Coolant Leak 1998 Honda CRV EX

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Dec 312016
 

1998 Honda CRVI think my water pump may have exploded. We have been having issues with what we believe is the thermostat sensor and the head gasket leaking. Which we think are causing it to not start about 25% to 50% of the time. I check and fill the oil and antifreeze daily. Today I took a small trip which was only about 20 miles and everything was fine all day until I got home. And suddenly there was a weird sound. Then a few moments later there was an explosion and steam and fluid erupted everywhere. It did not die nor stall just simply sputtered a little until I shut it off. I’m not entirely sure what the problem is nor how to fix it.

RESPONSE

From what you described there was a small leak in the cooling system. Now there is a big leak. You will need to locate the leak and make the necessary repairs to correct it. With such a large leak it shouldn’t be to difficult to locate. Of course wait until the engine is cooled down.

Locating a Large Coolant Leak

Since you already know there is a leak just use water for locating the leak. Remove the fill cap and pour water in. Chances are before you can top it off you will see the water flowing from where the large leak is located. Most likely would be one of the hoses. Replace the hose or what ever is needed. Then test for any smaller leaks.

Locating a Small Coolant Leak

Locating a smaller coolant leak is a bit more difficult and requires a special tool. The special tool is a cooling system pressure tester. If you don’t already have one you can borrow one from a local auto parts store or purchase one. Here is a good one to have as it will work on multiple vehicles.


Top off the cooling system before installing the pressure tester. Continue to use just water to top off the system for testing. Install the tool and pump the pressure up to the same pressure as the max pressure of the radiator cap. Most are between 15 – 17 psi. Leave the system under pressure for about 30 minutes. If the pressure does not drop then the system has no more leaks. If the pressure has dropped, you will need to locate the small leak. Look for a small stream. Sometimes putting a dry piece of cardboard underneath is helpful to find the area. Repair any leaks found.

Pressure Drops With No Leak Found

You may find that the pressure keeps dropping without seeing any external leaks. If it takes 30 minutes for the pressure to drop just a bit I wouldn’t worry to much about it. However if the pressure drops fairly quick you may have an internal leak. Most internal leaks are from a blown gasket. The most common would be a blown head or intake gasket.

All Leaks Are fixed

Now that all the leaks have been found and repaired there are a few things left to do. I highly recommend replacing the thermostat since the cooling system has already been relieved of its coolant. Coolant is expensive and a thermostat is generally under $20. So take advantage and only buy the coolant once. After you have replaced the thermostat or decided to skip it, the cooling system needs to be properly filled. Drain all of the water left in the system from testing.

Refill the cooling system with a 50/50 mix of coolant. That is 50% water and 50% concentrated coolant. You may also purchase premix if you do not feel like mixing it yourself. Top off the system and bleed as required. For vehicle specific repair procedures get a auto repair manual that can be viewed online.

 

 

Sputtering Problem 1994 Honda Accord

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Dec 252016
 

1994 Honda AccordHOW TOO FIX A SPUTTERING PROBLEM ON MY 1994 HONDA ACCORD

RESPONSE

A sputtering problem may occur when the engine is lacking in fuel or spark. It can also occur when there is a restriction in the exhaust system including but not limited to the EGR valve. The most common reason would be from lack of ignition spark or faulty ignition spark. This may be from failing spark plugs, plug wires or distributor components. A good place to start would be with a good tune up.

However the fuel may be the issue at hand. If the fuel is contaminated the engine has a hard time operating with out causing a sputtering problem. Replacing the fuel or trying to use a higher octane fuel from a different station may be the best course of action.

Violent Shake 1994 Honda Accord

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Nov 292016
 

1994 Honda Accordviolent shake in front end when speeds reach 60-61 mph. Tires balanced and rechecked. Front left wheel bearings replaced. Mechanic says parts around wheels are tight. Newer CV joints. Tires good, no bad rims.

RESPONSE

Violent Shake

The first thing I would try would be to rotate the front wheels to the back. Test drive it and see if the shake moves toward the back. This would indicate an issue with the wheel or tire. Most likely a busted belt in the tire or tires.

Another option that comes to mind would be brake related. If you have a sticking caliper it may go unnoticed until it has been driven for a while and had a chance to heat up. This would intensify a warped rotor.

