles??? Oh yea it also has to cost less than $10,000 like mine did.

Anyway I'm off to the junkyard now. Hope I can cobble up something that will allow me to sell this car in a safe state.

[njpeter]

the dealer that got paid for the filler pipe recall may have not actually done it..if the fuel pipe has rusted through again, either the dealer never did it ( and got paid for it) or they used the wrong(old type) part.

A simple letter to american honda ( copy to the NTSB) will actually get a governement inspector to look into it. I nerly had a local dealer shut down when they refused to to the seat belt recall for free..they told me since my car was built in canada, it didn't qualify for the recall.

if there is more then one dealer in town, mention to the dealer that told you no, that you may be forced to write that letter..wtach the sudden attitude change. When shopsa re really busy, they will do nearly anything to keep low paying warrnaty work on the side..how do I know this?, I used to work at a dealership..and warranty work pays about half of the normal flat hour rate,,,so nobody wanted to get stuck doing that when higher hour jobs were available. I could do brakes in half of the flat book time..so I'd get paid for four hours for two hours of work..so at the end of the week..I'd be booking 60 hours of labor for a 40 hour week.

when it comes to recalls..don't let them say no

[baron4406]

My guess is when my car was taken to the dealer it just had some surface rust on the filler neck...and their solution was to simply spray rust preventative on it. Well the material Honda used was defective and that didn't cut it. My car,for its age, has little rust problems..............but 99% is centered around that darned filler neck.
Just got back from the local U-Pull It. Right as I walked in what was the first car I saw?? LOL you guessed it. I got a pristine filler neck, gas cap and even the metal around the filler neck for the tidy sum of $6. So I just ordered a pizza and will attack it in an hour. Will be an easy fix I'm gonna trim the sheetmetal piece and weld it in place of where mine was rotted out at......then simply install the "new" filler neck. Plus i'll flush the fuel tank and install new filters AGAIN, then clean the Weber good. I can almost guarantee without all that junk in the fuel this car will run alot better and be alot more relaible.

[baron4406]

All done now. MAN there was gunk in the tank, unreal. Never actually took it off before. I ended up JB welding most of the plate in since the metal there is too thin to run a MIG weld around it. Looks kinda funny with a brown car and a blue plate around the filler neck, but touch up paint will cure that. What's bizarre is I swear the car runs and idles better now. Hmmmm maybe it in my head.

[87accord]

see its all good !!!!:super:

[baron4406]

ROFL.............that "rockin" smiley has to be my all time fave.

Now I can sell the car with peace of mind. Its just like me get a car with alot of problems, then fix it all up and sell it to someone else. The life of a born mechanic I guess.

[MrBen]

I know people who have over 500,000 miles on their accord. If you take care of it, bring it back from hell if the person before you abused it, it will be a good car. Honda's don't die, their owners do.

I am having the same experience with everything going wrong on mine, but you know what, it's a good car and when I get it back up to a good point it will be a great car and last a long time. Beats the hell out of the American pieces of shit that when you open the hood, all you see is a big as plastic piece covering the engine. And I dare you to get 450 miles to the tank on your piece of shit American car.