The repair work with most cursing...

[AC439]

Haven't post here for a while....Hope you guys doin' fine.

Recently, I noticed smoke and burning smell coming from the engine bay when car stopped at a red light or just parked at the driveway when I'm home. It was come and go so I really didn't pay much attention to it till last week. Finally, figured out it was a leaking power steering pressure hose. It sprayed PS fluid onto the exhaust and over the front motor mount. At first, I thought it was just oil and I'll fix it later. Then after some digging here, you guys said it is a fire hazard. Lucky me, I stepped into an Autozone and they have one in store so I grabbed it. Went to the dealer and grabbed a bottle of PS fluid.

Before I started, I read the discussion here and knew I'd be cursing during the repair. But I ended up cursing much more than I expected, even I worked from below. The biggest problem is the metal portion of the pressure hose (close to the rack side) has to feed through an arched PS return hose. After an hour of shouting a whole bunch of symbolic words (eg: @#$% ^%), I decided to yank the return hose to make room for the feed. Once I disconnected the return hose, PS fluid spilled down the line from the reservoir. Placed my finger over to stop the spill while screaming at the wife to find me something to cap it. Anyway, it was so much easier after that hose was disconnected and the new hose was installed.

The parts people at the dealership told me I only need a bottle. But with the spill and to fill the space inside the new hose, I ended up getting another bottle of PS fluid to top it up.

Not really contributing anything here but I have not read anyone mentioning removing the arched return hose. But I think this will make the job easier. Or if you are going to change the return hose at the same time might be a better idea.

- AC

[Vanilla Sky]

So far for me, it's been transmissions.

[DBMaster]

I have done that same P/S hose twice, once from above and once from below. It was easier from below. There were plenty of colorful metaphors filling the air, though.

Changing all the small heater and coolant bypass hoses involved far more of the creative language. I think I even came up with a few that were new to the English language during that job.

I think this is all part of the shadetree mechanic "code," though. Cussing up a storm is sort of a "guideline." LOL!

[AC439]

I haven't needed work on my tranny yet so I can't compare. But my AT is running fine (knock on wood). Been using Honda ATF all these years changing every 15k miles.

I have done the tiny bitty coolant hoses and, really, I didn't curse as much as with the power steering hose. At least, I worked from above to change them. But with the power steering hose, I worked from below and this made my head wanted to explode. Not to mention the road dirt that got into my eyes...

(DBM: I read your comment before I started changing the hose, so I worked from below, thinking I could do it in less then an hour. Taking off the old hose wasn't bad. But it was a PITA to feed the new hose into place, even from below)

[w261w261]

The little coolant hoses are no big deal, very straightforward, UNTIL you do the one from the IACV that goes under the intake. That makes up for the rest.

then there's the main relay.

[lostforawhile]

Nappa sells the equivalent fluid to the Honda and much cheaper, worked fine for me.

[Dr_Snooz]

I have a 50% success rate with transmissions unfortunately, but I don't swear much when working on them. I swore more on the PS hose. I was kinda ready for the coolant hoses to be a pain, but the PS hose caught me totally off guard. The shadetree mechanic code was in full effect for that one. I've done it twice now too and the second one I did with the engine pulled. It's funny you mention that horseshoe hose. I also removed it the second time and it seemed to make it easier. I ended up replacing all those hoses down there. They were fine but at 21 years, they are probably closer to the end of their lives than the beginning.

I hear you on the messiness. There is so much dirt down there and everything that falls, falls on you. I wear clear glasses when working under the car now. It really helps to keep the dirt out of your eyes.

[lostforawhile]

I have a 50% success rate with transmissions unfortunately, but I don't swear much when working on them. I swore more on the PS hose. I was kinda ready for the coolant hoses to be a pain, but the PS hose caught me totally off guard. The shadetree mechanic code was in full effect for that one. I've done it twice now too and the second one I did with the engine pulled. It's funny you mention that horseshoe hose. I also removed it the second time and it seemed to make it easier. I ended up replacing all those hoses down there. They were fine but at 21 years, they are probably closer to the end of their lives than the beginning.

I hear you on the messiness. There is so much dirt down there and everything that falls, falls on you. I wear clear glasses when working under the car now. It really helps to keep the dirt out of your eyes.

first thing to do when doing those kinds of repairs, get some purple stuff degreaser or store brand same thing, spray everything full strength with a squirt bottle and hose the crap out of it with a garden hose. once it dries get busy, makes it so much easier to work.

[ecogabriel]

PS hose was difficult; it helped that a) I had read here how hard it might be, and b) got mine from the yard (a pristine one with still parts of the tag attached to it) so I practiced in removing it and trying to remember the moves to get it back in place. That helped (a lot!) O'Reilly sells a PS fluid for Hondas/Acuras; so far so good no problems. I may end up with the OE Honda after doing another flush with the OR fluid.

Good that you removed all the smaller PS hoses; I just replaced a couple that looked kind of ugly. I should have bought more length of hose...

I did the small cooling oses a couple of weeks ago; the ones under the intake manifold were hard as one has to remove manifold bracket and breather chamber to get access to two little hoses. One that goes from the manifold to the large pipe that ends in the water pump was by far the worse; I could not get my back straight after finishing with all the work...

Cursing??? I might have killed some of the Honda family guys... wtf for all those little pesky hoses in all those ugly to reach places???

I pressured washed my car several times before doing repairs because it leaked so badly that it needed a cleanup every time. So not a lot of crap end up falling on my face...still, wearing clear glasses is a good idea that I should put into use...

