"jpomonkey" (jpomonkey)
06/15/2015 at 02:04 • Filed to: None
2
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"jpomonkey" (jpomonkey)
06/15/2015 at 02:04 • Filed to: None | 2
| 8 |
Hello Oppo! Longtime lurker, first time poster.
I am the proud owner of a 1992 Honda Accord. It’s the first car I’ve had as an adult, and I’ve had it for a year. I’ve lived in my city for 13 years without a car but finally got it last year to get the fuck out of town. Got it for $1200 and since then have put at least that much into it to fix it up.
It’s actually running pretty well right now, but the brakes are super squishy, which is my major concern at the moment. The last time I went camping and was coming down the mountain, the front brakes got really hot and started smoking. Took it in last week and got the front brakes fixed (pads, rotors, calipers), but nothing in the back. I still have to talk to the mechanic to see if he looked at the back brakes at all, but in the meantime, after I got it back, the brake pedal is still really soft.
Is this something I should be concerned about? Brakes: How do they work? Should I have him look at it again, or am I OK with a squishy pedal as long as my brakes are working properly?
Also, while everything seems to be OK, as long as I’ve owned it it idles really high when it’s in park. All of the spark plugs, fuel injectors, etc. have been replaced. I’m running on all four cylinders and it’s not eating gas like crazy like it used to. When it’s on the road and driving it’s fine, so I’m not too concerned, but should I be?
Another thing — the mechanic did a battery check and things are fine in that regard, but if I leave it sitting for a few days, it’s hard to start. I think that there’s something draining the battery, but I can’t figure out what it is.
If there are any Honda people out there who could tell me what I might need to watch out for, and ask my mechanic about, I would appreciate it. Thank you!
Dunnik
> jpomonkey
06/15/2015 at 03:08 |
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First off, I love that gen Accord. I still see lots (relatively) on the road. Of cars from the early 90’s, this and the Camry survive in the largest numbers around here. Yours looks in pretty good shape, rust is what kills them in the end. Bonus points for the canoe on the roof.
If you really want to get into the details, HowStuffWorks has a decent page on brakes .
Squsihy brakes are indeed something you want to look into ASAP . Could mean a few things. Perhaps your mech didn’t bleed the system (purge the lines of air pockets) when he did your front brakes. Or perhaps the brake lines themselves are done (due to age and rust). It could also be the master brake cylinder, or worn brake calipers.
What RPM does it idle at? It should be somewhere around 600rpm. If higher, the most frequent cause is a vacuum leak inside the engine, but there could be another (usually worse) reason. You should get this looked at as well.
Bytemite
> jpomonkey
06/15/2015 at 03:25 |
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squishy pedal may be due to low brake fluid. Your rear brakes could also be due for replacing. They are probably drums. But the reason your front brakes smoked is maybe because u had the car fully loaded and you rode the brakes.
How high is the idle? Some previous owner might have done a “cheap fix” and tightened the throttle cable instead of addressing the car’s idle issues. But idle problems need a good mechanics diagnosis, as it might not have to do with the spark plugs and fuel injectors. It could be electrical, as in ecu or relay.
As for battery, you might need to replace your alternator. Its the thingamajig that uses your engine’s power to recharge the battery.
505 - morphine not found
> jpomonkey
06/15/2015 at 03:25 |
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Well hello there gorgeous, I had one of these, 1992 2.0i with a five speed, lovely car :-) I’m not a mechanic, and what Dunnic said before me all stands true, but let me just add
- these cars have good brakes, so if it’s not good, you should have it checked out for sure. Dunnic mentioned brake lines, the rubber hoses connecting to the calipers are the ones that can really get old, so maybe worth a look. However, if your brake pedal feels soft, but you otherwise stop well and without a problem, just have to press hard and deep, it could also mean vacuum getting away from your brake booster - in effect you use it with only a little assistance.
- These injection systems used vacuum pipes from the induction chamber to determine the load the engine is under, and if that’s leaking (ie the vacuum line came off the end or is broken) the ECU doesn’t know what’s happening. A good look around your engine bay might result in a rubber hose hanging loose, if you find one, that’s your leak.
- another cause to your high idle could be grime around the butterfly valve, so that does not close properly. Cause is simply age, and a good cleaning is all it takes, though I would let the mechanic do it, if you’re not the wrenching type. Although this is not a type-specific issue, could be that these engines don’t get clogged up around there, don’t know....
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> jpomonkey
06/15/2015 at 07:00 |
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Sounds to me like 23 year old brake fluid, though it’s possible that the pads installed need shims that weren’t installed, so the capiper piston is overextended.
brianbrannon
> jpomonkey
06/15/2015 at 08:49 |
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Step one. New mechanic.
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jpomonkey
> Dunnik
06/15/2015 at 21:51 |
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Thank you for the reply. I idles at more than 1000, probably closer to 1500. It’s loud. He’s looked into the issue before and I think he’s checked for leaks, but I can ask.
I know the brakes were bled, but I am worried about the brake lines themselves because I heard that this could be the issue. I’ll ask him if he checked them, and the master brake cylinder as well.
Thanks again!
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jpomonkey
> 505 - morphine not found
06/15/2015 at 21:54 |
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Thank you! He has checked the hoses and whatnot, but I’m pretty sure there’s gotta be a leak in there somewhere. It does brake fine, like you said, but I do have to really press it. I’ll pass this onto him and see if he can take another look.
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jpomonkey
> Bytemite
06/15/2015 at 21:59 |
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Thanks for the reply. It’s not the brake fluid, I know I’ve got plenty in there.
I haven’t looked at the idle lately, but it’s high — over 1000, closer to 1500. I did see that ‘cheap fix’ you mentioned on a YouTube video, and wouldn’t be surprised if that’s exactly what someone did. It doesn’t really bother me too much, so I think I’m going to wait to address that issue. I can’t really afford to be tossing money at this 23-year-old car forever. At some point I’m going to try to sell it to someone who actually knows what they are doing and can fix it up themselves.
The alternator was recently replaced, so I don’t think it’s that, but thank you for the suggestions.