Periodic Maintenance

torbik · January 2003

Do you know what page of the manual it is on?
I did check there....can't seem to locate it.

Thanks

inkie · February 2003

I don't think you will find it in the manual. I am pretty sure these are the numbers you are looking for: Honda 15400 POH 305 made by Filtech in USA,try and get this one. 15400 PT7-005 made in Canada for Honda by Fram not as sturdy as Filtech. Purolater's best: PL14459, Penske: PN3593A Fram: PH3593A. From what I remember the Fram 3593 had a smaller body than the others. Is that enough info for you?

torbik · February 2003

Yes, this helps.
Thank you!

cartagram · February 2003

My new '99 Emerald Green Accord was peppered with shattering vinyl siding on the interstate. As a result, the right-front bumper has some deep scratches and scuffs.

I could repaint these with touch-up paint, but can I go a step further and buff out or sand the plastic of the scratches first, then paint after?

I'm a novice at repairs, except for occasional paint touch-ups. But these scratches are rough and I'd like to do the best I can.

What tools and steps do I need? Any advice is appreciated!

swschrad · February 2003

feather out the scratches with wet-or-dry sandpaper, prime, and paint as needed. mask off everything you don't want messed up by paint overspray with coated paper and masking tape.

atlantabenny · February 2003

Have done a couple of family vehicles, a small area in my son's Montero Sport and all our vehicles' side mirror base (the triangular base that's body colored which I prefer black).

1) Deep scratches need filler to build up the crevice to surface level
2) New paint needs to be exactly the same (faded) shade as the original paint for spot repaints. If not, whole part needs to be repainted unless "paint maps" are acceptable. Luckily for us, our Montero was plain black (different story if it was an exotic black shade) and so it was just spot painting.
3) Assuming you've successfully hurdled 1) & 2), buffing/polishing/waxing repeated 2x or so over a week is mandatory.

You'll see it's not easy but if you have time to spare, you can give it a try. Alternatively, I know off-duty shop painters will do this for about $150 all-in in their backyard.

cartagram · February 2003

Thanks for the advice, atlantabenny.

I'm going to sand the rough edges and paint. Just don't know if I need to step up to something better than the little brush at the end of the cap in the Honda touch-up bottle.

Perhaps a bigger brush or an inexpensive airbrush?

My other question is, what's a good source for trouble-shooting problems and learning how a car works? Is there a good software program or are the various consumer books best?

My goal is to map sounds and conditions to the mechanicals so that I can write off stuff as normal...or give my service rep a better description. So how can I get educated about cars (or about my Accord)?

swschrad · February 2003

get spray paint at honda parts or an equivalent product (dupli-color import, etc.)... doing anything other than filling in a rock chip with the touch-up brush in the cap is uuuuu-gly.

atlantabenny · February 2003

is a must as per swschrad if you want to get as close to the original finish as possible.

Check the dealers, they might have your color. Pep Boys et al just have the touch up bottle.

If you do decide to spray, try your hand with the filler (it's not hard) and spraying just the immediate surrounding area of the scratch/es. Before the filler and paint set, wipe off the excess so that mostly only the painted-over scratch is left.

"Hayes" auto repair manuals are very helpful for both beginners and experts alike, and they are model-specific. They're readily available from the parts retailers at a reasonable price.

swschrad · February 2003

yeah, you might waste a can of paint. big whoop, they'll sell you another (there should be lot numbers someplace on the can, match them so the color is exactly the same.) I have seen the occasional car going by (or more likely, sitting in a heap someplace) that looks like somebody held a spraycan an inch from the fender until it ran dry... big gob of crud dripping all the way down.

there is a small trick in using a spraycan or spraygun and evenly overlapping a just-right smooth coat of paint.

find that by spraying a chunk of scrap metal, some pie tins, whatever, before you take the first shot at the car.

and don't forget to remove all the old wax, grease, etc. by washing with something like dish detergent and/or following up with 99% isopropyl alcohol. if you don't, you will have a peeling, bubbling mess you don't like.

it ain't hard if I can do it, but I decided to hit a garbage can first as well... and man, did I need to

cartagram · February 2003

Thanks, all, for suggestions on repainting the bumper. Weather too cold here yet, but when spring springs, I'll be sanding and painting.

I'm a newbie about how cars work. I purchased the Accord Haynes manual and read every chance I get. But is there anything more fundamental that has 3D illustrations of how car systems work?

