[Euro] Approaching 20,000km

[Chris_F]

I'm approaching 20,000k's now in my Euro and over the last couple of weeks it hasn't exactly been a pleasure to drive (i really don't look foward to taking it for a spin like i used to).

:thumbdwn:The steering feels overly "heavy" and tends to pull strongly to the right side (even after a recent wheel allignment, which i may have to get done again)

:thumbdwn:The engine revs really lathargically and even in the upper revs the car feels sluggish.

:thumbdwn:I used to enjoy changing gears but the box has become a bit sloppy and even with the short shifter (which generally makes the box feel tighter) it still feels unusually loose (dodge syncros maybe? - something's not right)

:thumbdwn:The clutch has decided to play up aswel; everyday it feels worse for ware and it feels as if it's only a matter of time before it starts slipping.

:thumbdwn:When i put the indicator on and turn left the wheel clicks every couple of centimetres of the steering wheels rotational movement

I'm sure i could list a lot more quibbles but i'll stop there.

I really want to know if these symptons are signs of serious problems or just the car's need for a good servicing?

It'd be good if any euro owners could let me know if they experienced similar problems leading up to the 20,000km or at any time in the life of their car - thanks.

Sorry for the long post but yea i'm not a happy camper at the moment.

[yfin]

:thumbdwn:The steering feels overly "heavy" and tends to pull strongly to the right side (even after a recent wheel allignment, which i may have to get done again)

I have not experienced heavy steering - I assume your tyres are ok and at the right pressure?

What i have experienced is tricky alignment issues with this car from day one. Honda says it is normal.

Even with a laser alignment 2 days ago the car does not track perfectly straight on a flat road. It used to track to the left - now tracks slightly to the right. The alignment people said the right rear end has a camber of -1.41 which is out of spec (left rear was -1.00). They could not adjust it. I think that is the cause of my tracking problem. Somehow the right rear is out of camber. Eventually I will get a camber kit and lower the car - probably will solve this.

So I feel for you on this issue - very tricky car to get to track perfectly straight unless you are always holding the wheel firm.


:thumbdwn:The engine revs really lathargically and even in the upper revs the car feels sluggish.

Oil change and clean the air filter. Should do the trick.



:thumbdwn:I used to enjoy changing gears but the box has become a bit sloppy and even with the short shifter (which generally makes the box feel tighter) it still feels unusually loose (dodge syncros maybe? - something's not right)

Have not experienced any problems with the box save for 1st gear doesn't activate quickly enough for me - (need to hold the clutch down for about 1-2 seconds before 1st gear will engage). If I push on the lever for first too quick it will not allow me to select 1st.



:thumbdwn:The clutch has decided to play up aswel; everyday it feels worse for ware and it feels as if it's only a matter of time before it starts slipping.

I wish i could see what you mean - my clutch feels exactly the same since day 1 and now has 30,000kms.



:thumbdwn:When i put the indicator on and turn left the wheel clicks every couple of centimetres of the steering wheels rotational movement

not sure what you mean by the wheel clicks. Steering wheel or front wheels?

[albii]

sounds like you need some decent oil and a new oil filter and maybe check your air filter too and get a decent wheel alignment also........i have had issues trying to get a good wheel alignment on my euro and i dont know if its the 18s or dodgy wheel aligners...regarding the left side issues with the wheel..didnt you have an accident on that side?....dont worry chris i think your car needs a good service and a few thing adjusted.

[albii]

.

:thumbdwn:I used to enjoy changing gears but the box has become a bit sloppy and even with the short shifter (which generally makes the box feel tighter) it still feels unusually loose (dodge syncros maybe? - something's not right)


now i'm hesitant about getting my short shifter fitted....anyone want a comptech short shifter?

[Chris_F]

yfin, thanks for the detailed response.

Steering:
I'll check the tire pressures and get a wheel allignment and hopefully that will fix up the steering issue a bit. I forgot to mention that i got a nail in my back left tire just a couple of days ago and had a patch job (that tire mightn't be at the same pressures)

Engine:
My service is in another 3000km or so... so i don't know if i bother changing/ cleaning the oil/air filter myself or just wait for the dealer to do it as part of the service. I definitely think this is the problem though.

