Well, when I was in college, I had to fix my own cars. I was lucky to commute & use dad's garage & tools when I needed. The timing belt is a tough call, because if you try to split the job up you'll pay big labor($$) again & again to dismantle the same things. So maybe you have to split out the stuff that's unrelated.

Just get a new water pump. Flush & get fresh coolant next spring by yourself? Problem is, you most likely don't want garbage coolant in there during the winter. Friends with a garage? Wanna do this yourself? We can give you some tips if you decide to try this.

The radiator hoses are pretty easy & they go along with draining & changing the antifreeze. That's just a couple of hose clamps for each one, if you do it yourself.

Here's your air cleaner...

You could buy a whole new lower-half of the filter box (#8) for $25 & install it in a parking lot with small hand tools. Meanwhile, maybe you can figure out some way to clamp the case together where the broken screw is. Probably get a small C-clamp at a hardware store for $2. Hard to tell over the net whether that lets un-filtered air into your engine.

 

Thooks, the oil leak is pretty bad. if i keep the engine running for 20 minutes, all the oil will be lost! i can literally see an oil pond where i park my car.
since i found out about the leak, i have only driven it to the mechanic and back. and i had topped the oil then to make sure there's enough oil in it for me to get to the shop.

JimBlake, thanks for the info unfortunately, i don't have the time, the knowledge, or the tools to do all these works by myself - i can change the air filter and do these sort of small maintainance things, but anything more complex than that (timing belt job, flushing and refilling the coolant, etc.) needs to be taken to a mechanic.

as for the broken bolt in the air filter housing, i'll buy a new bolt+washer and will have the mechanic take the broken bolt out and install this new one...then i can change the air filter myself.

about changing the waterpump which results to flushing the coolant, do i need to use honda OEM coolant after that?

 

Well, even if you go to a mechanic it's good to understand what the job is about. It's really bad to be halfway into a DIY job before discovering you're in over your head.

Since you're 'supposed' to get fresh anti-freeze every couple years, you probably don't know what's in there. Mixing different types of anti-corrosion packages isn't good. Honda coolant is good but if 3-year-old bright-green Prestone is in there now, you probably don't want to mix. That's why you should rinse it several times to get rid of all the old stuff.

 

okie...i've ordered the following parts from San Leandro Honda:

timing belt
balancer belt
camshaft oil seal
crankshaft oil seal
balancer shaft oil seal
water pump
oil pump gasket
balancer shaft oil seal retainer kit (includes the dipstick o-ring)
power steering belt
compressor/alternator belt
oil filter + drain plug crush washer (2 of each)
air filter
air filter housing bolt and washer (2)

i hope they have everything in stock and ship my parts asap since i really need my car fixed

Majestic Honda was cheaper of course, but you wouldn't know how much you'd be charged for shipping until they actually ship your order. More importantly, they do not have the seal retainer kit (part number 06923-P0A-306) and i didn't want to pay for shipping twice (once from Majestic Honda and once from San Leandro Honda).
the previous owner had not installed the kit and now the balancer shaft seal is leaking

 

Guess what Sorcerer?


I have discovered that I need the TB/seal/water pump job done myself. I think I got shafted by the arsehole who sold me this car claiming "All belts were replaced along with Timing Belt at 90K miles".




I've got a leak, most likely front crankshaft seal, leaking. About a tablespoon per 2 days.


But I'm betting the timing belt was NOT replaced, only the drive belts.

I KNOW the other stuff wasn't touched. This guy was a real cheapass it looks like. I don't think he ever did an ounce of maintenance. The original plugs were still in it at 133K miles.

Oh well, now my only quadry is who to get to do it. Dealer, local mechanic, my brother's shop or get someone to help me.