Piyke: Hello everyone,

This tread is for car DIY enthusiasts to share their DIY history or list planned ones. I guess (Siena's will fill the whole Nairaland )

Here a list of my past DIYs (on 2003 Accord 4cyl, LX, US spec)
1. Fuel pump assembly change (2011)
2. Oil and filter changes (Every 3 months)
3. Power steering o-ring change( this was to fix a whine that occurs each time the car was cold) 2011
4. Serpentine belt replacement. (2013)
5. Transmission fluid replacement (2013)
6. Throttle body cleaning (As needed)
7. Replacement of AC relay (2011)

Planned DIYs
1. Replacement of Automatic tensioner
2. Power Steering rebuild (replacement of seals. Current one leaks from one of the seals)
3. Coolant flush.

As you list yours remember to state the vehicle and trim. You never know you may solve a fellow Nairalander's problem.

Previous thread: https://www.nairaland.com/1523610/what-diys-it-yourself-done

On the 22nd of Dec. 2013, I took on changing the seals of my power steering which has been seeping fluid from 2 positions. (See pic). The orange arrows indicate where the fluid was seeping from. I had gone to my mechanic but recoiled at the idea of doing a rebuild , stating that more often than not, after such venture the power steering effect is usually lost. He didn't seem to care about the fact that the seeping fluid found its way to my alternator beneath and I was just tired of topping up PS fluid. I read about doing a rebuild on a few Honda fora of DIYers and people had successfully pulled it off. So armed with a few tools and materials I...

Needed tools and materials include:
1. Size 10 socket
2. Size 12 socket
3. Size 14 socket or wrench
4. Rags
5. Power steering rebuild kit: I got mine from the states for $20+ its an Edelmann 8934. see Pix below
6. Nose pliers

To start, remove the serpentine belt (What some people call fan belt). To do this locate the size 14 automatic tensioner bolt and with the size 14 wrench bear the bolt forward (push the bar towards the front of the car).
NB: This requires some serious force.
The tensioner pulley would move towards the rear of the engine then use your free hand to push off the belt from the tensioner pulley. I have found this easier than trying to pull of the belt from the power steering pulley.

Tip: remember to note the routing of the serpentine belt round the various pulleys

Next, disconnect the feed hose to the PS and the high pressure line. Note that to prevent PS fluid dripping all over your engine place the rags beneath the hoses as below. First pic is the feed hose while the 2nd is the pressure line. To remove the feed hose use the nose pliers to remove the clip.

With both hoses off, plug the holes to prevent contamination by dust particles

Next use the size 12 socket to relive the 2 bolts holding the PS in place. One is in front and the other at the back. See pic for the bolt in front. That at the back can be seen as the last bolt on the PS in the first pic that I posted.

Because of limited tools, I was only able to replace the set of seals in the red box (5 in all out of 9). I did not have the equipment to remove the pump pulley, that would have given me access to the pump bearing etc. Nevertheless, since I was able to address the 2 leaky seals in addition to the another 2. I met my goal of stopping my PS from leaking.

Apologies from here I didn't snap much pics as I was down to serious business and I happened to do this alone. Cant wait for when my son would be old enough to assist dad on his DIY escapades

Need to go on break would continue later...

Its good you are getting your hands dirty a little, not because you can't afford to pay a mechanic but the desire to get it right with a better understanding how it works.

I hope you got a Honda power steering fluid because if you use any other fluid it will boil.

So you know there will be a couple of failures in the west some rebuilt unit cost $60 so they just replace.

I know getting to know different parts of the vehicle you will not be surprised by any failure you already know the condition of each system.

sultaan: Its good you are getting your hands dirty a little, not because you can't afford to pay a mechanic but the desire to get it right with a better understanding how it works.

I hope you got a Honda power steering fluid because if you use any other fluid it will boil.

So you know there will be a couple of failures in the west some rebuilt unit cost $60 so they just replace.

I know getting to know different parts of the vehicle you will not be surprised by any failure you already know the condition of each system.

On point. Thanks a lot. Yeah, I was able to get the OEM Honda PS fluid

Resuming...

To begin kindly see the exploded view of the PS pump. Got this on the internet

I replaced numbers 9, 10, 15, 17 & 18....

o-rings 15 and 17 were the causes the leakages that I was having.

Remove the Pump housing cap. Its a #19 bolt. Not having a vise made this a bit of a struggle, nevertheless, I was able to hold down the pump with one hand while I removed the bolt with my #19 lug nut spanner. Remove the o-ring on the bolt and replace. Mine was flattened and I could appreciate how it wouldn't hold all the fluid in when i compared it to the new one.

Now set the pump pulley side down and remove the 4 size 12 bolts on the back of the pump. Once these are off, remove the back plate, this would give you access to seals 15 and 17. Seal 17 was the main culprit and it was flattened as well. See the comparison

To replace parts 9 and 10. Remove the roll pin, then remove the Cam ring. Note the indent on the cam ring and the outer case where the roll pin slips into. With the cam ring out, remove parts 9 and 10 which are 2 tiny strips of rubber and plastic. The flexible one is the rubber seal while the harder one is the slipper seal.
Replace both seals first the rubber then the slipper on top of each other in the groove as you found it.
Then replace the cam ring and align the indents on it and the outer case so that the roll pin can slip in. replace the pump housing cap with its new o-ring. Then attach the back plate of the pump and tighten the 4 bolts.