Manual transmission and transaxle...I'd like to see how the clutch pedal and shifter work the transaxle and engine. But it's hard to make the connections with 2D schematics.

Anything on the web? (With 2 Accords in the family, I'd like to become extremely familiar with all systems, so I know when they need maintenance or repair.)

alcan · February 2003

Right here, along with most subsystems:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/channel.htm?ch=auto&sub=sub-und- er-the-hood

cartagram · February 2003

Oh, that is the best! Just what I wanted.

Thank you, Alcan.

alcan · February 2003

You're welcome.

inkie · February 2003

Besides your public library where most tech. car books hangout for free and the other suggestions by this boards message writers. Go to: www.google.com a good search engine, plug in any car subject you want and you will get what you need.

fleetwoodsimca · February 2003

As a kid, going off to college, I drove the old family hand-me-down 1955 Chevy 265(?) V8 Bel Air 4 door. It had no filter fittings, and no hydraulic lifters, for that matter. It had the oil changed religiously from brand new-- 3-4K intervals, using brand name oil, such as Havoline. I don't have the time to regale you with the torturous story, but at 60K I crippled down the highway to my folks place for a 2 week Christmas holiday break-- desperately in need of engine overhaul, due to excessive cylinder wear, and other GM mechanical failures, like broken skirts on pistons, etc. My father and I spent most of that break from college out in the family garage, doing the best overhaul we could, without machine shop facilities. You could have stuck a pencil between the pistons and the cylinder walls, the wear was so bad! I learned the true meaning of ridge reaming, that session! By 80K total on the car, it was gone again, and I gave it up for a wonderful 1951 Fleetwood Caddy. The point to all this? Well, I am one that believes oil filters do a whole lot for us. They aren't there for the visible gravel, but to filter out the micro abrasives, like the ones that destroyed the 55 Chevy V8 in 60K miles. The counter argument might be that the quality of the GM product was so poor that... but I doubt that to be the case.

armtdm · February 2003

Times have changes as you know. the engines are much better as are the oils. Now, let's duplicate your driving and no filter etc. with a 2000 model year and see what happens at 100,000 miles, still going strong I will bet!

Nothign made 100,000 miles in 50 and 60s!

fleetwoodsimca · February 2003

Those old 50's cars just didn't wear out in 60K miles, unless they didn't have oil filters! I did get "lost" in my story, I guess. I agree that we expect a lot more miles from a car now, and the technology will deliver it. Can you name a car on today's market that doesn't have a filter?

venanzik · March 2003

when is it recommended to change the wires when changing out the plugs? i have a 92 accord 145K.

8u6hfd · March 2003

check the resistance of the wires. Anything over 25k-Ohms means you need new wires. Also change the distributor cap and rotor while you're at it.

armtdm · March 2003

is usually a good changing point

fleetwoodsimca · March 2003

So many Ohms per foot, but I can't recall the figure. Longer wires have more resistance. Beyond the allowed "per foot" figure, you need a new wire. Hey... Alcan! Opatience! Where are you?

zueslewis · March 2003

All respect to the guy who originally asked the question.....why on Earth do we need a guy, who would ask a question like that, to attempt checking ohms of resistance?

Quit being engineers for a moment and realize, through common sense, that if a guy doesn't know when he should change his plug wires, he probably doesn't have the equipment or ability to check ohms of resistance.

Hey, buddy, if your wires have more than 60-70K on them, change them out for a good set. Don't get the cheapest ones you can find - with wires, you get what you pay for.

stubborn1 · March 2003

With platinum plugs, I change plugs and wires every 50k. It seems like no matter what, you are going to pull a wire out of the boot every time. It never fails to happen to me and you can't buy just one plug wire. Its usually always the plug wire tucked all the way in the back on V6/V8 where you have 4 swivels and extensions on your socket wrench just to get at it.

