When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hey All. Just bought an 04 Base. Black interior. Anth... something blue/grey ext. All 100% stock. 193k miles. Could not figure out the official sign in thing.. so here it is. Anyway. I hope to be a huge help on this site. I've got 12 years of being a Honda master mechanic under my belt. Nothing I've not seen nor done. I tend to be a post whore. Although I'm not liking how this site is set up compared to others I've been on. So anyway. Ive always wanted a 3G just never had the cash. I have 3 other cars. An 03 wrangler. 03 liberty renegade. And a 65 mustang conv. I aquired the car via my work. A customer brought it in with a bad trans. Long story short I offered him $500 as a joke.. and he shook my hand. So I coined down on a new Trans star trans and installed it myself... great car. He was the 1st owner. Unfortunately no maintenance has been done other than oil changes. 190k on factory T belt... I've got some work to do for sure.. I just turned 30(sept). Good present to myself.
You are absolutely right. Threads fail with out pics. As it's like -5666778*F out here I got super raw just bought dirty pics. Kills me it snowed the day I got it. Really killing me that I can't clean and detail it.. I did throw the shit ball 65 stang on the road and gave the TL the garage. It's got a lot of small issues il need to work past.. including some missing paint on the front bumper right above the plate bracket (which needs deleted and holes shaved) but all later. First thing is a T belt and valve adjustment. (No noise) just both never been done w/190k on it.
Just coined down on All genuine Honda stuff. T belt. drive belt valve cover gaskets n tube seals. Power steering pump reseal kit. Oil pump reseal kit. Fluid for brake and ps system flush. IL be busy tomorrow for sure.
Welcome! Got my SSM '04 base/navi/5at from the original owner a few months ago. It was incredibly well maintained and I love it! Its a gorgeous car, and while not fast, it has plenty of power to be fun, and I think Ill really fall in love once I do my suspension and go with summer wheels.
How did the power steering flush go? I need to do that today and wondered any tips you have? Did you do what the service manual says and kept turning the wheel until it went dry?
Do not turn the wheel or even run it at all with no fluid! I've not done mine yet. It's a pretty simple procedure. Suck the reserve dry. FILL it full start. Turn wheel lock to lock a few times. Shut engine off. Suck the reserve tank dry and fill again.. start engine. Turn wheel a few times.. repeat till the fluid in the reservoir is clear. Only use honda power steering fluid!!!!!! It should take 2 to 5 bottles depending on how bad it is. It's rare to see a failure due to dirty fluid. But I'm a believer in keeping everything very nice and clean. You won't EVER see my trans fluid any color than bright pink/red in any of my (auto) cars. Alot of people say... oh thoes are filled for life... I tell them to stfu. Change your dirty a$$ fluid you lazy ..... yeah
Wow, $500! I've seen some sell with blown trans for $500 or crashed for $500, but that is a great deal and good looking car! Its worth atleast 2500 parted out as well, if you need any advise - parts just look us up. We have been working on and selling parts for the 3rd gen TL for almost a decade..
Do not turn the wheel or even run it at all with no fluid! I've not done mine yet. It's a pretty simple procedure. Suck the reserve dry. FILL it full start. Turn wheel lock to lock a few times. Shut engine off. Suck the reserve tank dry and fill again.. start engine. Turn wheel a few times.. repeat till the fluid in the reservoir is clear. Only use honda power steering fluid!!!!!! It should take 2 to 5 bottles depending on how bad it is. It's rare to see a failure due to dirty fluid. But I'm a believer in keeping everything very nice and clean. You won't EVER see my trans fluid any color than bright pink/red in any of my (auto) cars. Alot of people say... oh thoes are filled for life... I tell them to stfu. Change your dirty a$$ fluid you lazy ..... yeah
Yea I asked because the service manual says turn it until dry which is the opposite of logic for a pump. There's a huge thread in here half said its ok and half said not. I'll prob just suck it dry and then full and leave it as is. I only bought enough ps fluid for one flush
Wow, $500! I've seen some sell with blown trans for $500 or crashed for $500, but that is a great deal and good looking car! Its worth atleast 2500 parted out as well, if you need any advise - parts just look us up. We have been working on and selling parts for the 3rd gen TL for almost a decade..
Yep.. original T belt. The guy I bought it from had bought it from the original owner. KNOWING the T belt was stock he still drove it another 6k miles before I bought it. Crazy! Hell I got a look at the drive belt and took 2 steps back fearing it would snap as it sat and whap me in the face... Looks like Friday il be doing all of the repairs.. I've not driven the car since the day I bought it. CAREFULLY drove it home and kicked the 65 mustang to the curb to park it in the garage.. so I work with the guy that I bought it from (we work at a Honda dealer) told him i was going to replace the T belt before I drove it anywhere. He looked at me like.. why would you do that... I told my father in law about the situation and he gave me the "replacing T belts are just dealers making money" I've never replaced one on any of my cars" o.O seriously... one of my biggest pet peaves are 1. Regular People that argue with mechanics about maintenance. And 2. Ass holes that don't believe in regular maintenance. Even if my cars are due something and I had it for sale in would STILL do the work! It's the right thing to do!
All tore down.. Looks alot nastier in there than I was hoping... seems the douche wasn't so great with on time oil changes either... no sludge. Just burned on crap. Sorta normal for these. This one's just extra crispy. Valve adjustment went like they all do. Exhaust valves either good or a bit tight. And all intake valves a bit loose. Power steering pump reseal went good. Burping coolant and flushing brake and ps tomorrow
Yea I asked because the service manual says turn it until dry which is the opposite of logic for a pump. There's a huge thread in here half said its ok and half said not. I'll prob just suck it dry and then full and leave it as is. I only bought enough ps fluid for one flush
Yeah.
I didn't have a buddy available when I did my PSF flush/o-ring replacement so I just ran it dry (very briefly) following OEM manual instructions while doing full lock turns.
I was changing out the reservoir (was super gunky and nasty) so that;s why I wanted to clear flush through the system.
Look, it does sound a bit nasty when you are turning it lock to lock as it fluid runs out and then you pour more in....but look at this: you are doing this with wheels off ground (I jacked up the car so there is ZERO friction/resistance from front wheels/ground, I would not recommend this with car on the ground) and there is literally total free play in the steering.
While I do admit I am no expert into PS pump internal specifics....I figured ~10 seconds of total dry PSF lock to lock wheel turning time WITH wheels jacked in the air (least resistance psosible) ain't gonna hurt anything in the long run (with cars running 200k+ miles over life time....)
So far it sounds quiet and no issues at all. Just my
But for OPTIMAL safety....if I had a buddy I would've had him continuing feed PSF while I was turning wheel and flushing the system though.....
Just an odd way to do it. Fact of the matter. No matter how taboo your method was... you still did the service. And ended up with clean fluid. That's ahead of 90% of auto owners right there.
and welcome to AcuraZine.