To reinstall into the vehicle follow the opposite of the already outlined steps. Attached is a pic of the finished job. Been driving for days with no leaks whatsoever.

After your are done with this procedure, you should have some air in the PS system because of the hoses disconnected. Follow the outlined steps to bleed the air out of the PS system.

1. Start the car
2. Allow it to idle for some minutes
3. Observe the level of the PS fluid in the reservoir, if low add fluid to bring it up to the low mark.
4. Slowly turn the steering wheel lock to lock a number of times. NB: You should not hold the steering at either of the locks as this can damage the PS pump even during normal everyday driving.
5. Observe the reservoir and top off to the min mark if needed.
6. Allow the car to idle for some minutes
7. Top of the reservoir to the upper mark

This procedure drives air out of the system. Go for a test drive to confirm all is well.

How i wish this procedure will apply for my Toyota prado 2006. The whining sound is unbearable at the moment and the steering fails most times during idle and driving with very low RPM (less than 1000rpm).

I feel the pump is also causing the steering rack some problems as i notice leakage of the oil around the ball joints of the steering arm. The leakage is not alarming but the oil has suddenly turn almost black.

I would have loved to fix the pump to start working again instead of buying a new one.

Also, i wish to know the effect of using a different tyre specification other the recommended by the car manufacturer. I have a Honda accord 2003 LX with tyre recommendation of 205/65/15. I wish to purchase the factory alloy of 2003-5 Honda which is a 16inch with probable tyre size of 205/60/16.

adanny01: How i wish this procedure will apply for my Toyota prado 2006. The whining sound is unbearable at the moment and the steering fails most times during idle and driving with very low RPM (less than 1000rpm).

I feel the pump is also causing the steering rack some problems as i notice leakage of the oil around the ball joints of the steering arm. The leakage is not alarming but the oil has suddenly turn almost black.

I would have loved to fix the pump to start working again instead of buying a new one.

Also, i wish to know the effect of using a different tire specification other the recommended by the car manufacturer. I have a Honda accord 2003 LX with tyre recommendation of 205/65/15. I wish to purchase the factory alloy of 2003-5 Honda which is a 16inch with probable tire size of 205/60/16.

Fixing the whine you describe may actually be a more simple procedure than this. First are you using the recommended PS fluid for your Prado? Also does the PS fluid in the PS reservoir foam? If it does, that would mean air is entering the system through somewhere. I recommend you Google the problem, search through Toyota fora to see what the most likely cause is. I once had a whine some years back which took less than 5 mins to fix. Good luck.

For the changing the tires of your EOD, I guess it would increase fuel consumption. I can't really say if it would have anymore effects. I've heard Sienna dissect the effect of tires on cars well. I guess he'll be of help on this

Piyke: With both hoses off, plug the holes to prevent contamination by dust particles

Hello Piyke, is that the steering pump? or could it be liken to the steering pump in Benz

prudence.smart:


Hello Piyke, is that the steering pump? or could it be liken to the steering pump in Benz

Yes its the power steering pump. I guess the procedure for a Benz would be different. The procedure here is strictly for the 2003-2007 4cyl accords

Piyke:

Fixing the whine you describe may actually be a more simple procedure than this. First are you using the recommended PS fluid for your Prado? Also does the PS fluid in the PS reservoir foam? If it does, that would mean air is entering the system through somewhere. I recommend you Google the problem, search through Toyota fora to see what the most likely cause is. I once had a whine some years back which took less than 5 mins to fix. Good luck.

For the changing the tires of your EOD, I guess it would increase fuel consumption. I can't really say if it would have anymore effects. I've heard Sienna dissect the effect of tires on cars well. I guess he'll be of help on this

The PS was never changed from factory as far as my knowledge recalls. No prior work was done on the PS system before the whining began. No foaming. It just started whining and steering became stiffer with time. Early mornings the whine is there but steering will be soft till the engine temp reaches operating temp then starts misbehaving.

For the eod, i was thinking that the difference in tyre size is to compensate for each other. the 16inch is 205/60/16 while the 15inch is 205/65/15. The 65 and 60 should compensate

sultaan:
Its good you are getting your hands dirty a little, not because you can't afford to pay a mechanic but the desire to get it right with a better understanding how it works.

I hope you got a Honda power steering fluid because if you use any other fluid it will boil.

So you know there will be a couple of failures in the west some rebuilt unit cost $60 so they just replace.

I know getting to know different parts of the vehicle you will not be surprised by any failure you already know the condition of each system.

were can i get honda power sterring fluid.

Nwunuken:
were can i get honda power sterring fluid.

