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Thank you! Had the whole thing set up using jumper cables and finally alligator clips to maintain a charge on the system. It was working well (radio working), until I bumped an alligator clip and lost the connection.
BUT when I started the car, it gave me a warning about the battery replacement and the info screen told me to press and hold the power button for two seconds. Followed those instructions and the radio was reset – no need for a code.
Thanks again for the encouragement.
eh, dude! You have the water pump out of / off the car…why not just replace it? If memory serves those might run you $35 – $45 for a new one.
I had a water pump start leaking along the shaft. Not a big leak, just a drip. I ignored it or added some leak stop to the system, and everything was fine…..until I was taking a short-cut through an interesting part of town and the car overheated. Had to walk a few blocks to Rite Aid to get a couple of gallons of distilled water so that I could get home. That kind of taught me that it doesn’t make sense to mess around with quick fixes or half baked stuff – just get the right part and be done with it.
Another thing I learned along the way is don’t overthink every little issue – but often still need reminders! Parts fail or wear out for whatever reason. Unless the same part keeps failing, then it could be just a manufacturing issue or it reached it’s design life? So one can’t always do a forensic analysis of every part failure and come up with a greater issue that needs to be addressed. For me, something that inexpensive, I’d just replace and move on. Only IF the WP failed a second time would I go looking for bigger issues.
But hey, just mho!
Good luck!
THANK YOU! I assumed that another batter in parallel would allow the engine to crank. My Bad! (learning experience) So I’ll go get a new battery since it is likely time anyway. Yes, I can have them test it before buying.
Any opinion on these “new” batteries – AGM type? Worth the extra expense?
Of course, if this doesn’t work, then the wiring diagrams & I will have to have an “affair!” lol
Thanks for the reply! Um, not the news I wanted to hear. I do have the Service Manual with several wiring diagrams, so I guess I could do that.
I have a multi-meter so I assume I am looking for voltage at each point as I work through the diagram?
Thought perhaps the rapid clicking sound would be indicative of the issue? Is there some kind of relay on the starter that could be bad?
But hey, If I have to go through the wiring, it will be a learning experience.
Oops! My bad – slow to report back.
Replaced the power steering pressure switch and that fixed the leak! No problems since then.
Thank again for the kind help offered here!
Thank you nightflyr!
The more I wander into car repair the more respect I have for those who do this for a living and the more I realize how much there is to know and how little I do know.
So that always has me thinking I might be missing something. So rather than just tossing parts at a problem it seems prudent to ask if there is more to it or not.
So thank you for putting my mind to ease. I’ll swap the PSPS and report back!
Not sure the spring is “deformed” as it were, just a bit expanded. That is the way the new springs come, expanded. I suspect the spring can expand even more than shown. i.e. it is still under some compression. Springs are constantly under compression while on the car and to replace a shock one has to compress the spring anyway. So yes, normally the spring can be reused.
Now that said, if you are going to replace the strut yourself, do yourself a favor and buy the “quick struts” – struts that come with the shock absorber and coil spring together (also known as “fully loaded”). Yes, they are more expensive in the short term, but when it comes to the time, energy and safety, the extra cost, imho, is well worth it!
I watched the Eric video on changing struts and in spite of the fact that he was nearly injured when the spring “exploded”, I ventured forth. Problem I ran into was that the coils were too tight for those loaner tool spring compressors and I had to find someone with the $800, wall mounted spring compressor. (looks like your coils do not have this issue- but…) Believe me, it would have been tremendously easier to install the quick struts and in the long run cheaper!
Hey, no expert here, so comments fwiw.
I dunno the longer I venture into car repairs and buying parts the more I understand Eric’s pounding the table to use OEM parts. Look, a bunch of Ford engineers designed and spec’ed something for the car and to get original performance, the OEM parts usually do that. Who am I to second guess all of that knowledge & experience?
Sure new technology comes along and after market parts can be an improvement. Yet at what cost and how much of an improvement does it bring? 5%, 10%? (enough to make a substantial difference?) I guess I can see new tech if one is building performance car, like Eric did with the Fairmont. But even he, ended up switching out parts and systems later as his experience and knowledge changed. So to what end?
But is one’s sole motivation for the poly bushings the fact that it appears to be “easier?” I dunno, as I learn, I have “discovered” that often doing something that is a short cut or “easier” is when I get in trouble. I’m just saying.
