On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 17:45:30 -0400, "MajBach" <majbach@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>Hi all! I have a serious reoccurring problem with my 1996, Honda Accord
>(2-dr, 5-speed). At 230,000 kms, it is in need of it's 7th wheel bearing.
>About three years ago, the Px side rear bearing started to act up; I
>replaced it. A year later and 30,000+ kms, later, the same bearing went
>again. And again, the same bearing one year later. About two weeks ago, my
>front driver's side started to act up. I replaced it today as it was really
>starting to get loud. To my surprise, on the drive home, the whining sound
>is still there but not as loud. The mechanic at the dealer stated on the
>invoice that he checked the right rear bearing and it indeed needed to be
>replaced (again). However, I don't think he checked the driver's side rear
>bearing as it is also making noise (I am getting good at diagnosing which
>bearing is acting up). That will make is seven bearings in only 115,000
>kms!

I guess you'd have noticed if you had a dragging brake? No noticeable tire
problems - like cupping or extreme uneven wear?... wheels are running true
and well balanced? I can see where, with a high mileage vehicle, one might
expect an occasional wheel bearing failure but the repetition might point
to a problem with the installation - possibly misalgnment on the axle,
wrong lubricant or water getting in. Have you seen one of the failed
bearings to see if it's showing signs of corrosion or water mixed with the
grease... or uneven wear?

>I have spoken with 4 service managers or Honda mechanics way back when I was
>only on my fourth bearing. All state that this is highly unusual. One told
>me to contact Honda Canada. I did. They may as well have laughed at me, as
>it was quite clear that even though they admitted it was unusual, there was
>nothing they could do and I should be complaining to a service manager.
>I am not willing to let this go. I have owned 6 different Honda vehicles. I
>have only ever changed 1 bearing before - eve r- and that was on a '79
>accord; it need new rotors and the bearing had seized onto the rotor; the
>bearing was still ok. All of my previous cars have lasted to the 400,000-km
>mark too. I also own a 90-hp Honda outboard motor and various other Honda
>products. I believe I am entitled to a little more customer loyalty.
>Does anybody have some suggestions or contacts for my next step?
>One more thing and this may sound a little funny. Through the course of
>speaking to other people about this problem I have heard an interesting
>diagnosis from two different people. They state that a bad ground can cause
>premature bearing failure. The logic is that the engine is on rubber
>mounts - electrically isolated from the frame. If the frame builds a static
>electric charge, the only course it can take to the engine is to arc through
>the bearings. It sounds so ridiculous that it might actually be true.
>Ironically, one of the first things I noticed with this car was that I
>always got one helluva shock whenever I exited the vehicle. Whaddya think?

The engine is not isolated from the body though, or the starter would never
work, the alternator would have a hard time and the ignition would have an
awful weak spark, if any at all. All the Hondas I've seen have a heavy
ground strap from the battery to frame to transmission mount and a smaller
one from one of the valve cover studs to the front valance. Even without
that there are other ground paths such as the speedometer cable or the VSS
sensor wiring - not what you'd want of course. Reminds me of a story about
VW Rabbits, where the main engine ground strap would lose contact and the
speedometer cable would melt and seize.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??