Honda Car Forum

Just bought a used 96 Accord w/110,000 miles on it. There is no indication
the timing belt was done. I need a parts list (water pump?)on a complete
timing belt job for me to do it myself. I have never done it on an Accord
but lots of experience on 300ZX's timing belt changes .Is it better to go
Honda on these parts? Anything else I should change out while I'm in there?
Any good Honda online ordering houses?How long does the job take? Any
special tools req'd? Tips and tricks appreciated!
Thanks
Greyhound

Grey-hound wrote:
> Just bought a used 96 Accord w/110,000 miles on it. There is no indication
> the timing belt was done. I need a parts list (water pump?)on a complete
> timing belt job for me to do it myself. I have never done it on an Accord
> but lots of experience on 300ZX's timing belt changes .Is it better to go
> Honda on these parts? Anything else I should change out while I'm in there?
> Any good Honda online ordering houses?How long does the job take? Any
> special tools req'd? Tips and tricks appreciated!
> Thanks
> Greyhound


-----------------

Maybe it's not WAY overdue, maybe you should check with the dealer(s) to
see if it's been done. They will help you, if you take along proof of
ownership.

Allow 4+ hours by yourself, and get a tool to hold the crank pulley, a
deep 17mm socket for the motor mount, and a 19mm for the pulley bolt.

'Curly'

"Grey-hound" <grey-hound@"removethis"verizon.net> wrote in message
news:Cyiwd.4519$Zn6.3247@trnddc08...
> Just bought a used 96 Accord w/110,000 miles on it. There is no indication
> the timing belt was done. I need a parts list (water pump?)on a complete
> timing belt job for me to do it myself. I have never done it on an Accord
> but lots of experience on 300ZX's timing belt changes .Is it better to go
> Honda on these parts? Anything else I should change out while I'm in
> there? Any good Honda online ordering houses?How long does the job take?
> Any special tools req'd? Tips and tricks appreciated!
> Thanks
> Greyhound
>
Where to start....

You can be sure the timing belt wasn't done, being sold at that mileage.

Allow all day, but there is one important preliminary you can - and probably
should - do ahead of time. The crank bolt can be anywhere between tight and
^#$%%! tight. The job flows much more smoothly if you can get that bolt
loose and retightened to the correct torque before you actually begin. To
facilitate that, if you aren't going to take it to a shop that has air tools
to break it loose, you will want to see whether the pulley (harmonic damper)
has a 50mm hex inset in it (in most '96 model engines it does). If so, a
holder is available for about $25 plus shipping from
http://www.autopart.com/TOOLS/TOOLSMAIN/tool/T_A812.htm There are options,
but I found it best to take the plunge for the right tool. That and a 500
ft-lb impact driver barely got the last one loose, but with the holder you
have the option of using giant breaker bars. 3 foot breaker bars, 200 lbs
force, that should do it. Hit the bolt with penetrant before trying the
first time, and after each attempt. Can't hurt!

Once that hurdle is passed, things are more straightforward. I recommend
replacing the tensioner(s) - they are shockingly expensive, nearly $100, but
their lifespans are about the same as the belt. I'd replace the water pump.
There is a lot of controversy about that, since the Honda water pumps are
very good quality and reliable. But the thought of going through all that
again to replace a $40 part, and with the risk the water pump will seize,
kill the belt and destroy the engine - well, it keeps me doing it. I'd also
replace the front crank seal and the cam seals while everything is apart -
same rationale, but without the risk of catastrophic damage. Don't lose
sleep if you ignore the seals - they are probably fine. But you do need a
new valve cover gasket.

I go to the dealer and get genuine Honda parts for this - a modest price
premium to ensure I get the same parts that got it this far. (Ditto for
alternators and starters, but for a different reason - aftermarket units are
truly bad.)

Finally, before removing the belt, make match-marks with acrylic paint or
similar on the side of the belt at each pulley (matching the belt to the
pulley). Transfer the marks to the new belt, and use them to verify the belt
timing is exactly as you found it. I got that advice from a guru in the
Acura group (IIRC) and it saved my bacon. Those cam pulleys just don't want
to line up.

Mike

Wow! Excellent reply and at least now I know what to expect.
Thanks!