Something else i forgot to mention: when i start the car up it idles at 1500 rpm untill the engine temp gauge is near the middle then its back down to 750. I thought it was the cold weather but even on a relatively hot day just recently it did the same thing. (perhaps down to old oil again)

The clutch:
I've asked honda to have a look at it the last time the car was in and they seemed to think it was "normal" aswell.

Basically, compared to the first 10,000km that i've had the car its basically gotten a lot harder to stall and gear changes have become on the soft/smooth side (the clutch is still gripping properly i hope) it just feels like its lost some of its teeth if you get me? I'll have to hand the car over to another euro driver and get an unbiased opinion, see if it feels any different to theres, i'm just a bit worried about it.

The wheel:
Yea, it's the steering wheel that is making the clicking noises, but only when the indicator is on and more so when turning left (it did this before the accident). When turning right it will make 2 or 3 clicks max. through out the entire corner but going left it does consistantly more than 3 or 4. I have a feeling its something to do with the automatic indicator-off function.

Gear-changes:
Albii, I'm the only one that seems to be having this problem. If something is wrong with the syncros then hopefully the SS isnt to blame. You know it could even be transmission fluid is in need of change? Either that or just my particular car, my gearbox fealt kinda "different" ever since i had the car. And damn that 1st gear initiation thing shits me to tears, definitely not cool.

My stick moves through the "gates" easier than three euro's i've tried (matell's, baboo's and pnr888's) - duno if thats good or bad

[h22a accord]

my 5th gen accord does the click thing in the steering column too- nothing much to worry about. other than that, the car still feels tight, plenty of power, the clutch still feels strong and never ever slips. Ive just hit 234,000km, engines nearly at 100,000km.

i wonder how the euro's will hold up over time? im pretty sure sooner or later honda will do a few recalls and get the stuff that needs sorted, sorted.

[Chris_F]

my 5th gen accord does the click thing in the steering column too- nothing much to worry about. other than that, the car still feels tight, plenty of power, the clutch still feels strong and never ever slips. Ive just hit 234,000km, engines nearly at 100,000km.

i wonder how the euro's will hold up over time? im pretty sure sooner or later honda will do a few recalls and get the stuff that needs sorted, sorted.

Thats qutie a few k's, good to hear the cars still going strong. To be honest i doubt the earlier model euro's will hold up as well in the clutch department. From what i've read there's a chance honda has designed a dodgey MC across most of them which is causing the clutches to wear out too quick. Heaps of people have got theirs replaced already - Yea a recall would be good - i'm sick of having a piss-weak clutch.

[yfin]

Hard to say on longevity - there is certainly at least one TSX owner out there with a car that has over 100,000kms on the odo and is on the original clutch. Probably lots of highway miles - but still worth knowing.

[Alpine]

Something else i forgot to mention: when i start the car up it idles at 1500 rpm untill the engine temp gauge is near the middle then its back down to 750. I thought it was the cold weather but even on a relatively hot day just recently it did the same thing. (perhaps down to old oil again)

Dude, this is normal. It is to help warm the engine up more quickly. All of our Hondas do it too.

[EuroAccord13]

:thumbdwn:When i put the indicator on and turn left the wheel clicks every couple of centimetres of the steering wheels rotational movement


If you mean the clicking on the steering wheel, that is normal as it is to let the indicator turn off itself if you turn more than a certain degree... The second click should indicate that the indicator will turn off even before you straighten the steering wheel when you do a full lock turn...

[olda]

Thats qutie a few k's, good to hear the cars still going strong. To be honest i doubt the earlier model euro's will hold up as well in the clutch department. From what i've read there's a chance honda has designed a dodgey MC across most of them which is causing the clutches to wear out too quick. Heaps of people have got theirs replaced already - Yea a recall would be good - i'm sick of having a piss-weak clutch.

Just curious.....where are these Accord Euros build?
Japan or Thailand? :confused:

[euro77]

Just curious.....where are these Accord Euros build?
Japan or Thailand? :confused:

Accord Euros are built in Japan.
Accord V6s are built in Thailand.

[euro77]

:thumbdwn:I used to enjoy changing gears but the box has become a bit sloppy and even with the short shifter (which generally makes the box feel tighter) it still feels unusually loose (dodge syncros maybe? - something's not right)


I've read somewhere that sometimes when you change too fast, the gear doesn't have enough time to synchro (don't know what the exact term is). I can have that every now and then when I changed too fast, and this is without the short shifter.



