Rusty Accord's 99 Sedan LX F23A4 w/5speed (56K)

[Rusty Accord]

Since my 7 day limit is up, and the sun was out (still cold out though) I got a few pics to add to the post, so lets begin.
Body: stock Dark Elm Green Pearl paint

Engine: Stock. NGK Irridium plugs, timing belts w/ tensioners, and a harmonic balancer replaced. I have the new water pump, but didn't want to replace it at that time.

Suspension: Stock 4 by 4 ride height. No mods

Interior: Stock, with some clean up. Rear seat back was replaced due to the PO's hungry dog eating the rear head rests.

Cosmetic: 15x7 7 spoke Konigs wrapped in Dunlop Direeza 102's in 205-55-15 sized tires (almost stock size).

Future plans are to drop the rear sub out of the car, so the rusty fuel tank can be replaced. I'll probably do the fuel and brake lines while I'm in there just to be safe. My main intention is to get the car 100% reliable, as I just picked it up in October of 2016 for 350 bucks (not including the tires and wheels as they came off my 97 Accord). Once I get that done, I'll look into fixing the strips of metal behind the rear doors (wheel well arch pieces) and re-spray those areas, along with the bottom of the left rear door. Most everything works on the car, and these are great road going cars, so I want to be able to put a lot of miles on it.

Here's a couple of pics of it, don't mind the dirt.

 

[RedRyder]

Wow $350, how many miles? Good luck with it, hope it treats you well.

 

[Rusty Accord]

Wow $350, how many miles? Good luck with it, hope it treats you well.

232,000 miles. It had needs an engine on the windshield, but it turned out it really needed a harmonic balancer, new key, and the timing reset. It runs very good, and shifts smoother than my 5th gen.
Just need to swap out the fuel tank when the weather warms up, and I'll be back driving it.

 

[Connie]

I'd start spraying those fuel line connectors in front of the gas tank now if you want them to come unclipped. (the ones that join the plastic fuel lines to the hard lines right in front of the tank.) I just did mine and those connectors took me all day to undo because of all the rust. There's also not a lot of room to get your hands in there, and the last thing you want is a fuel leak in that hard line. The bends are very close to the connector too, which makes fixing broken hard lines there even more fun. Good luck with your new ride, I paid $600 for my first v6 couple four years ago and it's still going strong.

 

[Rusty Accord]

I'd start spraying those fuel line connectors in front of the gas tank now if you want them to come unclipped. (the ones that join the plastic fuel lines to the hard lines right in front of the tank.) I just did mine and those connectors took me all day to undo because of all the rust. There's also not a lot of room to get your hands in there, and the last thing you want is a fuel leak in that hard line. The bends are very close to the connector too, which makes fixing broken hard lines there even more fun. Good luck with your new ride, I paid $600 for my first v6 couple four years ago and it's still going strong.

I'd love to crawl under it and start spraying them down, but I'm suffering from a couple of pulled shoulder muscles at the moment. The doctor and I both hope it's not a torn rotator cuff. All I know is it hurts like an SOB, and I'm kind of stuck until we know more about what's wrong with it.

But, I had planned on replacing the steel fuel lines underneath, and more likely doing the brake lines as well, as I've already done those on my wife's Accord which is a year newer than this one. While I'm in there, the plan was to change out the EVAP shut valve too (it's got a P1457 code), since I'll be in the neighborhood. Part of me wishes Honda would have run those funky high pressure plastic fuel lines all the way underneath like other companies did, then I'd only have to worry about the brake lines. That little plastic tray is nice for keep them bundled together, but also allows the crud to collect on top causing the rust of the steel lines. It'll be the 3rd car that I've done this to, as my 92 Geo Prizm was the first (about 6 years ago), and my wife's was the 2nd (about 2 years ago). At least once they're done, they're good for a long time. It's just a PIA job to do, but with it up in the air, and the rear sub out of it, that'll probably be the best time to do it.
Thanks for the advise and your interest.

 

[Connie]

I'd love to crawl under it and start spraying them down, but I'm suffering from a couple of pulled shoulder muscles at the moment. The doctor and I both hope it's not a torn rotator cuff. All I know is it hurts like an SOB, and I'm kind of stuck until we know more about what's wrong with it.