Find Luvinghubby, he stocks Honda OEM fluid

Piyke:


Find Luvinghubby, he stocks Honda OEM fluid

ok

My 03 accord PS pump is under threat. It works perfect at the moment with no significant leaks but physically, i just observed this morning there are metal fillets on the PS pump near its bearing. Closer look confirmed the bearing balls were exposed i could see them. What ever was its cover is grounded and can see scratch marks on the pulley and shaft.

I removed belt and rotated by hand, it was ok but there was one chunk of metal fillet flying around but stuck. Shaking the pulley up and down there is obviously more clearance than usual and pushing in and out shows alot more clearance on the shaft.

My conclusion is that the bearing cover got entangled with the bearing and got crushed. This noise i heard for two weeks when i heard serious grinding noise but i already concluded water pump bearing which was investigated and made the loudest noise when turned by hand among all bearings located there. I was due for service and after it the noise stopped so i was a little confused until this morning.

My problem is a choice of action. Either allow the pump to self destruct when bearing continue failing or attempt to change it now. The problem with the second choice is that to get to the bearing, the pump must be completely disassembled and spindle removed. The removal involves pressing in the machine press. I risk losing its efficiency if i go down this lane and having access to repair kit is a problem from my current location.

Its worst than i thought. The bearing ball braces are the ones that broke.

I decided to risk it by dismantling it.

First attempt in coupling was unsuccesful as it refused to pump due to mistakes in installing outercase and side plate. The mechanic got scared and was reluctant to open up again but i prevailed on him to do it.

Second attempt was very successful and stressless as i sent the mechanic on an errand while i took time to wash the parts clean let them dry, made sure the right parts are placed correctly. Mechanics dont really take their time to do a thorough job. This time around the pump worked like magic and even better than it was originally. I have a new bearing inplace which made the pump very quiet. The difference is clear.

Very cool Adanny. Really this worked out real well for you. Good job, great courage.

adanny01:
I decided to risk it by dismantling it.

First attempt in coupling was unsuccesful as it refused to pump due to mistakes in installing outercase and side plate. The mechanic got scared and was reluctant to open up again but i prevailed on him to do it.

Second attempt was very successful and stressless as i sent the mechanic on an errand while i took time to wash the parts clean let them dry, made sure the right parts are placed correctly. Mechanics dont really take their time to do a thorough job. This time around the pump worked like magic and even better than it was originally. I have a new bearing inplace which made the pump very quiet. The difference is clear.

After burning through a couple of transmissions and noticing that my Dexron III and later Dexron VI ATF would literally turn brown within less than 1000 miles of highly spirited driving and black within 5,000 miles, I decided to do detective work.

Infact, am still pained that, I literally wasted over 24 quarts of Dexron VI (which is supposed to last between 50,000 and 100,000 miles) and still lost the last transmission.

Here is what I learnt: My oil cooler lines were consistently bypassed, no wonder every time I tried to do a return cooler line drain, nothing would come out. I was literally frying my transmission every time I drove.

I decided to drop and replace my current transmission all by myself. I studied the factory manual, Youtube videos, referred to my ALLDATADIY subscription and took lots of notes and spent a fortune on tools.

Unlike a situation in which after every such transmission replacement, I would face electrical issues, because of mistreatment of transmission electricals, the vehicle has had no issues.

No leaks, no electrical issues, nothing at all.

I really agree with the fact that Mechanics dont really take their time to do a thorough job. I would only add the qualifier some if not most.



I even changed the rear main oil seal and permanently fixed the problem they consistently left behind after each transmission change, leaking engine oil, and even used torque wrenches to ensure the bolts and nuts were within factory tolerances.

I recall having a problem with a door that would not close properly and the mechanic was fiddling with the seatbeat mechanism against clearly written instructions on the body, I had to plead with him not to do it, and I took over and did what he was trying to do with force gently, I don't recall the name of the part.

I don't blame people like tumababa who say if I am not around, you can't touch my pride (aka ride)!

I traveled 150miles and have seen quite a drop in the power steering pump reserve tank. There was oil stains on the pump, below it and on the alternator which i thought was from the job done since i am yet to wash. I used a tissue paper to mope all oil around it. After a drive, i noticed oil below the pump and on the alternator again.

That means there is a leak and its obviously No 17 oil seal, the one on the cover plate or in the pan from picture above. I could easily do DIY on it but getting an exact replacement is the next challenge. I need to do that fast as oil touching my alternator puts me on edge.

Also, had previously planned to check and adjust if necessary valve clearances since my car's had clocked recommended 110,000miles. I finally had it done yesterday.

What i saw broke my heart. Sorry i didnt snap but my cylinder no 3 exhaust cam lobe was seriously worn down. 4 has worn too but yet to reach alarming level while 1 is in the early wearing stages. Only no 2 has no wear while the intake are not worn but 1, 3 and 4 were adjusted.

The worn no 3 exhaust vavle was too tight for the 0.30mm standard valve guage and was the only one adjusted. The effect was louder valve noise obviously from just that no 3 exhaust valve. It sounds like a mild diesel engine.

My mechanic recommended someone in KD who does cam lobe filling to standard. I wonder how long it will last after the fill. Replacing the cam shaft is not so easy as there is little space to work on resetting timing.