mtn's $700 Red Appliance Adventure

Yesterday I was perusing craigslist and came across a 1998 Accord Coupe for $800. Ad said that it cranked, but didn't start. See thread here: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/1998-accord-v6-no-start/122705/page1/

I found it on craigslist, ad said that it cranks but doesn’t start. I asked some more, and the lady said that it started a month ago, and then 2 weeks ago it cranked and didn’t start. Yesterday she couldn’t even jump it--this was news to me when I saw it. She said because of that she thought it was the alternator. I told her, that sounds like just the battery to me. She said she just wanted it gone. I looked at it—some scratches on the bumper, pretty bad, some “custom” taillights that look pretty cheap, and a little rust, but overall not too bad. Tried to crank it, nothing. Tried to move the power seat, and it barely crept forward. I told her again, I think this is a battery if it didn't jump. She said she didn't really care. I offered $700, and she accepted in an instant. 30 minutes later I had purchased a battery from O’Reillys for $140, installed it, and it ran pretty good for $830!

The interior (leather) is in decent condition other than the driver’s seat, which has a tear, the clock backlight is out, and the clip to hold the visor is broken. I already ordered those from Amazon for $10. There is a clicking sound from what I believe is the hot/cold air mixer motor—that will be ignored. Decent aftermarket Sony radio. And when I’m done with it, I can take the wheels off and keep them for the Acura and put the steel wheels on this. Timing belt and water pump were done 50k miles ago, and they have a 105k interval.

The problems:

• It surges at idle--threw a P0505 code. I'm guessing a fuel pump relay, or PCV valve.
• The parking brake is stuck on. I think this is just the cable; I’ll grease that and then never use it.
• The potentially big one, the transmission shifts pretty rough going from Park to Neutral to reverse to drive. It shifts fine within drive, maybe a little slipping, but nothing too bad for 200k miles. I’m planning on babying it before selling it in the spring (unless I think it goes for a lot longer)

Should be pretty good to get me to the train station and to ice rinks and back home; in the mean time I have time to save and search for the car I really want.

Here is an old picture of it from 4 years ago. It is in worse condition now, but nothing that makes you think that it is overly rough:

I'll be posting updates here if I remember to.

Score!

I really like the styling on the '98-'02 Accord coupes. Looks like you've got a perfect excuse for a manual transmission swap.

MadScientistMatt wrote: I really like the styling on the '98-'02 Accord coupes. Looks like you've got a perfect excuse for a manual transmission swap.

Too much effort. When/if the transmission blows, I'm selling it/scrapping it.

In reply to mtn:

You know, you could convert it into an Accomino and bring it to the Challenge next year.

petegossett wrote: In reply to mtn: You know, you could convert it into an Accomino and bring it to the Challenge next year.

I have been meaning to get a sawzall...

Two pretty big improvements today:

• put in a new visor clip. Now my visor doesn't sag!
• drained the transmission and put in Honda ATF. Immediate improvement. It held fourth on the highway immediately; and other than the park to reverse shift, everything else is smoother. I'll be doing it again on Thursday, and hopefully again on Sunday.

Nice score! The only reason it didn't sell before you could get to it is because it's automatic. Which is a plus in Chicago. It being automatic (and an accord) means that it will still be there in the morning when parked on the street.

Heck yeah! I'm glad the Honda ATF helped.

dculberson wrote: Heck yeah! I'm glad the Honda ATF helped.

Me too. It was really remarkable. The transmission is still on its way out, but now I'm thinking I have at least 5-10k more miles. I'll probably order a few more quarts and do this again in about 2k miles. (That will be separate from me finishing up this change)

So since our last update, I've had the oil changed by a shop (since I don't have enough time in my day). It is a trusted mechanic, and he said that other than the surging idle the car seemed to be in decent condition. He didn't even mention the tranmission fluid.

Then, I changed the transmission fluid myself. Not sure how, since I didn't put either one in that tight, but the drain plug is getting stripped--actually, that one was from last time when I had to jump on it with the hockey stick to get it out. But the more worrying one was the ATF fill plug. That I couldn't get out and even with the right sized socket I was stripping it. I'm thinking that my recent craftsman socket is not quite right, since it is a Craftsman. I couldn't get the thing off, so I filled the ATF through the dipstick hole. That was the second time of doing the change; I have one more left and at the same time will be throwing in some Lucas Transmission Fix.

Yesterday I had an annoying setback--I'm at the hockey rink to ref a game, and pulling through the parking lot when someone throws open their door as I'm driving past--literally threw the door all the way open. Of course it took off my mirror. So now I have to find a new mirror, which luckily I won't be paying for (the guy was very apologetic and gave me his info and phone number; I wasn't going to report it to police or anything for a car that cost $700).

You don't need the fill plug. Just keep filling through the dipstick and let it be. Also, its the heads, not the threads stripping, right?

Did you change the oil with the engine nice and hot? The temperature of the case could make a big difference in the torque on the fasteners.

Just a note - I find Honda auto-transmissions cheap all the time out here. I'm not familiar with that generation accord, but the previous H/F family in accords and preludes shared transmissions across the board. JDM auto-trans are cheap usually as well.

Robbie wrote: You don't need the fill plug. Just keep filling through the dipstick and let it be. Also, its the heads, not the threads stripping, right? Did you change the oil with the engine nice and hot? The temperature of the case could make a big difference in the torque on the fasteners.

Yep, heads stripping. The ATF fill plug was confusing--it was on there very tight the first time, but I got it off. I put it back on and finger tightend it, then gave it a push with the wrench--but I didn't lean into it or anything. Could not get the thing off.

The drain plug, I'm pretty sure it was put in with an impact wrench the last time it was done before me--who knows when that was. I stripped it trying to get it off, but it still works. I've just been finger tightening it since then. It goes in very easy, as long as I remember to pull the metal shavings out of the threads.

And yes, I've been doing it hot, and have the slight burn mark from the exhaust to prove it.

accordionfolder--this is of the era where the transmissions like to eat themselves for lunch every 30-100k miles. It is on its last legs, I'm just not sure if that means 1k miles or 10k miles or 30k miles. Before the fluid change, I'd have said 1-5k. Now I'm thinking over 10k. My brother and dad both rode in it and said that I'd be cursing the damn thing 6 years from now when it still was sputtering on.

The general consensus online is that you can buy a reman one, but you don't know how long it will last. It is a B7XA, FWIW. If I had the time, I'd get the kit and do it myself--but then I'm putting a lot of effort into something that really isn't worth it.

Sounds like time for a couple new drain & fill plugs. Is the Lucas Trans Fix stuff really needed? I have no experience with it but consider most to all of those auto trans fix-in-a-can substances to be snake oil or dangerous to the trans or both.

pres589 wrote: Sounds like time for a couple new drain & fill plugs. Is the Lucas Trans Fix stuff really needed? I have no experience with it but consider most to all of those auto trans fix-in-a-can substances to be snake oil or dangerous to the trans or both.

Drain plug is a good idea. I'll pass on the fill, it works putting it in the dipstick hole.

The Lucas stuff--online, people say it either helps or does nothing. A lot of people say that it does help though, enough to make me try it.