:thumbdwn:The clutch has decided to play up aswel; everyday it feels worse for ware and it feels as if it's only a matter of time before it starts slipping.


You might have a faulty master clutch cylinder? Might worth having them looked at.

[Chris_F]

euro77, even when i do slow gear changes the box still feels loose, it might new transmission fluid, would that make a difference?

I also had the MC changed at 10,000km - i just hope all those km's with a faulty MC doesn't mean my clutch is on the way out earlier than expected.

[red_s2000]

try redline shockproof light for the box... it will make your gear box smooth as silk. Ask for smurf if the mechanic has no idea what you are talkiing about.:). Otherwise redline MT90 is good stuff too.

[V205]

frikes ... has any one with a manual Euro (please state 2003/2004/2005 and km) not done a clutch MC replacement??



euro77, even when i do slow gear changes the box still feels loose, it might new transmission fluid, would that make a difference?

I also had the MC changed at 10,000km - i just hope all those km's with a faulty MC doesn't mean my clutch is on the way out earlier than expected.

[PERTH_EURO]

i havent 2004 model 13000km

[yfin]

frikes ... has any one with a manual Euro (please state 2003/2004/2005 and km) not done a clutch MC replacement??

plenty have no problems with MC.

[albii]

2004 12000km no probs...

[adammet04]

well for starters whinge to the honda people when you go in for service...

im at 22000 for mine

i can also confirm issue with wheel alignment as well, but to be fair i have aftermarket wheels on, i actually had them fix it at 13000, then at my 20 they stuffed it again lol...have to take it in to fix it again,

anyway i think checking tire pressures is important too, stweering goes sluggish on mine too when the pressure is down (i usually run at 36 psi) i can always tell when my tires are going down

once again there was talk of jekyll/hyde nature of euro's, mine has its moments :)
I still get this on occassion, but my euro has been sucking this cold air up like its noones business :p

clicking i can confirm being with indicator (hear noise inside car?) if the clicking is ooutside, then definately check it out...

I know ive repeated a lot of what others have confirmed, but sometimes multi positive negative responses can help you feel better, just to know we are all in the same boat (or not)

I have auto too, so makes mine a little diff again..

good luck with service..

[ant234]

I had the same problem with my last car (non accord, its a holden!) it took them 2 years to sort out the problem and with 7-8 visits... Holden finally replaced the whole steering column after I start screaming for them (started when the car was new!!!) Good luck!

[Chris_F]

adammet04, thanks for the reply - "multi positive negative responses" haha confusing, but i defintiely know what u mean i've been feeling better about all the things i mentioned over the last couple of days because of all the posts in this thread.

ant234 - hm... ill definitely bring it up at the service then, but i'm sure they'll "find nothing wrong"

[aaronng]

Steering:
I'll check the tire pressures and get a wheel allignment and hopefully that will fix up the steering issue a bit. I forgot to mention that i got a nail in my back left tire just a couple of days ago and had a patch job (that tire mightn't be at the same pressures)
Did they rebalance your tyre+wheel after patching? I also experience sluggish steering when my tyre pressures are low, around 30psi. I up it to 33-36psi and it is better.



Engine:
My service is in another 3000km or so... so i don't know if i bother changing/ cleaning the oil/air filter myself or just wait for the dealer to do it as part of the service. I definitely think this is the problem though.
Just before my 10,000km service, my car was sluggish as well. What engine oil does your dealer use? Mine was mineral (Magnatec) and I had driven about 7500-7900km before the the service and the engine already felt sluggish.



The clutch:
I've asked honda to have a look at it the last time the car was in and they seemed to think it was "normal" aswell.
I find that in the cold weather, it is more difficult to shift smoothly (clutch engagement-wise). I think the ECU is doing something different to maintain emissions when the air is cold.



Gear-changes:
Albii, I'm the only one that seems to be having this problem. If something is wrong with the syncros then hopefully the SS isnt to blame. You know it could even be transmission fluid is in need of change? Either that or just my particular car, my gearbox fealt kinda "different" ever since i had the car. And damn that 1st gear initiation thing shits me to tears, definitely not cool.
You can try getting your transmission oil changed. I'll be doing it at 20,000km as well. A shortshift, when used with quick and hard shifting will wear out the synchros a bit more as it will always take the synchros a little time for it to match the gear rotation with the input shaft.