It may be different for 4 cylinder engines where you can reach the plugs and wires easy.

venanzik · March 2003

but I am sure others may appreciatat the info. but you are right all I needed to know were the basics in laymans as I am a person who only performs basic services on the car, fluids, bulbs, filters etc. But i thank you all for your responses.

alcan · March 2003

8u6hfd had the magic number, >25K ohms. That only indicates internal resistance though, not insulation breakdown and current leakage to ground. At 100K miles those plug wires have seen their tour of duty.

bburton1 · March 2003

Haven't priced "genuine" Honda plug wires recently but it is a big number IIRC. Some of the el cheapo replacement plug wires may provide worse performance than the old wires you replace. Oh and if u do replace them-do it one cylinder at a time-not a big deal to figure out which is which but it is easier to replace them one by one.

fleetwoodsimca · March 2003

Digital readout multimeters are well within the reach of most interested shadetree mechanics, and using them is easier than using the old analog meters. It just isn't that hard to read the ohms of resistance in a wire. I fought off buying a digital, until one day Sears had a Craftsman at about 50% off. An old friend pushed me the extra distance, telling me how great they really are. Wow! It's a new world compared to the old analogs and all the guesstimating you go through, and scale setting. Oh! yeah, be sure you buy an automatic ranging model. It's like going from abiccus to electronic calculator.

swschrad · March 2003

although one of my home DMMs is a Beckman and one is a Fluke (neither on the budget shelf by any means), the unit I leave in the car is a RS $35 model. if I back over it, it isn't the end of the world -- and THAT cheapoid is an autorange unit!

analog-scale multimeters are still better for some things like adjusting a mechanical voltage regulator... oh, wait, they disappeared 30 years ago... or for dipping the radio IF coils... oh, wait, they're all broadband electronic-tuning now... yeah, get the DVM.

8u6hfd · March 2003

Fluke makes great multi-meters....

Plus, if you do some housework...many times you need a multimeter to do some electrical work.

Yes I'm an engineer (mechanical)...which is beside the point.

Pick up a Haynes or Chiltons manual...it tells you the same thing, use a multimeter to check the resistance of the wires, as well as from the spark plug end to the distributor point.

fleetwoodsimca · March 2003

Out in one of my many roller cabinets, I have a Micronta (Radio Shack) analog range doubler multitester, catalog # 22-204A that sports 43 ranges. It is rated at 50K ohms/volt. It is a fine gauge, but laborious to operate. I also have an RAC multifunction analyzer! There's lots more electrical and electronic goodies out there, but I don't want to overwhelm you with the bounty! Heh, heh! I'll close on my Craftsman digital multimeter I've had for several years, now. It originally sold for like $110.00 and has a cable for PC interface. I got it at half off, on sale-- catalog # 82324. Life is good, when your toys are plentiful and high quality... (:o]

according2me · March 2003

nostalgic for the Heathkit multimeter I assembled in the 70's and tossed last month. Also miss the Fluke I had for 20 years.

But,I don't miss lugging an oscilloscope around any longer. Good riddance to that.

fleetwoodsimca · March 2003

I've got my original Tandy 386 computer and monitor. It has just enough electron power to interface with my Craftsman multimeter. I am debating... What do you think? I've got a good cart on wheels to keep it rather mobile. I have already installed the software, but then got realistic. Should I reenter the project? (:o]

according2me · March 2003

Buy the adapter and put it in your garage to read/clear codes.

Is it a full fledged 386 or the sx chip?

BTW, I have the 386sx box and yes mine still works, but Win95 is it's limit. It's a whopping 16mhz!!!!

swschrad · March 2003

and yes, I had an AA-35 amplifier that died in too many places at once a few years back that became dumpster folly itself.

I've still got my IM-18 VTVM tucked away in a bin upstairs... along with a deVry scope I came across for ten bucks. if the loony North Koreans drop one over here, I can still troubleshoot my stuff, assuming somebody gets 120 volts back up.

my latest toy is an Atwater Kent 20C that somebody horribly modified for depression tubes... just found some brass strip in a hobby shop today to restore the original twist-lock tube sockets, and I think I even found some Rust-Oleum spray paint that will match the color of what used to be the front panel before it turned to layers of rust. it sure looks just a whisper browner than the old RCA broadcast "dark umber" color. have already gotten the wasps nests out of the radio, and it's eminently restorable.

these things are cheaper to restore than cars... but when you consider the test equipment and old tubes on eBay you need, you sure find yourself wondering how much.

fleetwoodsimca · March 2003

My 386 is the sx as well. The instruction book to the multimeter says it is enough. Now! Depending on cost, I'd like to go OBD2 reading and clearing. Where do I get such an adapter? Can you flesh out the facts a bit? I think Batman (opatience) may have those. Eh?

swschrad · March 2003

don't know what version the new logging module needs for software, but the BR-2 interface can run with either WinSlows 95 or... from SourceForge.com... there is linux-based open source software availiable for that interface, as well.

