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What have you done to your Accord lately?

mlkehunt

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Norway
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08 I-CTDI sport
I don't know about you folks, but I love my Accord, I'm even proud of it. I don't always have time to give it the care it needs or deserves, but I try my best!
So for all of us that try our best, what have you done to your Accord lately? Modification, repair, servicing, detailing or just good old TLC?
Perhaps you are planning something?
I'm giving mine a full detailing session... Eventually!

Over the course of this pandemic, I have upgraded all four shocks to bilstein b6's. Tremendous improvement in comfort and handling. I would describe it as polite, yet firm.
Changed my front door speakers out for coax JL 650x ones. and applied 2mm silent coat to the inside of the door for a better speaker enclosure and that german thunk :D
New brake discs and pads all around, upgraded to Type R calipers and braided lines in front.
Front lower ball joints replaced(pneumatic hammer is a life saver here)
New lower control arms with polyurethane compliance bushings.
Front D bushings replaced with Energy Suspension polyurethane ones.
New Meyle HD front stabilizer links.
Inner and outer rear shock mount bushings replaced with Honda Odyssey bushings from Siberian Bushing.
Shifter cable bushings upgraded to Acuity Instruments 1917 spherical bushings for further improved shifter after adding short shift kit and mounting the shifter ***embly with rigid bushings to eliminate slop.
Replaced whatever dark brown goop that was in the gearbox with 2.2ish liters of Honda MTF-3.
New drive shaft on the right.
New summer tires.

And then... I attacked the rust problem I've been semi aware of since I bought my Accord.
The workshop has been empty for a week over summer break, so I decided to go rooting around the underside looking for rust. by degreasing and pressure washing the entire underside with arches.
My heart sunk a little bit once I discovered that the previous owner had used a stopgap method like lanolin fluid film on the underbody which just came off in bits, revealing tons of surface rust on the sills and the majority of the rear end of the car. Both rear inner fenders were flaking to bits, and you cant fight that kind of cancer. I ended up just grabbing the angle grinder and cutting out the majority of it, including 60% of the inner and outer arch to get to clean metal. I have sand blasted, belt sanded and die grinded the ever living **** out of any rust I could get to without dropping the subframe and fuel tank.

I then coated everything shiny and bare with 60% phosphorous acid, rubbing it in with a wire brush or sandpaper to penetrate any remaining rust. I did this probably three times over, converting anything remaining into stable magnetite.
I then spent one day fabricating and welding new arches from L-profile sheets, cutting it to fan it out into an arch and welding the gaps, I overlapped on the inside instead of butt welding. I tend to get a little impatient, so of course I warped my fender above the arch profile by not cooling sufficiently. So I had to attach a stud weld and hold the panel out while shrinking and expanding it with oxyacetylene and a wet rag. Pain in the ***!

On the third day, I coated everything treated with two thick layers of epoxy primer, and once that was dry, I hammered a simple plate to conform with the now gaping hole in my inner fender, and used polyurethane window seal to attach it. If it's not a weld it's never going to rust again. Checkmate Honda! I also applied a thick bead of window seal to the entire length of the inner fender lip to create a flexible barrier between the arch and the elements.
I had to trim the lip of the fender liner slightly for it to fit after doing so, but it's not like the piece of garbage helps anyway so it wasn't going to hurt anything.
Then I applied two layers of body schutz to both inner fenders and the entirety of the underside of the car.

On the fourth day, I ground down my welds and lead loaded the warped or distorted spots and the now recessed weld, filed it flat, then applied vaku-60 aluminium filler to get the shape "right". For the fine shaping I used combilet polyester filler, sanded it to shape and then primed it.

Day 5 my girlfriend joined in as she's more attuned to the paint side of things. We sanded down the primer and remove sanding marks with an oscillating sander which is very important, especially so on black cars which are like mirrors and any imperfection is easy to spot. Silver too, where sanding stripes will make the metallic sink into the stripes and look darker. Rookie me still sands through primer on occasion so I had to apply some 1k primer, this is usually a bad thing, as single component primers do not like to be cleaned with thinner based silicone removers, and the chemical reaction makes it unstable and porous....... Which we found out when applying the first coat of paint. The paint simply ran off the 1k primer and caused drips and pinholes.
We say screw it, leave, and come back the day after.