Just a few comments from the cheap seats. I’ll sit down and let the experts comment.
Both the radiator AND reservoir are full? You mean the reservoir is up to the top or just the hot/cold line?
I assume you saw the Eric video on getting trapped air out of the cooling system? I tried it with a make shift funnel and didn’t really have success until I got a sealed one like shown in the video. It made a ton of difference and I thin, unfortunately, showed I had another problem!
Hey, I’m no expert but learning and often the hard way! When I first started more serious car repairs, one of the biggest mistakes I made was not having an impact wrench and “the big red wrench!” Seems like everytime I have snapped bolts it has been with hand tools. Also in my experience no amount of soaking with any kind of penetrating oil (even days) beats an impact wrench.
I bought an impact wrench at Harbor Freight for ~$35 after coupons and while it isn’t the greatest quality, it has lasted several years and makes a huge difference! Anything that doesn’t come loose with the impact gets treated with heat.
I too have used MAP gas and since it isn’t as hot as a torch, found that I have to heat things for a count of 61-one thousand or twice that to break them free. Also, I noticed that many of the OEM bolts that come out have some kind of thread locker on them. Some of those are designed to hold on UNTIL they are hit with heat. But heat is always a challenge around oil & grease and plastic, rubber, vinyl parts. So I am careful about cleaning up and making sure I don’t melt or burn anything.
But hey, I have struggled with trying to drill out and rethreat bolts. Without a drill press this is a tough job especially because many of the key auto bolts are extra hardened steel, grade 8.8 or 10.9. Seems like it is impossible to drill in the center and straight.
I bought a set of “left hand” drill bits- designed to cut while the bit spins left (counter-clockwise). Theory is that at some point the vibrations loosen the rust and drilling grabs ahold of the bolt and it spins out. Haven’t had great success with that either. Also I think the left hand bits were part of a set with extractor bits too.
So yeah, if one has been snapping off bolts it seem likely that the next one might snap too. Maybe AutoZone or one of the other Box stores can provide an impact wrench and impact sockets in their “loan a tool” program?
The final thing one can try, is a poorman’s “armstrong” impact wrench. Put your socket, or better an open faced wrench on the bolt. Put some pressure on the bolt to try to loosen it and while doing that tap, bang, hit the head of the bolt with a hammer. Sometimes all you can hit is what the bolt goes into. Sometimes this works for me, sometimes not.
Thanks for that reply. Kind of what I was thinking – risk is pretty high.
Now I have to wonder as I always do about the quality difference between different belts: Gates, FelPro, Dayco, Continental, Goodyear versus the Honda OEM?
Also saw a video where a dude soaked his timing belt in 303 Aerospace Protectant, claiming that extended the belt life.
So are there different materials belts are made of and something “new” (newer technology) is better than the OEM design?
Guess I ask too many questions – ignorance is bliss. lol
Thanks again Bonnieman!
I finally got it! Following your suggestion, found another bolt that was the same threads AND bought a tap. Ran the threads with the tap – it wasn’t too hard, but 20-some years of weathering, it needed to be done. Then was able to run the NEW bolt, (but the old one wouldn’t work) , into the PS pump shaft and get the pulley properly seated!
These seemingly “simple” suggestions are what gets me every time. It’s just being without experience that I get stuck. Always humbles me a bunch and gives me great respect for the guys & gals that do this for a living and have acquired real knowledge!
Here is a video of the P/S pump – normal?
sorry for the shaky video.
[URL=http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w378/CanDo807B/Front%20End%20Noise%20001_zpsd6272bll.mp4][IMG]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w378/CanDo807B/th_Front%20End%20Noise%20001_zpsd6272bll.mp4[/IMG][/URL]
Hey thanks for all of the replies!
1) I installed NAPA Semi-metalic brake pads
2) Yes, brakes were bled, after the fronts were done, then car driven before rears done. Somewhere in there the system flushed to replace brake fluid.
3) Dust cover does not appear to be bent and appears to be held in place with no movement. (but wonder how this might occur?)
4) I think the pads came beveled but can check.
5) Oh and during my initial drive down the driveway, I executed the “spongy brake pedal” maneuver (since this is a Honda) just so I’d get max firmness. LF wheel locked up & skidded, RF did not.Oh and watched the squeaking brakes video… and yes! I installed all of the new shims (hardware) that came with the pads. Also applied never-seize as instructed and reapplied never seize when I took wheel off to try to find source of problem.