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:U8idnevmXKQPXVzcRVn-vQ@sedona.net...
> "Grey-hound" <grey-hound@"removethis"verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:Cyiwd.4519$Zn6.3247@trnddc08...
>> Just bought a used 96 Accord w/110,000 miles on it. There is no
>> indication the timing belt was done. I need a parts list (water pump?)on
>> a complete timing belt job for me to do it myself. I have never done it
>> on an Accord but lots of experience on 300ZX's timing belt changes .Is it
>> better to go Honda on these parts? Anything else I should change out
>> while I'm in there? Any good Honda online ordering houses?How long does
>> the job take? Any special tools req'd? Tips and tricks appreciated!
>> Thanks
>> Greyhound
>>
> Where to start....
>
> You can be sure the timing belt wasn't done, being sold at that mileage.
>
> Allow all day, but there is one important preliminary you can - and
> probably should - do ahead of time. The crank bolt can be anywhere between
> tight and ^#$%%! tight. The job flows much more smoothly if you can get
> that bolt loose and retightened to the correct torque before you actually
> begin. To facilitate that, if you aren't going to take it to a shop that
> has air tools to break it loose, you will want to see whether the pulley
> (harmonic damper) has a 50mm hex inset in it (in most '96 model engines it
> does). If so, a holder is available for about $25 plus shipping from
> http://www.autopart.com/TOOLS/TOOLSMAIN/tool/T_A812.htm There are
> options, but I found it best to take the plunge for the right tool. That
> and a 500 ft-lb impact driver barely got the last one loose, but with the
> holder you have the option of using giant breaker bars. 3 foot breaker
> bars, 200 lbs force, that should do it. Hit the bolt with penetrant before
> trying the first time, and after each attempt. Can't hurt!
>
> Once that hurdle is passed, things are more straightforward. I recommend
> replacing the tensioner(s) - they are shockingly expensive, nearly $100,
> but their lifespans are about the same as the belt. I'd replace the water
> pump. There is a lot of controversy about that, since the Honda water
> pumps are very good quality and reliable. But the thought of going through
> all that again to replace a $40 part, and with the risk the water pump
> will seize, kill the belt and destroy the engine - well, it keeps me doing
> it. I'd also replace the front crank seal and the cam seals while
> everything is apart - same rationale, but without the risk of catastrophic
> damage. Don't lose sleep if you ignore the seals - they are probably fine.
> But you do need a new valve cover gasket.
>
> I go to the dealer and get genuine Honda parts for this - a modest price
> premium to ensure I get the same parts that got it this far. (Ditto for
> alternators and starters, but for a different reason - aftermarket units
> are truly bad.)
>
> Finally, before removing the belt, make match-marks with acrylic paint or
> similar on the side of the belt at each pulley (matching the belt to the
> pulley). Transfer the marks to the new belt, and use them to verify the
> belt timing is exactly as you found it. I got that advice from a guru in
> the Acura group (IIRC) and it saved my bacon. Those cam pulleys just don't
> want to line up.
>
> Mike
>

Grey-hound wrote:
>
> Any good Honda online ordering houses?

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com

Just playing devil's advocate here (since I also replaced
my waterpump during this job), but if your waterpump is
working well, is there a higher probability that it will
fail? or that the new one will be defective? Probably
not an issue if you buy a Honda Pump.

As far as the tensioner goes, my dealer looked at me real
funny when I asked for that part. He said that he has
never sold one before for any model of Honda. I took his
word, and left mine as is.

t

"disallow" <loewen_t at yahoo.ca @> wrote in message
news:e218334ec7f50ea63038376446ff50c8@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> Just playing devil's advocate here (since I also replaced
> my waterpump during this job), but if your waterpump is
> working well, is there a higher probability that it will
> fail? or that the new one will be defective? Probably
> not an issue if you buy a Honda Pump.
>
> As far as the tensioner goes, my dealer looked at me real
> funny when I asked for that part. He said that he has
> never sold one before for any model of Honda. I took his
> word, and left mine as is.
>
> t
>
I share your misgivings about the new parts - I had a rebuilt fail on the
second day in an older car (easy to change pump). Whether I am deluding
myself or not, a go with Honda pumps for that reason.

The tensioner we took out of my son's Acura definitely had lost its
lubrication at 130K miles. It made metallic sounds as we spun it. The dealer
had it in stock.

Mike

disallow wrote:
>
> As far as the tensioner goes, my dealer looked at me real
> funny when I asked for that part. He said that he has
> never sold one before for any model of Honda. I took his
> word, and left mine as is.
>

At some shops, the tensioner is commonly replaced if it shows the wear signs
that Michael has discussed. My test is as follows, remove the tensioner
bearing assembly and spin it by hand, while it's spinning rock it back and
forth, a worn tensioner bearing will usually make a very characteristic
metallic bearing sound under these conditions.

Eric