My stick moves through the "gates" easier than three euro's i've tried (matell's, baboo's and pnr888's) - duno if thats good or bad
Shifter bushings getting worn perhaps? I've read on TSX forums that they change to metal bushings for better shift feel.

[Chris_F]

The car was in at honda today and they set all my tire pressures to 32psi which ill probably up to 34-35. Apparently one of my tires was as low as 20psi that + the nail which i had for a few days was obviously stuffing with the steering. So that's pretty much sorted.


Just before my 10,000km service, my car was sluggish as well. What engine oil does your dealer use? Mine was mineral (Magnatec) and I had driven about 7500-7900km before the the service and the engine already felt sluggish.

Yea i asked the fella who was looking after me and he said "castrol and honda got together and developed an oil especially for honda cars because they like to rev so much etc..." So they've used some sort of honda approved castrol for me too. Surely they could use a better/ longer lasting oil.


I find that in the cold weather, it is more difficult to shift smoothly (clutch engagement-wise). I think the ECU is doing something different to maintain emissions when the air is cold.

It's the opposite for me.... it's gotten very easy to shift smoothly. I brought it up again today and the service guy said they'll have a look at the next service and try make some adjustments to get the clutch feel back. It came on rather quickly, so who knows the accident may have moved somethin in such a way that the clutch was affected? it's really beyond me, ill just have to see what they can do.


You can try getting your transmission oil changed. I'll be doing it at 20,000km as well. A shortshift, when used with quick and hard shifting will wear out the synchros a bit more as it will always take the synchros a little time for it to match the gear rotation with the input shaft.


I'm a bit uneducated when it comes to the function of syncros etc. If the shortshift has worn the syncros will a new oil help them work more effectively or is it a matter of them being reconditioned/replaced? I really hope its the oil that's shot.


Shifter bushings getting worn perhaps? I've read on TSX forums that they change to metal bushings for better shift feel.

hmmm... metal bushings might be the way to go then. I wouldn't be suprised if my initial excitement with the short shifter and the quick changes i was doing somehow affected the stock rubber ones.

Does anyone have any more info on the bushings, if they are hard to install or how much they cost?

Thanks for the reply aaronng

[tknova]

With the wheel alignment try this, i've been told to do this to the euro while getting a wheel alignment and it's worked for my car, i'm running on 19ns and the car tracks straight!

Have thr car running when doing the wheel alignment, sounds stupid but it seemed to work for me! :)

[Nikoy]

my car is in for its 10,000k service today, $154.00 at burswood honda. Which for me included a courtisy car with is a manual accord euro luxury 2003 with 50k on the clock.

the courtisy car i have is great feels just as good as my car except the engine makes a little more of a whining nosie when getting into the 4k plus region. Which i have done often as it is a courtisy car :D

[ant234]

Nikoy you've been looked after well!

[baboo]

Chris_F,

Your car feels normal to me when I drove it at Mt Cootha. You haven't ride in my car have you...it feels like everything is falling apart.

[aaronng]

LOL, my door panels vibrate and buzz when I listen to AM radio.....
Also, my windscreen has a popping sound once in a while. I'm learning to live with it (door panels have been fixed for vibration, but then it became worse).

[albii]

You haven't ride in my car have you...it feels like everything is falling apart.
i wonder whylol :D

[Pum[Z]]

Well the inside of my car rattles a lot as well...

But wat do u expect if u have adjustable coilovers and big ass alloys.. The interior of the car soaks up all the vibrations and bumps when driving...

Going to have my 20 000km service on Wednesday... Already asked the cost, its $230 ish... But me bringing Mobil 1 with me so the price of the service should be cheaper...

[Chris_F]

baboo, good to know my car doesnt feel too different to yours.

Nope, never had a ride in your car. Maybe it's not such a good thing that mine doesn't feel too different to yours? haha

Ahwell i guess the 5 year warranty was worth it.

[VirIIx]

has anyone else recently started to notice a lot more vibration inside the car? a lot more and stronger than usual and yes.. rattling.. i had that coming from beside or behind me near the window or something.

