[Paul]

It’s a lifetime part and does not require replacement, according to Honda. I believe the filter is supposed to capture debris when the transmission is new. Replacing it won’t harm anything though.

[Paul]

IMHO it looks like a corona stain, a byproduct of ambient air and high voltage. It doesn’t affect the performance of the plug.

If the gap of the two stained plugs is significantly greater than the other two plugs, then the firing voltage is probably higher, which causes more corona and darker stains.

[Paul]

The DW1 fluid is “backwards compatible” with the Z1 fluid, so there should be no issue with mixing the fluids.

I’ve seen Beck/Arnley branded Z1 fluid, probably along the same lines as the Aisin fluid. I personally wouldn’t worry (unless the shipping cost is larger than the dealership price).

Tangent: I’ve heard of substituting a flush with 3 consecutive drain-and-refill procedures, which probably originated from a TSB for one or two vehicles a long time ago. IMHO, that procedure seems excessive given the cost of the fluid. It would be better to spread the drain-and-refill procedures over time (e.g. annually) if the vehicle’s maintenance was suspect or overdue.

[Paul]

ETCG hit the major safety items: tires, brakes, steering, and suspension, and he probably used a finer-toothed comb because the car was given to his son.

I haven’t experienced any issues with the two Hondas that I’ve owned until the 6-7 year mark, aside from normal maintenance. Afterwards, entropy rears its ugly head and problems arise, although none were surprising. Maybe I’m lucky and hit the tails of the distribution, or maybe the car was designed to be problem-free until the warranty expired (I honestly don’t know).

[Paul]

Check the body for a plastic code as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) usually require a specialized glue, which are readily available from Henkel/Loctite and others.

I’ve found that it’s easier to apply an adhesive with a syringe and blunt-tipped needle in tight or awkward areas, such as your situation.

[Paul]

Is it equipped with a power liftgate, which can be opened and closed with the remote?

Is there a way to install a strap to pull the hatch down?

[Paul]

[quote=”vpdsouza” post=196732]Not sure what do you mean by swivel the alternator away. Alternator is still holding the bolts and that is where the ratchet is struck.[/quote]
I thought if the other bolts and bracket were removed, the alternator can be pivoted around the “trapped” bolt, which then would free the ratchet or allow the ratchet to be reversed at least. It was just a guess based on the picture.

[quote=”vpdsouza” post=196732]Now, I am not sure whether I damaged the tension pulley…[/quote]
Does the tensioner have two bars on one side and a triangular arrow on the other? If the triangle points outside of the two bars, then the belt or tensioner is out of spec.

It seems as there isn’t much clearance for the tensioner. A long pattern box wrench with zero-offset (eg GearWrench) has worked well for me.

[Paul]

Can you release the tensioner pulley (in the same manner for removing the serpentine belt) to free the ratchet? Alternatively, can you swivel the alternator out of the way (shot in the dark)?

[Paul]

Ditto to BonnieMan. My local Honda dealership has the best price on fluids when shipping is factored into the cost. Not surprisingly, the Acura dealership has an additional markup.

There are several Honda and Acura dealerships that have an online store. Handa Accessories is one that is well-regarded.

I believe aftermarket Honda/Acura specific ATF exists, Valvoline or Beck-Arnley, but I’ve never seen it at the stores.

[Paul]

The Z1 fluid was discontinued, so it might be difficult to find now. The DW1 fluid is its successor and is “backwards compatible”.

[Paul]

Hard water should not scratch the paint, unless solids/precipitates are present. Automotive soaps contain chelators to bind and sequester hard water ions, and 50% extra soap can be used to compensate for hard water. However, hard water can cause spotting, which can be avoided when the vehicle is dried promptly. I’ve seen RO filters for automotive detailing, although it’s a bit excessive IMO.

[Paul]

For the slider pins, use a silicone product. The CRC Silaramic product (Option 1) should work well as it’s high-temperature, pure silicone grease that’s safe for EDPM rubber. 3M silicone paste is popular too. I don’t know about the Permatex silicone (red) product. Finally, Toyota has two different brake greases: 08887-01206 (rubber) and 08887-80609 (lithium soap grease).

[Paul]

Latex gloves are often incompatible with petroleum products while nitrile gloves are fairly resistant to many common chemicals. The terms are often used synonymously/interchangeably.

[Paul]

Is the sound at 9, 33, and 45 seconds when you’re turning? I had a similar periodic scraping noise that randomly appeared and then disappeared within a mile of driving. I thought a pebble was trapped near the dust shield and eventually fell out. Two other possible causes are misalignment of the pad retainer/abutment clip or slight sticking of the pad that periodically grazes the rotor.

Edit: Glad you solved it.

[Paul]

[quote=”mlavrack” post=195361]Anyways, I was wondering what size impact should I purchase and air compressor. Any recommendations?[/quote]
I recommend a cordless 1/2-in-drive impact wrench (not impact driver) for occasional use. It’s not going to beat a pneumatic tool, but it works in many cases, and I’ve grown tired of dealing cords and hoses, using a break bar in a tight spot and awkward position, etc. If you already have a cordless tool/battery platform, you can probably buy the bare tool

[Author]

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