1994 Honda Accord LX Sedan AT

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  1 Response »
Nov 162016
 

1994 Honda AccordMy 1994 Honda Accord has been the most trouble free and reliable auto I’ve ever owned. I became the 2nd owner of this low-mileage vehicle back in 2007 after my Infiniti Q45 went kaput. Since then, it has required minimal repairs beyond the usual maintenance.

My current issue has me stumped. It may be coincidental, but I never had any sort of electrical or CHECK ENGINE light issues prior to a recent visit to one of those drive-through car washes at a gas station, where the vinyl slats pound the car and the water shoots in from the sides as the device moves back and forward along the length of the car.

Anyway, immediately upon leaving that car wash, for the first time ever my CHECK ENGINE light suddenly came on. Just solid, no blinking. I also noticed that the Speedometer and odometer were dead. I have four analog gauges in my IP: Two large ones, the Speedo (with old-style odometer) on the right, and the Tachometer on the left. Outside of both of those are small analog gauges for the fuel level (right) and oil temp (left).

The rest of the IP uses digital indicators (battery charge, SRS, CHECK ENGINE, etc.,), and there is a stacked P-R-N-D4-D3-2-1 series of indicator lights in the center, separating the two big analog gauges. The tranny indicators are just boxes whose edges become illumined depending on the AT gear selection.

When the CHECK ENGINE light came on, I drove for a while, then stopped the engine. Waited a few minutes and restarted. Things seemed fine, back to normal, with speedo and odometer working, and no warning lights, until about another 10 or 15 minutes into the drive. At that point the D4 green light started flashing, and continued flashing when the CHECK ENGINE light came on again, staying lit solid as before.

Could this be an electrical issue? It puzzles me that the speedometer and odometer are dead, since I thought those were mechanically related to the rotation of the wheels and not dependent on fuses or electrical wiring.

Where do you suggest I start my troubleshooting? BTW the tranny seems normal, no harsh or unexpected shifting, no gear slipping, and all the fluid levels are fine. All the other analog gauges work fine too.

CHECK ENGINE light, dead speedo/odometer and blinking D4 indicator light. That’s where I’m at. Hope you can offer some insight. Thanks in advance if you can.

RESPONSE

Your electrical system may be wet. The condition will usually be corrected when the electrical system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off. This is common after driving through a big puddle or EXTREME car wash.

 

Speedometer:

This vehicle uses a an electronic sensor called a VSS – Vehicle Speed Sensor that is mounted int he transmission and sends an output signal.

VSS test chart 1994 Honda Accord

D4 Indicator Light Blinking:

If an abnormality exists in the the transaxle electronic control system and a fault code is stored in the TCM memory, TCM will deliver an output signal to turn on and blink “D4” light on A/T gear position indicator on the instrument panel.

Headlight Replacement 2009 Honda Accord

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Nov 022016
 

2009 Honda AccordHow do I replace the high beam lamps on my 2009 Honda Accord EX?

RESPONSE

Headlight Replacement (High Beam)

  1. Disconnect the 2P connector (A) from the headlight wiring harness.
  2. Turn the bulb socket 45 º counterclockwise to remove the bulb.
  3. Install a new bulb in the reverse order of removal.

high beam headlight replacement 2009 Honda Accord

Headlight Replacement (Low Beam)

  1. Remove the inner fender.
  2. Disconnect the 2P connector (A) from the headlight.
  3. Turn the bulb socket 45 º counterclockwise to remove the bulb.
  4. Install a new bulb in the reverse order of removal.

headlight replacement low beam 2009 Honda Accord

2004 Honda Accord Solenoid

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Oct 192016
 

2004 Honda Accordshifting mod automatic ! almost like it slips then grabs and goes

RESPONSE

May be low on fluid or has a sticking solenoid.

A/T System Description – Hydraulic Controls

Hydraulic Controls

Valve Bodies

The valve body includes the main valve body, the regulator valve body, and the servo body. The ATF pump is driven by splines on the left end of the torque converter which is attached to the engine. Fluid flows through the regulator valve to maintain specified pressure through the main valve body to the manual valve, directing pressure to the shift valves and to each of the clutches via the solenoid valves. Shift solenoid valves A, B, C, D, and E are bolted on the servo body. A/T clutch pressure control solenoid valves A, B, and C are mounted on the outside of the transmission housing.

