1999 honda accord

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99 accord with 85k original miles ...well kept car .not driven much in 20 years . picked it up for 2500..has a 2.3 automatic, my question is when should the timing belt be changed ?...I didn't get an owners manual . I trust you guys opinion on this more than finding any info on the web , I was also told that it would cost anywhere from $600 to possibly $900 to have done , maybe more at a dealership... thanks for any info
 
Originally Posted by FT92
99 accord with 85k original miles ...well kept car .not driven much in 20 years . picked it up for 2500..has a 2.3 automatic, my question is when should the timing belt be changed ?...I didn't get an owners manual . I trust you guys opinion on this more than finding any info on the web , I was also told that it would cost anywhere from $600 to possibly $900 to have done , maybe more at a dealership... thanks for any info

You can get/view an owner's manual online. Honda makes them available there for free. It will list a replacement interval.

That price seems about right or perhaps a little high for paying someone else to do it. If you do it yourself then a good kit with a water pump is about $104 on Rock Auto (Aisin).
 
I had a similar car that I inherited from my parents.
Get the timing belt and water pump done; make sure the valves are adjusted.
Spark plugs are cheap; perhaps do the cap and rotor as well.

Service all fluids.
That car is a long runner.
 
I'd change it now. Change all the fluids. Coolant, PS, Brakes, ATF, oil, etc.

I'd change the plugs, plug wires, water pump, thermostat, and all the filters as well.
 
Change it now - I'd also do the water pump, plugs, adjust the valves and fresh fluids/filters all around. It's a DIYable job, the only special tool you absolutely need is a crank pulley holder since Hondas of that era had the engine mounted on the left side of the car and it spins counterclockwise.
https://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-648796-Cranks-Pulley-Removal/dp/B0000TMLWQ

Honda still used copper plugs and a distributor on the 6th gen Accord 4-cylinder, check the cap/rotor/wires and stick to OEM for the cap and rotor if you need to replace them.
 
Originally Posted by AZjeff
Pics to see the state of preservation. Always fun to see a 20 yo like new car.

+1 show us the car!
 
Change it now, but before you do...crawl under the car and look on the passenger side where the engine sits on the cradle...that particular car has an issue with rot right where the control arm meets the cradle. Honda put the drain for the evaporator right inside the cradle, and it rots the cradle out. Make sure there are no issues before you do anything.

I hate it when someone buys a car, gets themselves a big repair and the tech doesn't pick up on something major. Just saw this on a Hyundai that came in with a brand spanking new exhaust...nice exhaust...probably cost $1,200...too bad the Tech didn't tell the customer that her rear cradle was rotted all the way through and the suspension was hanging off the car...wonder how Midas missed that? Oh yeah, they only care about selling exhaust. Meanwhile we had to put in a new rear suspension/cradle for this girl.
 
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Change the radiator hoses and belts if original too. Inspect the brake lines carefully. If you live in a hot climate everything rubber is suspect.
 
If you have no proof that the timing belt service has been done, do it now. The interval in those years was 100k, forget what the time interval was, but certainly less than 20 years!

Timing belt should not be difficult on that car. If you are handy with a wrench you can do it yourself and save a bunch of money.
 
^^What ALL THESE FINE PEOPLE have said^^
Family member had the same car with a V6 (it was actually called an "Accord V6") and a coworker had a '98 with your engine.
Both were great cars. Both sold real fast when the time came.
DO THE MAINTENANCE! Best of luck.
 
As others have noted, unless you have service records showing that the timing belt has been done within the last decade or so, you should take care of it.
A timing belt failure is fatal to this engine with bent valves and all of that.
The automatic transaxle on this generation can also be troublesome. A few drain and fills would be a good plan with a single drain and fill with each oil change not being a bad idea. There are some indications that bad shifting with flares on shifts can be fixed by replacing the solenoids that control operation. There was a thread on this here, but you'd have to search for it.
We had two Accords of this generation and our '99 LX 5 spd was probably my favorite Accord of all time. Ride is firm and well controlled while compliance over things like expansion joints is very good, better than our Gen 8 or Gen 10. Tracking is strong with little need for steering corrections. The 150 bhp VTEC found in the LX and EX trims always felt strong and with the stick you could exceed sixty in second and ninety in third. It was also pretty easy to average 30+ mpg in my use.
These cars also had far nicer interiors than either a Gen 8 or Gen 10.
You will be replacing the window regulators at some point, but they're pretty cheap from Rock and also pretty easy to do.
A good car for which you paid a fair price.
 
Change it now! As soon as convenient for you
smile.gif


I think Honda says 90k, but you're so close, and the car is so old, and it's an interference engine, you might as well do it ASAP!

Get the Aisin kit which contains all OEM components, including the water pump
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Change it now! As soon as convenient for you
smile.gif


I think Honda says 90k, but you're so close, and the car is so old, and it's an interference engine, you might as well do it ASAP!

Get the Aisin kit which contains all OEM components, including the water pump

It is an interference engine, yes. I agree on the change.

I also wholeheartedly agree with the Aisin kit. It isn't OEM for the Honda but the quality is at least as good if not better. The water pump is a work of art, and at $104 at Rock Auto it is a steal for the kit. No matter what don't buy a Gates kit.
 
Remember, its not just the timing belt, but there are also balance shaft belts to change while you're in there.

Also, keep an eye on the lower heater core hose, the distributors love to leak oil on them and they'll blow out with little warning.

D&F the trans, Valvoline Maxlife, Castrol, one of the Honda substitutes or real DW1, doesn't make a lot of difference, if the box is going to go, it is usually one of the bearings and not from fluid.

Also, while you're in there, buy the $10 dorman (or other brand) balance shaft seal retainer. For some reason, the balance shaft seal likes to walk out on the F23 motors, no rhyme or reason, they sometimes do, and sometimes don't. If they do, the car will gush oil and you'll make it about 2 miles before the sump is empty. It happened to my wifes 2000 a couple months back and she continued to drive it. It survived, but who knows how long it would have lasted (was totaled a month later by an inattentive driver). Its a cheap part and it will ensure that it never happens and if you're in there anyways, why not. It is actually a dorman part that works.

https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-28216-917-006.aspx <-- Looks like that
 
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Don't replace oil seals unless they're leaking. It's just begging for complications.
 
+1 on the balance shaft seal retainer... this is important. Would not bother with the other seals if they are not leaking.

I might skip the water pump and idlers, just because I feel like those will be mile-related failures, rather than age based.
 
Originally Posted by iluvhonda
Regarding the balance shaft seal. It's a tsb kit and might already have been done.

Good observation.
 
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