new owner from central texas!

mitch133mitch133 Band Wagon
in New User Introductions
Very excited new owner of [1991 EF wagon] wagovan? I'm at 167k miles and very excited to have a car in addition to my fz6! Was wondering if there are common issues with this cars that I should look out for/ should be common knowledge .

Comments

  • 91 RT4WD91 RT4WD Wagonist
    Welcome to the forum. You have a wagon not a wagovan.
  • jb2wheelsjb2wheels Wagonist
    Hi from Leander - I have a 235000 mile 1990 blue FWD.

    Hardest thing to deal with is wagon specific parts - front clip for example looks like all the other EFs but almost nothing interchanges except the headlights.

    My biggest issues in 6 years / 75k miles:
    - distributors - this one ate distributors for a while - so much so I just keep one in the car with me - but it's been a while since one quit on me
    - plug wires - my car has been very picky about plug wires for some reason - it only likes NGKs
    - AC sucks but I'm pretty sure it's because the reman eBay compressor I bought sucks. System does not leak but the compressor drags a lot of HP from the engine and won't get cold when it's over 90 outside.

    For a 25 year old car, this thing is actually very reliable and drives great. Still has the original struts. Crazy.
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    Hola from round rock, any oil leaks around the valve cover gasket? Oil in the plug well will kill wires quick as you please. That's always been a first thing to replace for me. It also makes for a good time to clean up and repaint the valve cover, which makes things look much nicer =)
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    I always carry a working distributor and a main relay with me. The other thing that I always do is replace EVERY PIECE of rubber under the hood. You'll be surprised at how many 25 year old coolant hoses are still in service.

    Welcome aboard!
  • jb2wheelsjb2wheels Wagonist
    True - I was "surprised" one morning when I backed out of the driveway and saw a fresh green puddle.
  • SPWSPW Senior Wagonist
    jb2wheels wrote: »
    Hi from Leander - I have a 235000 mile 1990 blue FWD.

    Hardest thing to deal with is wagon specific parts - front clip for example looks like all the other EFs but almost nothing interchanges except the headlights.

    My biggest issues in 6 years / 75k miles:
    - distributors - this one ate distributors for a while - so much so I just keep one in the car with me - but it's been a while since one quit on me
    - plug wires - my car has been very picky about plug wires for some reason - it only likes NGKs
    - AC sucks but I'm pretty sure it's because the reman eBay compressor I bought sucks. System does not leak but the compressor drags a lot of HP from the engine and won't get cold when it's over 90 outside.

    For a 25 year old car, this thing is actually very reliable and drives great. Still has the original struts. Crazy.

    Great info other than the front clip part. I swapped out my damaged core support and replaced it with one from a 90 sedan. Fits perfectly other than relocating the lower headlight bracket. Which isn't hard at all.
  • jb2wheelsjb2wheels Wagonist
    greenteagod wrote: »
    Hola from round rock, any oil leaks around the valve cover gasket? Oil in the plug well will kill wires quick as you please. That's always been a first thing to replace for me. It also makes for a good time to clean up and repaint the valve cover, which makes things look much nicer =)

    Nailed it - I got one hole leaking even after new seals. I'll add that to my Civic work list.
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    jb2wheels wrote: »
    Nailed it - I got one hole leaking even after new seals. I'll add that to my Civic work list.
    Rocker stand o-rings?
  • jb2wheelsjb2wheels Wagonist
    Yep - new ones and still leak - probably operator error. Next time the VC is off, I'll try another set plus the big tube of Yamabond.
  • greenteagodgreenteagod Moderator
    Ooooo you heathen, using Yamabond and not Hondabond.

    I think they're both made by the same people anyway.

    Like JB mentioned though with regard to the front clip, keep an eye out for good headlights. I've not purchased a honda of these generations that didn't have a leaky set and I've had to replace them, so if you see a clear set out there with no condensation/water in em, pull em.
  • jb2wheelsjb2wheels Wagonist
    Funny thing, I currently own 5 Hondas plus maybe a dozen others over the years but the only Yamaha I ever owned was a Tri-Zinger I sold last year. The Yamabond was cheaper ;)

    And if you ever see a set of dent free wagon fenders in the junkyard - buy them. They're like gold. Took me 3 years to find some.
  • MrJayDMMrJayDM Wagonist
    greenteagod wrote: »
    if you see a clear set out there with no condensation/water in em, pull em.
    I say pull them anyway!!
    You can always reseal them.. Its a pain in the A$$ but it can be done..
    Pretty much anything Wagon you see in the junk yards pull it!!

    Welcome to the wagon life!!
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