[stevo89]

then there's the main relay.

Honestly i thought that main relay was like a huge relief cause i was scared of the whole bein a PITA but it was really easy only hard part is the screw but i can get it...

[lostforawhile]

how about pulling the shifter assembly out? it's WAY up under the middle of the car, UNDER the heat shield, UNDER the exhaust.

[gp02a0083]

probally those small coolant lines under the intake, as well as the knuckle that connects the steering column to the steering rack.

[charliekuney]

then there's the main relay.

Honestly i thought that main relay was like a huge relief cause i was scared of the whole bein a PITA but it was really easy only hard part is the screw but i can get it...

That's what I thought. Took me less than a minute to pull it, about three to replace (including bolting it back up).

[lostforawhile]

probally those small coolant lines under the intake, as well as the knuckle that connects the steering column to the steering rack.

let me guess you didn't find the hidden trap door under the floor pan? a lot of people can't find the knuckle under there. it's not mentioned in any service manual? I had one of those WTF moments when changing the rack until i figured it out

[2oodoor]

that is probably the dirtiest area to work around right there around the rack hoses...
I am not a big fan of all the sharp prongy things in the engine compartment, I do not like to get dirty or injured while working on the car. I know the dirty part is inevitable but I try to keep a white lab coat thing going on so to speak.

[Ichiban]

I am not a big fan of all the sharp prongy things in the engine compartment,

Ever do the rear mounted coil packs on a Cavalier? There's three bolts holding the assembly on, except you can't get to them. The intake is in the way from the top, and the steering rack is in the way from the bottom. Each screw that holds crap to the inside of the firewall is also like 2 inches longer than it needs to be. It's like feeding your hand to a meat grinder, not to mention the job is usually being done where the car died, ie my buddy's slush covered driveway on new years day...

Honda's generally have few, if any "sharp prongy things" in comparison to the Cavalier.

[2oodoor]

Ever do the rear mounted coil packs on a Cavalier? There's three bolts holding the assembly on, except you can't get to them. The intake is in the way from the top, and the steering rack is in the way from the bottom. Each screw that holds crap to the inside of the firewall is also like 2 inches longer than it needs to be. It's like feeding your hand to a meat grinder, not to mention the job is usually being done where the car died, ie my buddy's slush covered driveway on new years day...

Honda's generally have few, if any "sharp prongy things" in comparison to the Cavalier.

yes I have! that would be the same Cava-liar with the serpentine tensioner that is not spring loaded but is just a big peg in a giant rubber grommet.. its supposed to hold tension in that pivot merely from the tight fitament of the grommet deal.. what a POS. agreed

[Ichiban]

yes I have! that would be the same Cava-liar with the serpentine tensioner that is not spring loaded but is just a big peg in a giant rubber grommet.. its supposed to hold tension in that pivot merely from the tight fitament of the grommet deal.. what a POS. agreed

Yes, just junk.

[Dr_Snooz]

Ever do the rear mounted coil packs on a Cavalier? There's three bolts holding the assembly on, except you can't get to them. The intake is in the way from the top, and the steering rack is in the way from the bottom. Each screw that holds crap to the inside of the firewall is also like 2 inches longer than it needs to be. It's like feeding your hand to a meat grinder, not to mention the job is usually being done where the car died, ie my buddy's slush covered driveway on new years day...

Honda's generally have few, if any "sharp prongy things" in comparison to the Cavalier.

Second that. My Mom had a Chevette when I was in high school. It was like working in a drawer full of knives. Freakin' GM.

[gp02a0083]

let me guess you didn't find the hidden trap door under the floor pan? a lot of people can't find the knuckle under there. it's not mentioned in any service manual? I had one of those WTF moments when changing the rack until i figured it out

nah that wasn't the problem it was getting that dammed knuckle back on the new rack and the ungodly precision that you need to snake the thing in. The auto trans cable is also a clearance issue.

the only thing worse i have come across with repairs is on my fathers 91 ford aerostar, try changing the plugs on that and the dist cap and wires. even worse is trying to replace the headgaskets.

[LX-incredible]

I just bend the hard line and bend it back once it's in. Easy. Of course I figure this out after fighting with it for several hours. Second one took me 15 min. I strongly suggest using a high temp hose sleeve or wrap over the exhaust manifold if you don't feel like doing it again.

[car6289]

yes I have! that would be the same Cava-liar with the serpentine tensioner that is not spring loaded but is just a big peg in a giant rubber grommet.. its supposed to hold tension in that pivot merely from the tight fitament of the grommet deal.. what a POS. agreed

Changing the serpentine tensioner on a 98 Sunfire. the bolt that holds the tensioner is 3" long, the space given to remove the bolt is about 1 1/2". I probably fucked the engine mounts prying the engine out of the way so I could remove the bolt. I've been GM free for almost two years. I don't plan on jumping back on their bandwagon any time soon.

[griffonks]

Alternator on an early 90's 4x4 Toyota Van. Bad disconnect and worse removal. Also on that job I had an auto-electric re-builder (remember those shops?) give me three bad alternators in sequence. He said that he had a bad box of components or some such nonsense. They all failed within a week of install. I could do the alternator 'twist' in a 10th the first time on the final one.

I have not done the power steering hoses in my lx yet.... I did the small coolant hoses though. Bad enough.

[InAccordance]

steering rack, hands down.

[carotman]

There's not much stuff that's difficult on these cars honestly.

The worst thing I would say would be to adjust the stock carb and find vacuum leaks. It's only time consuming tough.

Replacing the fuel tank can be a real mess.