Honda Car Forum

My 1999 Honda Accord EX (4 cyld) is scheduled for it's 60.000 mile
service later this month or early next month. I live in central
California and therefore the vehicle is NOT usually driven in
harsh conditions such as freezing weather or extreme hot weather.

It's running great at this point in time.

Questions:
The fuel filter has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change it?
If not, when should I have it changed?

The valves were adjusted several years ago. Should I have the valves
adjusted? If not, when should I have the valves adjusted again?

The timing belt has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change
it? If not, when should the timing belt be changed and the water pump
replaced?

Other than having the oil changed and the filter changed--and the air
filter--can you think of any other special service that should be
performed?

Thanks in advance,
Jason

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Jason wrote:
>
> My 1999 Honda Accord EX (4 cyld) is scheduled for it's 60.000 mile
> service later this month or early next month. I live in central
> California and therefore the vehicle is NOT usually driven in
> harsh conditions such as freezing weather or extreme hot weather.
>
> It's running great at this point in time.
>
> Questions:
> The fuel filter has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change it?
> If not, when should I have it changed?
>
> The valves were adjusted several years ago. Should I have the valves
> adjusted? If not, when should I have the valves adjusted again?
>
> The timing belt has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change
> it? If not, when should the timing belt be changed and the water pump
> replaced?
>
> Other than having the oil changed and the filter changed--and the air
> filter--can you think of any other special service that should be
> performed?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Jason


Why don't you just follow the service schedule?

--
================================================== =====
A very modest collection of Honda tech info can be found at:
http://www.geocities.com/ng_randolph

In article <jason-1104050935500001@pm4-broad-29.snlo.dialup.fix.net>,
jason@nospam.com (Jason) wrote:

> The valves were adjusted several years ago. Should I have the valves
> adjusted? If not, when should I have the valves adjusted again?

Recently, Honda has been saying "adjust valves only when noisy." I
don't know if this applies to your Accord. I think it's so easy on the
4 cyl models, they specify it at every 30K miles.

I know the "noisy" recommendation applies to my V6 Odyssey; I think it's
because adjusting valves on that baby is expensive, and they don't want
the customer to think that it's an expensive vehicle to maintain. My
mechanic (Honda-trained, works for the dealership, the only guy I'll
take my car to) says if you can hear the noise, it's too late.



> The timing belt has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change
> it? If not, when should the timing belt be changed and the water pump
> replaced?

I think your owner's manual says 90K miles or 6 years, whichever comes
first. You're at the 6 year mark.

It's a gamble; Honda makes interference engines, so if the belt breaks,
you ruin the engine.

Why doesn't Honda use a chain instead of a high maintenance belt?
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-6F9EBD.17244811042005@news.usenetserver.com...
> In article <jason-1104050935500001@pm4-broad-29.snlo.dialup.fix.net>,
> jason@nospam.com (Jason) wrote:
>
>> The valves were adjusted several years ago. Should I have the valves
>> adjusted? If not, when should I have the valves adjusted again?
>
> Recently, Honda has been saying "adjust valves only when noisy." I
> don't know if this applies to your Accord. I think it's so easy on the
> 4 cyl models, they specify it at every 30K miles.
>
> I know the "noisy" recommendation applies to my V6 Odyssey; I think it's
> because adjusting valves on that baby is expensive, and they don't want
> the customer to think that it's an expensive vehicle to maintain. My
> mechanic (Honda-trained, works for the dealership, the only guy I'll
> take my car to) says if you can hear the noise, it's too late.
>
>
>
>> The timing belt has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change
>> it? If not, when should the timing belt be changed and the water pump
>> replaced?
>
> I think your owner's manual says 90K miles or 6 years, whichever comes
> first. You're at the 6 year mark.
>
> It's a gamble; Honda makes interference engines, so if the belt breaks,
> you ruin the engine.
>

In article <425ADEF0.5811C2D8@junkmail.com>, Randolph <trash@junkmail.com>
wrote:

> Jason wrote:
> >
> > My 1999 Honda Accord EX (4 cyld) is scheduled for it's 60.000 mile
> > service later this month or early next month. I live in central
> > California and therefore the vehicle is NOT usually driven in
> > harsh conditions such as freezing weather or extreme hot weather.
> >
> > It's running great at this point in time.
> >
> > Questions:
> > The fuel filter has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic
change it?
> > If not, when should I have it changed?
> >
> > The valves were adjusted several years ago. Should I have the valves
> > adjusted? If not, when should I have the valves adjusted again?
> >
> > The timing belt has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change
> > it? If not, when should the timing belt be changed and the water pump
> > replaced?
> >
> > Other than having the oil changed and the filter changed--and the air
> > filter--can you think of any other special service that should be
> > performed?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Jason
>
>
> Why don't you just follow the service schedule?