We scuffed the paint back down, and she proceeded to paint it and put it on bake. other than a bit of dust, it's gone well.
Somewhere along the line there's been a blunder. Something under the primer and filler expanded into a small dome underneath the paint, nothing I can't fix in an afternoon, but it's a massive annoyance.

more pictures of progress/results in the gallery below
tlNmkKb.jpg


3dbtYIu.jpg


 
You have a girlfriend that does body n paint???


1595865266592.jpeg

I was exhausted just reading through your lefforts but I guess I've done a bit. Mines lowered on Blisteins by about 35mm, Recent stage 2 remap, replaced leaky stearing rack, overhauled lower control arms with new bushes and some rust and body repair. To do... I have the Type R calipers to refurb and install as well as a second hand aircon compressor to install before this summer really kicks off as welll as a set of Penta's to refurb. If I post pics that means I have to wash it so it'll be a while.
 
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You have a girlfriend that does body n paint???
she's from just outside sheffield if you'll believe me lol

I was exhausted just reading through your lefforts but I guess I've done a bit. Mines lowered on Blisteins by about 35mm, Recent stage 2 remap, replaced leaky stearing rack, overhauled lower control arms with new bushes and some rust and body repair. To do... I have the Type R calipers to refurb and install as well as a second hand aircon compressor to install before this summer really kicks off as welll as a set of Penta's to refurb. If I post pics that means I have to wash it so it'll be a while.
looking at lowering mine after buying new wheels, what springs are you on? any problems with heat soak after either stage of remap?
highly recommend the type r calipers but now that i know what they feel like, I already want a larger booster, master cylinder and some RL/legend quad piston calipers but bias/imbalance does concern me
 
The word from the restoration community is to be careful with rust converters. They remain active or potentially active until fully reacted out, which can be long after you finish the paint work. And there always seems to be some tiny spot that is left behind. That said, I still use it, because most of my panel and paint work is more like emergency field surgery.
 
The word from the restoration community is to be careful with rust converters. They remain active or potentially active until fully reacted out, which can be long after you finish the paint work. And there always seems to be some tiny spot that is left behind. That said, I still use it, because most of my panel and paint work is more like emergency field surgery.
nothing wrong with field surgery if it halts the progression until you can do more about it

I have had that experience with a tannic acid based wurth rust converter if applied too thick. the surface will seal and harden, but the underlying layers remain tacky. apply filler or primer, sand that and it just peels off even on the next day. but it has never affected paint in my 2 years working with it
but the same can be said for many things, take polyester filler for example.. it may be completely hardened, but give it a month or two of heat cycling outside and it may shrink underneath the paint, so using as little as possible is key
had more luck with phosphoric acid but it takes longer to react with the rust, and if you jump the gun and put primer on it, it will just "boil" the primer and cause a mess. so it's a no go if it's tacky, but once it's "dusty" with white zinc and black iron phosphate you can (if you care about the finish) wipe it off and prime it
on the upside, should there be a reaction even after letting it work its magic for 24 hours, it will only be in the undercarriage and inner arch skin as the outside is brand spanking new steel :p

the phosphoric acid claims to be a remover rather than a converter, but claims are.... well, claims. either way, it is all suffocated in completely air and water proof epoxy primer so it will have to work hard to come back
 
Wow, you have been busy, one of the reason's for owning an Accord is so I do not have to work on them, apart from servicing - BUT, I reversed out of the garage and broke off completely my wing mirror - duh!! Got a replacement but wrong colour, fortunately my casing was just scuffed so with touchup it looks ok. Had to remove the glass to swop over the trim, took about an hour to do, including removal of door card, cleaning of paintwork and swopping over. That was my mk8 Tourer and the same week my wife said her aircon was not working on her mk8 saloon, I had noticed it was blowing warmer on the drivers side than the passenger side, but I thought with a good run it may sort itself out as it hasn't been used much what with covid. Anyway took it to a mates garage and he took out 15g - should be over 400 normally. Topped it up and thankfully it was holding pressure so no new parts required (Good ole Honda!)
Hopefully that is it!
 
