Just bought a used 93 LX accord 4 dr auto, 2.2 4cyl auto 249,000 miles. only 2 owners before me - first was a lease for 2 years, last person had it from 1995 until last week. She donated it to a charity and I bought it at auction for $900.
First thing I'm doing is having a honda dealer replace the timing belt since I don't have the history on it's service. I spoke to the previous owner and she could not recall the last time it was changed so I'm taking no chances.
When I bought it, antifreeze was low, idle erratic, and temp was going to the hot mark. I added 50/50 mix and car ran great - idle went to normal immediatly. but I did find that it would run low again (did not get hot on me). Thought it was the radiator or hose somewhere, but ruled that out after looking all hoses and radiator over carefully and finding no leaks. Thought the head gasket may be gone (previous owner said it ran hot one day, she brought it to midas and they said she needed a headgasket for $1000 - they added antifreeze it cooled down, she went on her way and decided to donate it right away thinking the head gasket was toast), but oil looks fine (no foaming under filler cap or dipstick, no chocolate milk look, just dirty black), no white coming from exhaust or residual on tip of exhaust pipe, no oil in antifreeze or evidence of oily film in there. Then when after parking it I found it dripping drop by drop antifreeze on the ground, near the lower timing belt cover and to the inside of the drivers side front tire. would just drip, drip , drip. I have added antifreeze to make sure the temp does not get hot, and it doesn't.
Drove it 50 miles to the dealer last night, dropped it off and before I left checked the anifreeze level and it was normal, so was temp guage - no leaking from the lower timing belt area - kinda surprised me.
This am the dealer calls - antifreeze ran out all over lot overnight, suspect rad. is bad - i explained and said to skip that and do the TB job and that the leak was most likely coming from the water pump or it's seal. I will still replace all hoses and rad., but will do it myself.
besides the tb, two accessory belts, h20 pump - what else do i have them replace?
the cam and crank seal? tensioners, the timing belt tensioner? any other seals etc. in there or that area? is there a balancer belt? Want to make sure they hit it all so I do not have a failure of the timing belt and a trashed head.
I have them replacing the lower spark plug tube seals and adjusting the valve lash since i have oil in two of the spark plug wells (I'lldo the VC gasket and upper seal - really easy).
thanks in advance.

 

Sounds like the waterpump is leaking. If it was the radiator or hoses, you'd have probably found the source. The waterpump weep hole empties out towards the back, down low. So it runs down & drips off the very bottom of the lower timing cover.

The time to replace the waterpump is NOW when it's at the dealer. You'd have to remove the timing belt all over again if you want to replace the waterpump yourself.

 

Agreed.
I think its the waterpump as well.
I'll have them do that.
What about the tensioners (is there one or two?) and the other seals (cam/crank?)or the balancer belt?
what should I tell them to replace while in there?
thanks

 

Get a new balance-shaft timing belt. That's probably a normally understood part of the job (but confirm with the shop).

There's 2 tensioners, one for each belt. What goes is the pulley bearings. Not everyone gets new, but this should not be the first timing belt job on that car. Unless you know it was replaced kinda recently, I'd get new pulleys.

Mostly I don't replace seals unless they leak or look deteriorated. But these are so hard to reach if they start leaking next month... so mayby a good idea.
- crankshaft seal
- camshaft seal
- front balance shaft seal
- (rear balance shaft seal is built into the geared pulley)

I think 1993 is in the range of years that needs a seal retainer for the front balance-shaft seal. That was a recall, so there "should" be a bracket that holds in the seal. Have them verify that's present. (Unless they can convince you that it doesn't apply to 1993.)

 

Head gaskets on a Honda don’t always mix water and oil. On my 95 Accord it had two symptoms the fan didn’t come on as it was getting air into the system and if you started it cold with the radiator cap off it would pour coolant out until it started. It didn’t overheat unless idled for a long time. I believe over an hour.

 

Any feedback is appreciated. I have a 94 LX Accord with similar symptoms. How much would the labor cost be for following parts replacement at dealer or at private shop in Houston TX area?

*
timing belt
*
balance shaft belt
*
timing belt tensioner
*
balance shaft belt tensioner
* timing belt tensioner spring
* balance shaft belt tensioner spring
* water pump and gasket
*
valve cover gasket
*
four spark plug tube seals
*
five valve cover grommets
*
camshaft seal
*
front crankshaft seal
*
balance shaft seal
*
two accessory drive belts
*
balance shaft seal retainer kit