The service department at the local Honda shop has a different schedule
than is stated in the owner's manual. I honestly don't know whether they
are trying to rip me off or make sure my car never breaks down. I also
noticed that there are some conflicts or differences between the service
schedule in the repair manual and the owner's manual.

--
NEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO
We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice.
We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people.

Jack wrote:
>
> Why doesn't Honda use a chain instead of a high maintenance belt?

One could argue that when a change is recommended only every 105 k miles
(newer Honda engines) it really isn't a high maintenance item. I have
had chains go south before 105K miles. Noise is another argument for
belts. but the real story is probably that the additional cost of a
chain is a burden on Hondas bottom line, the maintenance of a belt is a
burden on the customers bottom line.

Regardless, the i-VTEC engines have chains, not belts.

"Jack" <jdoe@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:XcGdnZmFErNUkcbfRVn-pQ@rogers.com...
> Why doesn't Honda use a chain instead of a high maintenance belt?

We are so accustomed to belts that we forget chains also have the wear
issue, and about the same service life. My mother-in-law's Buick timing
chain jumped with only 60K miles on it, and chains have been known to break,
too. I once had a 1984 Dodge 600ES (LeBaron) with a Mitsubishi power train.
What a nightmare! At 90K miles the timing chain had worn to the point it was
slapping on the housing, and the first step in changing the chain was
"remove engine" (no room to remove the cover with the engine in the car).

Mike

In article <XcGdnZmFErNUkcbfRVn-pQ@rogers.com>,
"Jack" <jdoe@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Why doesn't Honda use a chain instead of a high maintenance belt?

Honda made the trade-off for the overall benefit the belt provides.

I think it's a fair trade-off, from what I've seen.

Don't think the chains are low-maintenance or lifetime (despite what VW
says with its new Jetta).

Jack wrote:
> "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
> news:elmop-6F9EBD.17244811042005@news.usenetserver.com...
>
>>In article <jason-1104050935500001@pm4-broad-29.snlo.dialup.fix.net>,
>>jason@nospam.com (Jason) wrote:
>>
>>
>>>The valves were adjusted several years ago. Should I have the valves
>>>adjusted? If not, when should I have the valves adjusted again?
>>
>>Recently, Honda has been saying "adjust valves only when noisy." I
>>don't know if this applies to your Accord. I think it's so easy on the
>>4 cyl models, they specify it at every 30K miles.
>>
>>I know the "noisy" recommendation applies to my V6 Odyssey; I think it's
>>because adjusting valves on that baby is expensive, and they don't want
>>the customer to think that it's an expensive vehicle to maintain. My
>>mechanic (Honda-trained, works for the dealership, the only guy I'll
>>take my car to) says if you can hear the noise, it's too late.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>The timing belt has NEVER been changed. Should I have the mechanic change
>>>it? If not, when should the timing belt be changed and the water pump
>>>replaced?
>>
>>I think your owner's manual says 90K miles or 6 years, whichever comes
>>first. You're at the 6 year mark.
>>
>>It's a gamble; Honda makes interference engines, so if the belt breaks,
>>you ruin the engine.
>
> Why doesn't Honda use a chain instead of a high maintenance belt?

belts provide much more accurate valve [and consequently ignition]
timing both initially and throughout the life of the belt. chains can
wear real bad and get real noisy. they break too. long life belts go
over 100k - i see no reason to complain about that.

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote:
>
> In article <XcGdnZmFErNUkcbfRVn-pQ@rogers.com>,
> "Jack" <jdoe@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Why doesn't Honda use a chain instead of a high maintenance belt?
>
> Honda made the trade-off for the overall benefit the belt provides.
>
> I think it's a fair trade-off, from what I've seen.
>
> Don't think the chains are low-maintenance or lifetime (despite what VW
> says with its new Jetta).

Honda is going back to chains as well. I believe (and have not gotten
this confirmed) that when you have true adjustable valve timing (VTEC
did not really adjust the /timing/, it just selected between different
cam lobes (the different lobes having different timing and lift)) you
get more stress on the cam drive, and thus want a chain rather than a
belt. Honda's i-VTEC (true adjustable timing) engines use a chain, as do
Toyota's VVT-i (Again, true adjustable valve timing). A quick Google
search shows BMW engines with VANOS (true adjustable valve timing) also
have chains.


--
================================================== =====
A very modest collection of Honda tech info can be found at:
http://www.geocities.com/ng_randolph