she's from just outside sheffield if you'll believe me lol
looking at lowering mine after buying new wheels, what springs are you on? any problems with heat soak after either stage of remap?
highly recommend the type r calipers but now that i know what they feel like, I already want a larger booster, master cylinder and some RL/legend quad piston calipers but bias/imbalance does concern me

I believe you...I took a punt and bought the spring set off a scrappy for peanuts so the brand name is all I know. It is labelled with a code but I took no notice but I can have a look next time the wheels are off and post any pics here. I wouldn't want to go any lower as the ride is firm enough with potholes a plenty and the proportions of wheel to arch are okay, the turn in and handling is much improved for a longish wheel based diesel lump. Oh, I stuck on short shifter and strut bar too, arguable if the later makes any difference but it couldn't do any harm but gear selection is very sweet and precise and I'd recommend doing that. No particular heat soak that I've noticed after the remap and I usually do a 100 mile run to the coast once a week there and back. The way I look at it, with 190 + bhp it's probably near enough as quick as a Type S albeit around 100kg heavier, great mid-range torque as well as better fuel consumption. If I remember to record it I'll post up a mid range pull say from 30 - 80mph to give you an idea. Keep 'em peeled.
 
Well ive no access to a workshop unfortunately but i have still managed to get plenty done.Upper ns Lower os control arms replaced due to worn bushings with new droplinks.My impact driver was a life saver here,not sure those monster bolts would have moved otherwise.Replaced entire exhaust system with the twin you'd find on the 2.4 with new 4" tips then coated everything with a high temp matt black paint to finish...looks fantastic.Then moved onto tinting the 5 rear windows with 20% film....curved rear glass was probably the hardest job of the lot.Requires extreme care and patience to achieve a finish with no kinks/fingers so i was immensely proud when i pulled it off.Looks much improved and keeps temp down in cabin reducing need to run A/C on warm days.
Next up was a rub down and grease of the entire underneath of car...no holes only surface patches of light rust in places now gone.Up next new plugs and a throttle body clean along with P/S fluid change with a clean and grease of the cooler...not in good shape but no leaks so i may of extended its life a little.Main engine ATF oils not due change for another 3/4k miles but i did find a small rubber breather on gearbox itself which was blocked,so a quick clean and refit means it now vents as it should.Rocker removed and repainted then fitted new seal as it had previously had a slight weep in both rear corners, now bone dry with use of a good quality gasket sealant for extra measure.New aux belt and tensioner pulley to fix an annoying squeal due to worn bearings.
Now back to the body and on my tourer it has the black rubber door bump protectors running along both doors midway down.Always hated the look but like the protection they offer the doors and had to stay so i prepared primed painted n laquered to colour code them to the car with perfect results.Round at the front my ns headlight lens was a little oxidized so half an hour with toothpaste and a rag lol resulted in a nice clear finish..it actually works.
Few other routine jobs inc oiling power window runners and cables ward off rust and poor function along with sunroof mechanics despite access to latter being restricted.Finished off with new brake discs/pads all round.Just one job i had to get done at garage was front tracking...hunter machine got it bang on.I knew it was out so waited until i'd completed suspension work first.It did pull ever so slightly to one side before but now true with steering wheel position centered nicely.
Although there are mods i have in mind ie maybe lowering car slightly i have a couple of more urgent tasks to finish first.Both rear arches have very early signs of rust....hard to see atm but i dont want to ignore this for long and both front fogs are wet inside.I will try to find a better after market pair if they exist as the factory ones look poor.
Overall its been a productive year for me so far although im not sure i will ever run out of things i can do to this car.I have to say im very proud of it given its a 16 year old motor now.Drives much nicer than my 6 year old diesel MT mondeo
 
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Wow, you have been busy, one of the reason's for owning an Accord is so I do not have to work on them, apart from servicing
the previous owners' negligence seems to have caught up with mine I'm afraid, I could have bought plastic fender flares and just cut the rot out, but the mk7 is already kind of flared from factory
I reversed out of the garage and broke off completely my wing mirror - duh!!
you didn't see the garage in said mirror? ;) **** happens though,
Anyway took it to a mates garage and he took out 15g - should be over 400 normally. Topped it up and thankfully it was holding pressure so no new parts required (Good ole Honda!)
Hopefully that is it!
be glad you caught it early, they don't like being run without refrigerant and oil for long :D
 