I know having an icebox would cause some vibration, but not like this. The car definately needs a service :|

And the clutch feels kinda iffy again, but i won't let paranoia kick in yet.

but the vibration could be due to the idiot who smashed into my car.. there is a bit of body framework damage on the back corners, and my dual exhaust doesn't look aligned ever so slightly :b

sigh.. just can't seem to win lately..

[Chris_F]

VirIIx, i know the feeling

I'm hoping the 20,000km service makes a big difference

[Nikoy]

Nikoy you've been looked after well!

actually i got my car back last night and the service cost me $94.00 :D.

Mind you my brother is a salesman at burswood honda so i expect the extra treatment.

[Pum[Z]]

Had my 20,000 km service today... Got it back and boy does a oil change and oil filter change make a difference... My car has the grunt back and boy does it rev much easier now..

Everything seems good with my car... Brakes are still good which i thought was gonna need replacing... Only slight front tyre wear on my wheels...

Provided my own oil but i opted for a oil flush which makes the grand total of servicing my euro for its 20,000 km = $230.00

[Chris_F]

Pum[Z], good to hear the oil change and the rest made a difference... i'm kind of hanging out for my service now.

Did you just request for them to flush the oil or do they give you the option?

I think the reason why the euro's start loosing power comin up to 20,000km is because of the oil filter. From memory my dealer said they don't replace it untill 20000km which seems a bit much?

[Aratahu]

Hmm, I thought it was a good idea to replace the oil filter much more often than that. If you do a lot of city driving, they want you to do an oil change every 5000Ks; I'm making sure that they change the oil filter at the same time on my own.

[tuffAC]

[ I had the same problem with my last car (non accord, its a holden!) it took them 2 years to sort out the problem and with 7-8 visits... Holden finally replaced the whole steering column after I start screaming for them (started when the car was new!!!) Good luck! ]

Prior to the euro i had a astra convertible. picked it up brand new with 8kms on the odo. so much for german engineering!!! from day one the steering pulled to the left. Holden wheel aligned it 6 times but it never drove straight. I had to top up 3.5 litres of oil in the first 3000kms...in one go aswell (...and i never thrashed it either) The roof leaked! the rear parcel shelf peeled. They apparently "amended" the problem by re-vinyling it with a local chop-shop. They made it worse because the finish was very poor. in sunlight you could see all the wrinkles. the engine refused to start 3 times in my 6 months of ownership. And on 1 occasion the roof refused to open. In the end frustration got to me! i traded it for a euro and have never been happier since. I really feel for those who have been "shafted" by dodgy built cars. Its not the dealers fault. They are just agents acting on behalf. I only have a biff with those dealers who cant be botherd with fixing problems. Unfortunately new cars are never problem free. Sooner or later we may encounter a fault in the car. It just depends on how deal with it. My only suggestion for those with major problems is that if bitch long and hard enough manufacturers will fix the problem. Make sure you contact the right people as sometimes speaking to dealers is a waste of time.

As for creaks and rattles. My only solution for those who have this problem (including myself) is to go and drive a run-down shit box ex-taxi car for a week (ie xf falcon or vh commodore) and jump back into your euro. Absence will make your heart grow fonder....and rattles and creaks will no longer exist!

The truth of the matter is that over time our cars will "loosen". It wont be as tight as when new. Bass-thumping stereos, modified suspension, sports exhaust, body-kits and and huge ass wheels will change the condition of the car and hence alter its driving characteristics. Even the roads we drive on will ultimately hinder the purity of our cars. I hate to drive any given car that has been driven by people who live on long stretches of unconcealed roads. (imagine the rattles and creaks on those things hehehe)

For now good luck to all of you and god bless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Han

[Chris_F]

Well i've decided to book my car in with a family friend that's a mechanic and have him change the oil. I'm at roughly 16500km now and even though the service is comming up and they'll probably change it themselves again i've decided to take Aratahu advice and will start to change the oil/filter every 5000km (i do nearly all city driving).

I know some suggestions were made throughout the post... but what would everyone reccomend as a really high quality oil that will let the engine rev freely but give good protection?

It doesn't need to be long life oil if there is such a thing as like i said im going to be changing it more regularly from now on. Thanks

[EuroAccord13]

I'm now trying out Castrol Formula R 5W-30 on Euro77's recommendation.. Will hopefully be able to report back on this soon when I do an oil change in 5000Kms and check the oil and engine...

