Hi eone!

Since Summer is coming and I only bought my 91 accord during the winter..Im wondering what I should do to get it ready for summer? My AC works fine --- but someone told me I need to do summer tune ups? And change a water pump and timing belt? Now on my accord next to wear the belt it it says it was changed at 189000kms and Im now at 238000 - so do I still have to change that? And should I do anything else to get ready for summer because I plan on driving my accord a lot on the highways with my AC going

 

Timing belt probably should be changed every 90k miles (145k km). I don't know if the replacement schedule was different in 91? So you've got some time yet.

It is widely recommended to replace the waterpump at the same time because it would be a lot of duplicated labor to do it separately. Have to remove the timing belt to get at the waterpump.

oops... typo on the conversion from miles to km.

 

I would probably wait till my next timing belt change to do the water pump (unless, or course, it fails before then.) The timing belt needs to be changed 90k (144,840 km)after it was last changed. Looks like yours needs to be changed again when the car hits 333,840 kms.At that time, I would get the timing belt, water pump, drive belts, and seals changed.

 

The only thing there is that I dont know if the previous owner changed the water pump when they changed the timing belt -- is there a way to check? And anything else I should do before summer...change the plugs?

 

Since it's too late to include a waterpump with the LAST timing belt, there's no reason to change it now. Wait for it to leak, or make noise. Keep an eye on it.If you're lucky it'll last until the NEXT timing belt.

Spark plugs are pretty inexpensive & easy to change yourself. ('91 probably wants regular NGK copper plugs) If you're not really sure how old they are, then go for it. Hondas don't seem to like Bosch plugs, so get NGK. Or maybe Denso as 2nd choice.

 

The timing belt tensioner should be replaced also. It was probably not replaced at 1st timing belt change, and it definitely will need replacing by 2nd belt change. Bearing grease dries out and bearing could eventually fail.

good luck

 

So then I should just wait before I change the belt, pump and tensioner or do you think I should do it right away ?

Also --- I have a vibration on my steering -- so my Dad did an alighnment for me and it was still there so then I went and did a balancing...Now the steering is okay but when it gets to 100-120 it start wobbling like mad...even after balancing and everything. My tires are new too so what could this be?

Ps..I really appreciate all the help btw

 

Soit's100k km before you need another timing belt. It would have been nice if waterpump & timing belt tensioners were replaced back with the belt, but it's too late now.

Are you under the hood often enough? Are you comfortable with your own ability to notice/recognize when something begins going bad? Do you drive for 6,000 km & don't open the hood until it needs an oil change?

For myself, I'd wait and hope they last. But I'm under the hood every week just to check the oil on the dipstick.

Both of those thing should give some warning & not suddenly have a catastrophic failure. The waterpump should either start leaking or start making noise. The tensioner would start making noise. If anything like that happens, I'd change it all. Even a new timing belt because once you take the belt offyou won't save much money by putting the old belt back on.

 

The tensioner will give you a warning by making noise. The water pump will leak, and the car will overheat,also giving you a warning if it is going out.I would not worry about changing them before the next time the timing belt is changed unless they go out(way too expensive to do just for "peace of mind" IMO)

 

Okay cool !

Thanks everyone....

btw -- any ideas on the steering issue I posted above?