Solenoids 2004 Honda Accord

Main Valve Body

The main valve body contains the manual valve, shift valves and the relief valve, the lock-up control valve, the cooler check valve, the servo control valve, and the ATF pump gears. The primary function of the main valve body is to switch fluid pressure on and off and to control hydraulic pressure going to the hydraulic control system.

Regulator Valve Body

The regulator valve body contains the regulator valve, the torque converter check valve, lock-up shift valve, and the 1st and 3rd accumulators.

Servo Body

The servo body contains the servo valve, shift valve D, the accumulators for 2nd, 4th, and 5th, and shift solenoid valves for A, B, C, D, and E.

Fan 1995 Honda Civic EX 1.6

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Oct 172016
 

1995 Honda CivicI replaced thermostat in which I noticed it was centered and old was off centered. I also replaced fan switch and fan still not coming on. I checked relay its good and I jumped fan it works so could it be the new thermostat?

RESPONSE

Nothing to do with the thermostat. A couple of things to consider. If the vehicle has Air Conditioning or not is important. If your Civic did not come with Air Conditioning and you have juice to the relay and it is just not getting activated, the most likely reason would be a faulty ECT – Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor.

If you do have Air Conditioning there are a few more relays to check before assuming the ECT is bad. The condenser fan relay and the A/C compressor relay.

I have added both wiring diagrams to give you a better idea of what is involved. If all components check out, there may be a wiring issue to look at.

Cooling Fans with Air Conditioning Wiring Diagram

1995-honda-civic-cooling-fans-w-a-c-1-of-1

Cooling Fans without Air Conditioning Wiring Diagram

1995-honda-civic-cooling-fans-w-o-a-c-1-of-1

2002 Honda Accord 6 cylinder

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  No Responses »
Oct 102016
 

2002 Honda Accordcar turn over, starts and run fine for about 20 or more miles. Once its shut down and sit for a hour or two, it turn over/crank fine but will not start, once it sits a day or two its starts. this cycle continues. No codes are generated. can’t correlated it with wet or dry weather. Thanks!!

RESPONSE

In most cases this would be from an ignition system component break down that is caused from heat. This is why once it sets for a day it starts and runs just fine. Would be pertinent to find out what it is not getting when it woill not start. No Fuel , No spark, etc.

Power Accessory Socket 2009 Honda Accord

 Auto Repair Questions, Honda  2 Responses »
Sep 292016
 

2009 Honda Accord under-dash fuse boxCigarette lighter/power accessory socket will not work. Have changed out the fuses from the driver side fuse box, the under hood fuse box looks fine. Was wondering if there was something I am missing. Was unable to get the under hood fuse out of the box, kind of just eye balled it with a flashlight.

RESPONSE

Front Power Accessory Socket Testing

NOTE: If the front power accessory socket and console power accessory socket do not work, check the No. 18 (7.5 A) fuse in the driver’s under-dash fuse/relay box and ground (G503) first.

1.Remove the center console panel.
2.Disconnect the 2P connector (A) from the front accessory power socket (B).
3.Inspect the connector terminals to be sure they are all making good contact.

◦If the terminals are bent, loose, or corroded, repair them as necessary and recheck the system.
◦ If the terminals look OK, go to step 4.

4.Turn the ignition switch to ACC (I).
5.Measure the voltage between the front accessory power socket 2P connector terminal No. 1 and body ground. There should be battery voltage.

◦ If there is battery voltage, go to step 6.
◦ If there is no battery voltage, check for:

– Blown No. 23 (15 A) fuse in the driver’s under-dash fuse/relay box.

– Faulty front accessory power socket relay.

– Poor ground (G601).

– An open in the wire.
6.Check for continuity between the front accessory power socket terminal No. 2 and body ground. There should be continuity.

◦ If there is continuity, replace the power socket; go to step 7.
◦ If there is no continuity, check for:

– Poor ground (G503).

– An open in the wire.

2009 Honda Accord power accessory socket testing
7.Remove the socket (A).
2009 Honda Accord power accessory socket removal
8.Remove the housing from the panel.
9.Install the power socket in the reverse order of removal.

Fuse Box Diagram 2009 Honda Accord

fuse box diagram 2009 Honda Accord

When the fuse checks out OK, the next thing to check would be the Accessory Port/Socket relay. The relay is also located in the under-dash fuse box. See number 4.

Accessory Port relay diagram 2009 Honda Accord

If the relay checks OK, Check the wiring harness, connections and the Accessory port/socket itself.

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