Of course, I'm sure everyone has used or is using the Honda FEO 10W-30 Oil (Made by Castrol).. They work well in fact!

Then there is Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 ... Not too bad, a rev happy oil....

I've used Shell Almost all my life in all the cars and have found no problems with them.. It would be one oil I'd recommend you :)

[Chris_F]

thanks, i'm going on a oil hunt tomorrow (techically today just past 12:00am) so i'll make use of the advice.

[Pum[Z]]

Chris...

They asked me if i wanted an oil flush... I usually opt for it but i totally forget to mention it at this service.. Lucky they did.. It costs an extra $30 for a oil flush...

I have been using Mobil 1 in all my cars... So thats the only Motor Oil i stick with...

[ant234]

']Chris...
oil flush....


Sorry... a really silly question... whats an oil flush? :o

[baboo]

like toilet flush, flush the shit out. LOL

[aaronng]

I don't like oil flush... they put in 0W20 in and it gets all the particles flowing and out to the sump. But to get to the sump, the particles have to go all the way around the oil path first.... ouchies to the clearances.

[EuroAccord13]

I watched the DVD on VTEC engines, they say it's best not to flush the engine at all... a regular oil change will do.... (That is According to the Techincal Director of Spoon or JUN)(.....

[aaronng]

I saw that DVD too. It was the president of Spoon. I read about flushing oils from the Engine Oil Bible. http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbibles/entrypoint.html?menu.html&engineoil_bible.html


Flushing oils

These are special compound oils that are very, very thin. They almost have the consistency of tap water when cold as well as hot. Typically they are 0W/20 oils. Don't ever drive with these oils in the engine - it won't last. Their purpose is for cleaning out all the gunk which builds up inside an engine. Note that Mobil1 0W40 is okay, because the '40' denotes that it's actually thick enough at temperature to work. 0W20 just doesn't get that viscous! To use them, drain your engine of all it's oil, but leave the old oil filter in place. Next fill it up with flushing oil and run it at a fast idle for about 20 minutes. Finally, drain all this off (and marvel at the crap that comes out with it), replace the oil filter, refill with a good synthetic oil and voila! Clean engine.
Of course, like most things nowadays, there's a condition attached when using flushing oils. In an old engine you really don't want to remove all the deposits. Some of these deposits help seal rings, lifters and even some of the flanges between the heads, covers, pan and the block, where the gaskets are thin. I have heard of engines with over 280,000km that worked fine, but when flushed it failed in a month because the blow-by past the scraper ring(now really clean)contaminated the oil and screwed the rod bearings.

[V205]

Or just 'flush' with with a relatively cheapish petroleum oil.. even honda's own 10w30. Drive with that for a week.. and then change to the oil of your choice?

[EuroAccord13]

Or just 'flush' with with a relatively cheapish petroleum oil.. even honda's own 10w30. Drive with that for a week.. and then change to the oil of your choice?


What's the point? It's the same as changing oil.... :p

[V205]

It's to dilute the old oil that's left in the engine that's 'undrainable'. People do that with diff and tranmission oil too when they wanna give it a good fresh fill.



What's the point? It's the same as changing oil.... :p

[SSML]

What's the point? It's the same as changing oil.... :p

it is impossible to drian ou the last drop of the old oil, so the idea of flush or "interim oil" exist..

I usually buy Shell HelixUltra when K'mart is having 15% off, stock them in mum' kitchen. :D

[aaronng]

it is impossible to drian ou the last drop of the old oil, so the idea of flush or "interim oil" exist..

I usually buy Shell HelixUltra when K'mart is having 15% off, stock them in mum' kitchen. :D
Haha, so... what does fried chicken cooked using Shell Helix Ultra taste like? :D

[SSML]

Haha, so... what does fried chicken cooked using Shell Helix Ultra taste like? :D
hahaha, they tasted like KFC, even better.. :o

nah! our garage is facing west, so it gets quite hot during summer, so I store my engine oil oil in the kitchen cupboard to avoid possible quality degradation.
As expected, mum is always whinging :p

Seriously, stock up engine oil when it's on sale, and it's ready for you when u need to change every 5000km

[aaronng]

Yeah, I'm waiting for super cheap or anywhere to have Castrol Formula R on sale to stock up.

