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1) thinking about throwing some shocks/struts in, has anyone had any experience w these also what are good brands to replace them with? Can’t really tell if mine are even bad… Just that they are oe and my car is 20 years old .. So I should just assume they need to be replaced?
2) I hear that Hondas are picky about parts in their ignition systems… What are brands to look for that work well, I know ngk or denso for plugs… What about the distributor, wires, alt?
3) Does the brand of engine oil matter? Valvoline, pennzoil, Kendall, etc?
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On the struts, avoid Monroe at all costs. I used to do autobody for years and every time I replaced one or all dampeners with Monroe, the car always came back with complaints of poor handling. I would go with ready mount struts that have the spring already mounted very strongly. I prefer kyb personally, but they can be a little hard to find locally. I see full sets for most cars on eBay and sometimes amazon for $300ish, sometimes less. If your car is in the rust belt if America, you may want to check for structural rust first because it may not be worth fixing at all. Remember that any rust you can see, is only a fraction of what’s really there. Jack it up, look at where all the suspension components mount. If those mounting areas are bad, you will never be safe in it. I don’t mean to go long winded on that, but here in Iowa that is extremely common for cars over 15 years old. I had to tell a customer of mine that has this problem that driving her car is the equivalent of not wearing a seat belt at high speed.
OK, tune up stuff. Denso and ngk are great choices. I use iridium versions either way. The wires and cap aren’t critical, but make sure the cap you get has a rubber gasket to block out moisture. For oil, I like castrol. If I was in love with it, I would go with royal purple but that is very pricey and you have to look at it for what it’s worth overall too.Yea I was looking at quick struts, complete assemblies. This is a Florida car, no rust. I’m running the denso iridium plugs w the proper gap as per owners manual. I replaced the whole distributor (Napa brand) bc it was leaking oil. I didn’t know if Hondas preferred a certain brand of oil or if it matters.. I’ve been putting in 5w30 syn blend. I could almost swear the engine sounds different between the pennzoil and the Kendall. I’m not looking to run any full synthetic or expensive oils, I doubt they would make a difference in performance? I’ve had Honda adjust the valves between 15 and 20k mi, twice now since I’ve owned it. Just nit picking at minor details for improved performance. I love this car and probably take care of it more than I need to.
Well I have a 1989 Accord and am the original owner. So if this is true “I love this car and probably take care of it more than I need to. ” then expect to be able to get many years of service out of it and many, many miles. (I did the same thing)
Recently I did front struts on my car and believe me that experience taught me that quick struts are the way to go. I think the KYB are the OEM brand for Hondas? At least they were for my Gen. Accord
Check your service manual – one might be coming up on new plug wires too. NGKs.
As far as ignition parts go, I think in the videos Eric is pretty adamant that his experience suggests only Honda parts. That said, he did endorse the NGK plug wires.
Many years like I’ll be sporting a sweet antique license plate? 😀
I did replace the wires w ngk. But the distributor as well? What issues does it cause not using oem for that part?[quote=”obscurre” post=144119]Many years like I’ll be sporting a sweet antique license plate? :D[/quote]
Perhaps! But mine is a daily driver (I love the 5-speed) and I think my state has annual mileage limits on antique cars… so… I shoulder the “burden” of the annual $40 registration fee!
[quote=”obscurre” post=144119]I did replace the wires w ngk. But the distributor as well? What issues does it cause not using oem for that part?[/quote]
I can not answer that, perhaps ETCG will chime in? What do remember is his general caution as stated at about 8:25 or 8:33 in this video:
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/service-videos/514-honda-element-crv-110k-service-part-1Also see his comments here in theses two sections:
[b]Notes on Honda Ignition Systems and Aftermarket Parts
Aftermarket Parts[/b]
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-automotive-performance-issues?start=4#NotesonHondaIgnitionSystemsandAftermarketPartsThat the source of my opinion on the topic. I dunno maybe I’m over interpreting the word of the Master? I’m sure opinions/experiences differ.
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