But, I had planned on replacing the steel fuel lines underneath, and more likely doing the brake lines as well, as I've already done those on my wife's Accord which is a year newer than this one. While I'm in there, the plan was to change out the EVAP shut valve too (it's got a P1457 code), since I'll be in the neighborhood. Part of me wishes Honda would have run those funky high pressure plastic fuel lines all the way underneath like other companies did, then I'd only have to worry about the brake lines. That little plastic tray is nice for keep them bundled together, but also allows the crud to collect on top causing the rust of the steel lines. It'll be the 3rd car that I've done this to, as my 92 Geo Prizm was the first (about 6 years ago), and my wife's was the 2nd (about 2 years ago). At least once they're done, they're good for a long time. It's just a PIA job to do, but with it up in the air, and the rear sub out of it, that'll probably be the best time to do it.
Thanks for the advise and your interest.

No problem. As you clearly know these cars are great, reliable and cheap to keep going if you don't mind spending a little time here and there to keep up on things as they wear out. I think I have put 6, maybe 7 wheel bearings in Connie since 2014, lol.

For some reason the Haynes manual says to remove the sway bar to remove the gas tank; but you don't have to, at least on a V6 car but I'm pretty sure you wont need to either. Just an fyi; not sure why the good people at Haynes say to remove it, but they do. Nobody likes messing with rear sway bar links if they don't have to; they NEVER come apart on a winter driven 6g lol.

 

[Rusty Accord]

No problem. As you clearly know these cars are great, reliable and cheap to keep going if you don't mind spending a little time here and there to keep up on things as they wear out. I think I have put 6, maybe 7 wheel bearings in Connie since 2014, lol.

For some reason the Haynes manual says to remove the sway bar to remove the gas tank; but you don't have to, at least on a V6 car but I'm pretty sure you wont need to either. Just an fyi; not sure why the good people at Haynes say to remove it, but they do. Nobody likes messing with rear sway bar links if they don't have to; they NEVER come apart on a winter driven 6g lol.

I saw that in a couple of video's on dropping the rear sub. I've already got new MOOG end links, and support bushing to go in when I get that far. I've been slowly picking up what I need, so when I do go digging in, I'll have everything I need (I hope). I've thought it out pretty good, and also used my previous experiences. Before I joined 6th gen, I spent a year over on HAF (Honda Accord Forums), as I needed some help on both my wife's car, and on my 5th gen Accord. It's a nice site, but it's not centered around 6 gen Accords (which is what I like). It does however give you an insite on the newer models, along with how reliable the older models were. I still visit there, as I do occasionally have something to contribute. Plus, if it wasn't for that site, I'd have never found this fabulus site called 6th gen.

But, you're right, these are fantastic cars with high build quality and they last a long time with a little money thrown at them. In my case it's mosty fixing stuff the PO let slide (in any of the Accords sitting here), although I think the 5th gen probably didn't need as much as the others, other than what I tossed in it to get it running.

 

[Connie]

I saw that in a couple of video's on dropping the rear sub. I've already got new MOOG end links, and support bushing to go in when I get that far. I've been slowly picking up what I need, so when I do go digging in, I'll have everything I need (I hope). I've thought it out pretty good, and also used my previous experiences. Before I joined 6th gen, I spent a year over on HAF (Honda Accord Forums), as I needed some help on both my wife's car, and on my 5th gen Accord. It's a nice site, but it's not centered around 6 gen Accords (which is what I like). It does however give you an insite on the newer models, along with how reliable the older models were. I still visit there, as I do occasionally have something to contribute. Plus, if it wasn't for that site, I'd have never found this fabulus site called 6th gen.

But, you're right, these are fantastic cars with high build quality and they last a long time with a little money thrown at them. In my case it's mosty fixing stuff the PO let slide (in any of the Accords sitting here), although I think the 5th gen probably didn't need as much as the others, other than what I tossed in it to get it running.