[euro79]

For all of you who own euro's who are experiencing clicking noises coming from the indicator stalk, Castrol High Temperature Bearing Grease is ideal to eliminate this noise as I have added some to my indicator stalk today and so far, no noise. My Honda contacts have advised me to do so, as I work for Honda in Sydney, it helps me to know all the background info on fixing small problems like this. Window Tint Scratches are normal I'm afraid, Honda won't cover Warranties from what I know, as they are aware of the problems with earlier cases. There isn't sufficient clearance between the glass and internal waistmould which causes the scratches, felt may help but will place extra strain on the glass.
Hopefully this info helps all of u with Euro's.

[aaronng]

Is the high temperature bearing grease the red one? I've been looking for Castrol White Lithium grease but I've been unsuccessful in sourcing it at retail.

[Adagio]

My model has only around 12,000kms and it feels exactly as it did at 500kms. There seems to be no particular trend to the things that appear to be going wrong with your Accord. I have owned many different makes of cars and never found as many problems as you are having. All cars have idiosyncrasies and little faults we have to live with but certainly not the array you have. I consider the Honda Accord the best made car I have owned. I suggest you have another competent driver take the car for a run and see if they find all the problems you appear to be experiencing. :confused:
Adagio

[as001]

Ive got a 05 euro approaching 26000km i feel the engine has just worn in and rev's alot more freely now then just after 20k service only mod is comptech icebox

[albii]

hey my 04 has 21000km and its still tight.... started to rev better at about 18000km but still hasnt loosened properly.

[Omotesando]

Yeah my 05 has done 6189Km and the engine is only 89% freed up.
Still waiting to get to 15324km before it frees upto 96.78%. :D

[Adagio]

Gosh at 7,222.6 my engine was already freed up 91.37% was it the olive oil I was using?
Adagio

[stephen8512]

how do u know its been freed up a certain percentage?

[Adagio]

Cause I attached my Freeup hydro ennunciator gauge which calculates the wear factor in Krypton nodes and converts to percentages. :D

[stephen8512]

you attach your wat to the wat now?!
lol sorry ive never heard of anything like that before and the only word that remotely jumps out at me is the word "krypton" but thats only cuz i watch Smallville and that kryptonite makes superman go retarded so yeah. :D
where do u get this "freeup hydro ennunciator" gauge from and where do u connect it up to and mount it?

[Omotesando]

LOL so do you plan to divulge the brand and rating of this synthetic olive oil to use?

No wonder olive oil works out more expensive per litre than ya run of the mill castrols.. :D

[Adagio]

This special olive oil come from rare North Siberian olive groves and indeed it does cost more than Castrol Ahhh but the exhaust aroma ---- makes it all worth while especially around meal time. ;)
Adagio

[zuiko]

Chris,

I drove an Integra VTiR for 6 years and did 125000km on it. At one point the clutch felt as if it would give way when I was at the 20,000km point but it never did and even for the next 100,000km it was fine. It felt weak for a while which I noticed first while climbing a steepish hill around Randwick.

BTW I never changed brake pads for the whole time I had it - there was still about 20% left when I sold it!

The engine idling high and settling to 750 rpm is normal - part of the automatic choke system to prevent stalling of a cold car.

The steering wheel clicks are also common. Its the self deactivator ratchets clicking in. The only car I never experienced that in, was the Holden Vectra which has a spring loaded turn indicator unlike other levers on cars.

The first gear engagement issues are very common on all manual cars I've found. Double clutching is sometimes needed.

Good luck.

[Chris_F]

Zuiko, this thread is fairly old, but thanks for putting in the effort to find it and sharing your experience :)

i'm sure other new car owners would agree it's sometimes hard to know when slight changes in the cars behaviour/driving charactersitics are normal or an early indication of a problem (ie with the clutch issue). The only way to put our minds at rest is to hear from more experienced car owners like yourself, so cheers mate :thumbsup:

[petsfact]

Accord Euros are built in Japan.
Accord V6s are built in Thailand.


remember someone mentioned to me all accord post 2004 early are put together in Thailand then ship to Australia.

[aaronng]

remember someone mentioned to me all accord post 2004 early are put together in Thailand then ship to Australia.
All 2003 Accords 2.4L and 2.0L are made in Thailand.