I believe you...I took a punt and bought the spring set off a scrappy for peanuts so the brand name is all I know. It is labelled with a code but I took no notice but I can have a look next time the wheels are off and post any pics here. I wouldn't want to go any lower as the ride is firm enough with potholes a plenty and the proportions of wheel to arch are okay, the turn in and handling is much improved for a longish wheel based diesel lump. Oh, I stuck on short shifter and strut bar too, arguable if the later makes any difference but it couldn't do any harm but gear selection is very sweet and precise and I'd recommend doing that. No particular heat soak that I've noticed after the remap and I usually do a 100 mile run to the coast once a week there and back. The way I look at it, with 190 + bhp it's probably near enough as quick as a Type S albeit around 100kg heavier, great mid-range torque as well as better fuel consumption. If I remember to record it I'll post up a mid range pull say from 30 - 80mph to give you an idea. Keep 'em peeled.
I wish accords were as common at scrapyards here in norway as they seem to be in england, but it's all cr-v's and hr-v's so there's no real parts commonality
map sounds good then, pull video would be nice, have been eyeing up a remap but decided to work on tires, suspension, brakes and supporting mods before going that route, like a fmic and custom air duct or some such. probably overkill but I'll sleep better at night
 
Well ive no access to a workshop unfortunately but i have still managed to get plenty done.Upper ns Lower os control arms replaced due to worn bushings with new droplinks.My impact driver was a life saver here,not sure those monster bolts would have moved otherwise.Replaced entire exhaust system with the twin you'd find on the 2.4 with new 4" tips then coated everything with a high temp matt black paint to finish...looks fantastic.Then moved onto tinting the 5 rear windows with 20% film....curved rear glass was probably the hardest job of the lot.Requires extreme care and patience to achieve a finish with no kinks/fingers so i was immensely proud when i pulled it off.Looks much improved and keeps temp down in cabin reducing need to run A/C on warm days.
Next up was a rub down and grease of the entire underneath of car...no holes only surface patches of light rust in places now gone.Up next new plugs and a throttle body clean along with P/S fluid change with a clean and grease of the cooler...not in good shape but no leaks so i may of extended its life a little.Main engine ATF oils not due change for another 3/4k miles but i did find a small rubber breather on gearbox itself which was blocked,so a quick clean and refit means it now vents as it should.Rocker removed and repainted then fitted new seal as it had previously had a slight weep in both rear corners, now bone dry with use of a good quality gasket sealant for extra measure.New aux belt and tensioner pulley to fix an annoying squeal due to worn bearings.
Now back to the body and on my tourer it has the black rubber door bump protectors running along both doors midway down.Always hated the look but like the protection they offer the doors and had to stay so i prepared primed painted n laquered to colour code them to the car with perfect results.Round at the front my ns headlight lens was a little oxidized so half an hour with toothpaste and a rag lol resulted in a nice clear finish..it actually works.
Few other routine jobs inc oiling power window runners and cables ward off rust and poor function along with sunroof mechanics despite access to latter being restricted.Finished off with new brake discs/pads all round.Just one job i had to get done at garage was front tracking...hunter machine got it bang on.I knew it was out so waited until i'd completed suspension work first.It did pull ever so slightly to one side before but now true with steering wheel position centered nicely.
Although there are mods i have in mind ie maybe lowering car slightly i have a couple of more urgent tasks to finish first.Both rear arches have very early signs of rust....hard to see atm but i dont want to ignore this for long and both front fogs are wet inside.I will try to find a better after market pair if they exist as the factory ones look poor.
Overall its been a productive year for me so far although im not sure i will ever run out of things i can do to this car.I have to say im very proud of it given its a 16 year old motor now.Drives much nicer than my 6 year old diesel MT mondeo
it's surprising how much you can get done at home, it's just a matter of convenience. exhaust upgrade sounds good, been considering 2.5" straight pipe from cat with a resonator before each tip for mine - why don't you post pictures? :p
tint film is difficult, i would have said screw it and taken the windows out and just paint tinted them in the paint booth at work lol
there's a few dings along the side of mine that could have been prevented with rubber strips like yours, but hindsight is always better than foresight. according to the accessory catalog you could actually order them painted with the car
rear arches are definitely urgent, if there is good steel on the outside you save yourself a load of time making it look right
be proud! accords always drive nice, we downgraded to a 08 mondeo after having a 96 accord wagon for 8 years. still miss how it felt
 