reviews are under the OBD or codes tab, I think, off the main page at www.batauto.com

ray_h71 · March 2003

"...have already gotten the wasps nests out of the radio..."

swschrad, you suppose that'll elliminate any "buzzing" sounds you may have come across?...

swschrad · March 2003

which may be the original explaination for "don't touch that dial!"

in cars (! aha ! relevant to topic !) the equivalent would be mouse nests in the air cleaner and dead critters in the air intake for the cabin heating/cooling, as well as maybe a few rat gnaws through the fuel line hose and the 15-inch cast wheels replaced with 12-inch geo metro wheels that have been tack-welded to the brake drums. or a model A that is solid rust, but no perforations, and something resembling all the parts is bolted on or in a box on the back floor.

a true mess, but restorable with only a little work, compared to some specimens. the stuff I have to fabricate myself does not require milling machines. I am not qualified to be on the same floor as milling machines

8u6hfd · March 2003

http://www.ross-tech.com

For VW & Audi

fleetwoodsimca · March 2003

Just how important is periodic service changing fluids in transfer cases, differentials, manual transmissions, and hub lubrication in 4WD axle housings? Any discussion of procedures, and the philosophy of timing would be appreciated.

jerryg4 · March 2003

I sure could use some help! I am trying to drain the auto transmission of my daughters 94 Accord and am having a problem getting the fluid to drain. I located and removed the drain plug and gasket on the side of the transmission but no fluid drains out. I checked the fluid level and it shows full on the stick so I know there is something there to drain. The car is sitting level & I had driven it so the fluid was hot. The fluid on the stick looks clean so I can't figure out why it won't drain. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???
Thanks

nippononly · March 2003

the drain plug would be on the bottom, not on the side. Some have no drain plug and require hooking up a machine to suck it out of the filler tube.

As far as 4WD lube, I always have had a policy of changing manual transmission and differential oils at 60K intervals, because it is pretty easy. I have heard some people say it is not necessary that frequently, but since it is pretty easy I figure I will "overdo" it.

As far as 4WD-specific components, like hubs, I just follow the manufacturer schedule - for my 4Runner that is 15K for most things.

jerryg4 · March 2003

I would agree that it would seem logical that the drain plug should be at the bottom (like for engine oil) but in this case, it isn't. I went to the ALL DATA web site and got a drawing of the 94 accord transmission. It shows only one drain plug and is located on the side. That is the one I removed. All the instructions say is to "remove the plug, drain the fluid, replace the plug with a new gasket and add new fluid".
I am perplexed as to why no fluid will drain!!!!

bburton1 · March 2003

The accord tranny drain plug has a square "hole" in the center of the plug into which a 3/8" socket drive fits perfectly. If the plug you removed does not have this square "hole" you removed the wrong plug. The inside "end" of the plug protrudes and has a magnet and when you pull this out-there will be some grey gunk on it-wipe it off.

I guess something could be blocking the drain-gently stick a small screwdriver in and swirl it around. Oh you should drive the car a bit say 25 miles to heat up the fluid before draining it - gets the crud in suspension supposedly and only use honda atf unless you are a very adventuresome person.

nippononly · March 2003

if the drain plug is on the side how is one supposed to drain the stuff out? The only ones I have ever drained had the plug on the bottom (seems kind of logical, call me silly)

I suppose you could use a pump to suck it out thru the hole, kind of like the reverse of filling a manual transmission.

mikefm58 · March 2003

Don't have enough miles on the Accord yet, but on my '99 CRV, the tranny drain plug is on the side bottom, towards the front passenger tire. The plug is brass colored, round with a square hole to fit the end of a 3/8" ratchet.

according2me · March 2003

nippononly · March 2003

they ARE on the bottom? Makes sense.

jerryg4 · March 2003

After raising the car and having a good light to help my aging eyes, I found the drain plug. you guys wuz right, it was on the bottom passenger side of the housing. The fluid was filthy. Obviously hasn't been changed for a long time- if ever. I drained 3 1/2 qts, refilled with new fluid, drove 10 miles and did it again. I used genuine Honda fluid at 3 times the cost of Dexron III at my local discount store. Don't know if I had to do that or not but it was a lot cheaper than having my dealer do it.

I am still puzzled though why the drawing I got from the ALL DATA web site at my local library showed the plug and gasket on the side of the housing. Can't figure out what that plug was for. Maybe it was to plug a tooling hole or something.
Thanks

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