All Accord Euros 2003 til now are made in Japan. Check your VIN. Made in Japan Hondas start with JHM (Japan, Honda Motor) while the made in Thailand ones start with MRH.

[petsfact]

just thought some of you might want to know even mobil1 10w-30 break down near 8000km. but for my case i have at least 1 hour stop and go traffic everyday a bit harsh on the engine and oil.

engine sounds terrible with lots of metal scrapping noise on hard acceleration and feel soft anywhere below 3000rpm. after servicing the car with mobil1 10w-30 again, the car feels as it was, tight and responsive.

[aaronng]

just thought some of you might want to know even mobil1 10w-30 break down near 8000km. but for my case i have at least 1 hour stop and go traffic everyday a bit harsh on the engine and oil.

engine sounds terrible with lots of metal scrapping noise on hard acceleration and feel soft anywhere below 3000rpm. after servicing the car with mobil1 10w-30 again, the car feels as it was, tight and responsive.
Have you tried any other brand? Something else full synthetic like Castrol Edge 0w-40 or Motul 8100.

[aaronx88]

Dear Aaron,

I couldn't comment on Castrol Edge 0-40, but Motul 8100 Excess is pretty damn good compared to FEO or Castrol Magnatec that my dealer has put in so far.

The engine and gear change (auto) is noticibly smoother. I am still testing out the fuel comsuption part since I've only put in Motul 8100, 2 weeks ago. I lived in the city and all my trips is very short, thus my driving style will be considered severe.

Thanks.

Aaron

[Adagio]

I dunno how you guys can tell the difference in engine oils. I have changed to Penrite SIN. The car has always been smooth, quiet and responsive with or without the expensive Penrite Sin. I bought it because I like the best in my Euro but I cannot feel any difference. Gees, reading about Petsfact's engine sounding terrible with metal scraping noises I would be pulling over and stopping the engine immediately.
Adagio

[mastcell]

All 2003 Accords 2.4L and 2.0L are made in Thailand.

All Accord Euros 2003 til now are made in Japan. Check your VIN. Made in Japan Hondas start with JHM (Japan, Honda Motor) while the made in Thailand ones start with MRH.


Actually, the VIN should have 17 Alphanumeric code.
First code for Nation of origin:
1=USA,
2=Mexico,
3=Canada,
J=Japan,
K=Korea,
V=France.

Second code for Manufacturer: in this case,
H=Honda.

Third code for Vehicle type:
M=Passenger, build in Japan,
G=Passenger, build in USA/Canada,
L=Multi purpose passenger vehicle.

Four, Five Six are the model number: in this case, CL9. Its use has changed over the years with gradual proliferation of various models.

Seventh code for: Body type and transmission, for Euro, I think it codes for:
5=Manual, 4 door sedan;
6=automatic, 4 door sedan.

Eighth code for grade, I don't have any information on this one, other than to speculate that it codes for Standard or Luxury versions.

Ninth position is supposed to be a check digit, to make sure that the VIN is legit. There is a complex formula to calculate this. It ranges from 0-9 and X.

Tenth position is supposed to be the model year: my VIN has 6, it means it was 06 model.

11th position is assembly plant:
A= Marysville, Ohio, USA;
C= Sayama, Saitama, Japan;
H= Alliston, Ontario, Canada;
L= East Liberty, Ohio, USA;
S= Suzuka, Japan;
T= Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan.

The rest are supposed to be production sequence number. Honda VIN does not specify engine type.

I don't have any information on the Thailand factory, sorry!

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_automobile_VIN_codes#Production_sequence_num ber
http://www.autohausaz.com/honda-auto-parts/honda-vehicle-identification-numbers.html#Footnotes

[petsfact]

Have you tried any other brand? Something else full synthetic like Castrol Edge 0w-40 or Motul 8100.

nah i did not go with any other brand, but isn't mobil 1 10w-30 synthetic too? some good read i found

http://member.rivernet.com.au/btaylor/BMWText/technical/OillMobil1.html

[Chris_F]

great information mastcell! i learnt something

[aaronng]

Actually, the VIN should have 17 Alphanumeric code.
First code for Nation of origin:
1=USA,
2=Mexico,
3=Canada,
J=Japan,
K=Korea,
V=France.


Thailand is ML or MR. http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/VIN/WMI.html#ccode