Another job ticked off the list today.....fixing those wet front fog lamps.Decided i didn't want to spend £70 on a new pair so took them off car and referbished myself.Luckily for me the seal joining the glass lens to the metal body was so far gone i was able to seperate with a little heat.Wire brush then some soapy water removed years of crap.Siliconed glass lenses back on rebuilt housing,cleaned breathers and refitted.Then after dark set the beam levels and job done.Works like new cost nowt!
 
Maybe i can post images when i figure out how...just uploading from phone gallery wont work
 
I've been putting this off for almost 20 months since the MOT mentioned front brake pads were rather thin, with the same in the advisory earlier this year (of course)

I've always had a small judder when braking from motorway / dual carriageway speeds and this gets progressively worse as the mph scrubs off, so I thought there might be something iffy with the discs as well which would only be apparent once I took off the wheels.

I got a set of breaker tyres all round two months ago and whilst they were being balanced I checked the pads and could only see about a mm of meat on one of them, but the discs spun fine with no apparent warpage rotating at hand speed, but there is a definite lip on the near side disc, everything else looked good.

A set of pads from EBay arrived this weekend and about an hour of work on the driveway, both sides are replaced with nothing that looks like it might be trouble down the line . The callipers slide well on their pins and the pistons went back into the housing with just a small leverage with the spanners, no tears in the gaiters or corrosion outside the cast iron bits.

Plus point - the brake reservoir went exactly to 'max' once the new pads were in and there is no discolouration in the fluid , result !

So, as a reward I also treated her to an early oil change before getting Into the bath (SW 0-30 courtesy of another member in Slough that traded down ;). to a leccy Vauxhall from a Mk 8 two years back).

One happy bunny.
 
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Had my 2.2 ctdi MK7 remapped, egr valve removed. Last August 2019.
Fully serviced with a honda diesel filter.
Dors 50mpg average, it is the 5 speed gearbox on a 2006 model.

It's the S model and everything works on it, 119k miles. 2 keys with fsh.
Working dual zone climate control
Electric windows x 4
Electric mirrors
Remote central locking
Alloys.
I love my Accord. This is my 6th or 7th Accord of different generations.

I have a generic question I disconnected the battery and went to Baghdad with work for 8 weeks in June 2020 and I will recharge the battery for a minimum of 12 hours, on this weekend 22nd August 2020.
Will i get an eml or any warning lights that i will need to reset.? Do you think i will need to bleed the fuel system? Never disconnected the battery before.

My wish list is:
Android auto stereo install.
Window tints on rear passenger 1/4 windows.
Drilled and groved discs front and rear.
New shocks and springs, and all the bushes to be replaced with polyurethane ones only because its 16 years old..Looks awesome and no rust. Half leather interior.
Top car. I would love a 2.4 automatic but road tax and running costs would kill me.
 
I've been putting this off for almost 20 months since the MOT mentioned front brake pads were rather thin, with the same in the advisory earlier this year (of course)

I've always had a small judder when braking from motorway / dual carriageway speeds and this gets progressively worse as the mph scrubs off, so I thought there might be something iffy with the discs as well which would only be apparent once I took off the wheels.

I got a set of breaker tyres all round two months ago and whilst they were being balanced I checked the pads and could only see about a mm of meat on one of them, but the discs spun fine with no apparent warpage rotating at hand speed, but there is a definite lip on the near side disc, everything else looked good.

A set of pads from EBay arrived this weekend and about an hour of work on the driveway, both sides are replaced with nothing that looks like it might be trouble down the line . The callipers slide well on their pins and the pistons went back into the housing with just a small leverage with the spanners, no tears in the gaiters or corrosion outside the cast iron bits.