I pulled the tank out of my parts car over the weekend to use in my black car which is also leaking gas from the tank (parts car tank ended up being rusted out too, unfortunately; so I gotta drop another 180 bucks on another gas tank), and looking at it, it seems you could drop the tank by disconnecting the fuel lines right at the fuel pump rather than the ones in front of the tank. You would have to drop it far enough to undo the fuel lines from the plastic clips that hold the bundle with the other lines after disconnecting at the pump to free the lines to allow you to drop the sub-frame, but those connectors aren't as exposed to the elements, and easily came unclipped even on Connie once I had the sub-frame out.

I'm planning on dropping the tank on the black car tomorrow after I drain the gas tonight after I get home after checking out that parts car, so I'll let you know how it goes. I'm gonna try the disconnect-lines-at-pump method this time, because I don't want to have to touch those rusty fuel line connectors if I don't need to.

The moog end links are nice and beefy, but a bit pricey. I have one on the passenger side right now and it's been there a long while and many aggressive km without developing that classic rattle the OEM ones always give after a few years.

My buddy had a 5th gen in high school (15 years ago), barely see them on the road anymore. I used to have a 4th gen 1992 sedan, that car was great too. Traded a fridge for it and then drove it around for a year without spending a dime on it. Even took that car to Mexico once too.

 

[Rusty Accord]

I pulled the tank out of my parts car over the weekend to use in my black car which is also leaking gas from the tank (parts car tank ended up being rusted out too, unfortunately; so I gotta drop another 180 bucks on another gas tank), and looking at it, it seems you could drop the tank by disconnecting the fuel lines right at the fuel pump rather than the ones in front of the tank. You would have to drop it far enough to undo the fuel lines from the plastic clips that hold the bundle with the other lines after disconnecting at the pump to free the lines to allow you to drop the sub-frame, but those connectors aren't as exposed to the elements, and easily came unclipped even on Connie once I had the sub-frame out.

I'm planning on dropping the tank on the black car tomorrow after I drain the gas tonight after I get home after checking out that parts car, so I'll let you know how it goes. I'm gonna try the disconnect-lines-at-pump method this time, because I don't want to have to touch those rusty fuel line connectors if I don't need to.

The moog end links are nice and beefy, but a bit pricey. I have one on the passenger side right now and it's been there a long while and many aggressive km without developing that classic rattle the OEM ones always give after a few years.

My buddy had a 5th gen in high school (15 years ago), barely see them on the road anymore. I used to have a 4th gen 1992 sedan, that car was great too. Traded a fridge for it and then drove it around for a year without spending a dime on it. Even took that car to Mexico once too.

Yeah I got the links and bushings from Rock Auto, as I could buy a pair from them for the cost of 1 from Autozone. I've actually been buying quite a few parts from Rock Auto as they have a good selection of name brand parts for good prices. I've gotten my timing belt kits from them, as well as plugs, wires, distributor caps, the fuel tank for the 99, even the cat back exhaust for my 97 Accord.
Like I said above, I'm waiting on some warmer weather, as I figure I'll be laying the car up for a couple of days while I slowly work on it. I'm not in a rush, as I am still driving my 97 Accord, and I've still got my winter beater Geo Prizm if I need transportation somewhere. Like I said before, I figure I'll probably be in there doing brake lines too (they seem to go first) and I'll do the fuel lines while I'm there. I've got to open up the system anyway (it's got drums in the rear), so I know just moving things around will cause a leak.
This car was built in Japan (vin starts with a "J", and the door jamb tag says made in Japan) and was sold in Indianapolis, so it's seen salt. I don't know how long it's been in Michigan, but it saw dirt roads while it was here (before I got it). I've replaced some weird parts on it though (like the power steering return line) due to rust out. As it is, I live right across the river from Sarnia, so we get a lot of humidity here (keeps things moist).

 

[Connie]

You Americans and your Rock Auto....jealous!

Which power steering line is the return line? My black coupe is leaking power steering fluid from on top of the rack, so it's going to need to be replaced. How difficult was it to get in there?

I'm about an hour North of Toronto, it seems like it's always raining or snowing up here. I feel your pain. Seeing 30 and 40 year old rust free cars in drier climates makes me hate what this place does to cars. And everything got worse when they started spraying the brine instead of the rock salt too. That crap peels the paint off of license plates!