Plus point - the brake reservoir went exactly to 'max' once the new pads were in and there is no discolouration in the fluid , result !

So, as a reward I also treated her to an early oil change before getting Into the bath (SW 0-30 courtesy of another member in Slough that traded down ;). to a leccy Vauxhall from a Mk 8 two years back).

One happy bunny.


It appears my work has been rewarded, another years MOT in the bag. Advisories on the suspension pins/mounts caused by corrosion/non-excessive movement, plus weepage in the steering reservior, though I did over fill the reservoir a couple of months ago without realising. But is it is same as per last year's test, so I can live with those.

I might crack open a bottle of something later.

Still a happy bunny.
 
we got another one! his & hers now
wheels and grill are temporary, gf wants to respray it in pirates black pearl after sorting the rust and dings on it, spoiler being added. either mugen or oem
needs some front suspension tlc(squeaky top hats and separated lca bushings) and sand blasting of the rear undercarriage before epoxy and undercoat

drives great, but feels a bit more nervous than the wagon, must be the shorter wheelbase making it "twitchy"
 
Decided to De badge mine today (remove the "accord" badge) back looks a lot cleaner now.

I also had some soundproofing fitted by a specialist company last week, I'll do a write up soon but It's transformed the car! definitely recommend.

accord.png
 
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Decided to De badge mine today (remove the "accord" badge) back looks a lot cleaner now.

I also had some soundproofing fitted by a specialist company last week, I'll do a write up soon but It's transformed the car! definitely recommend.
what type of soundproofing did they use? I've got 80 sheets of silentcoat 2mm I've been itching to use but can't seem to find the time right now
 
what type of soundproofing did they use? I've got 80 sheets of silentcoat 2mm I've been itching to use but can't seem to find the time right now

their soundproofing kit is developed in house they use different materials for different parts of the car. The silent coat you have is a similar material to what they have used in the boot around the spare wheel and on the underside bonnet. They've used a much thicker material inside the car. i'll upload some pictures later if a can.
 
I've destroyed my front and rear fenders(rears, which I recently fixed.....) to fit larger wheels/plastic flares.
not a fan of the flares but I have new fenders out in the garage for a detachable steel "widebody" project, I'm going to need a MOT set and everyday set
also in the garage... modulo/type s front and rear bumper lips to go on the car once fenders are properly widened

te37 replicas are 18x8 et35, 225/40/18. didn't play nice with unrolled fenders
JAuZaWL.jpg

40bj8BD.jpg


They're nice, but not quite as deep or wide as I wanted
so I've approached the other end of the spectrum
8x17 and 9x17, both et0. 245/45/17 front and 275/40/17 rear
cUO3hfR.jpeg

gvkbz5Y.jpeg

9WgW4MR.jpeg

WaGU06P.jpeg
 
Fixed the coolant leak from late last month, without replacing the pipe that was marked on the schematic.


Careful use of a mini pipe cutter and hacksaw blade, I removed the damaged bit of pipe, including just behind the hose limiter, then used an extra long bit of new hose to attach.

I will replace the tap water in the system with coolant once I know it's not going to spew anything out.

Cutter 1a.jpgHacksaw 1a.jpgDamage1a.jpgDamage 3a.jpg
 
Fixed the coolant leak from late last month, without replacing the pipe that was marked on the schematic.


Careful use of a mini pipe cutter and hacksaw blade, I removed the damaged bit of pipe, including just behind the hose limiter, then used an extra long bit of new hose to attach.

I will replace the tap water in the system with coolant once I know it's not going to spew anything out.

View attachment 588View attachment 589View attachment 590View attachment 591
you're not dealing with massive amounts of pressure on an egr cooler so I'm sure it'll hold up just fine without the flared bit, but I would probably prefer an ordinary hose clamp over a spring loaded type. good stuff
 
The hose never passed the flare (there is a second on the EGR itself but that is stainless steel).

SInce the lower pipe is already weakened I don't want to risk tightening up a screw clamp on iron.
 
It looks like the leak is no longer of concern and so I'll be draining this weekend followed by some flushing through of the pipes.

What price do others on here pay for their coolant and should I stick with the Honda brand, or is there a good alternative ?
 
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