Questions and Answers

Couple Of Honda Accords Q. Hello again: I have a 1990 Honda Accord EX automatic transmission. It died on me but did restart so I did get it home, but it hasn't started since. I did a quick check to see if it was getting any fire, it was. Also gas, which it was also getting.

As I checked the timing, #1 TDC, timing gear marks on camshaft all lined-up, white mark on flywheel lined-up with arrow, but when I took the cap off, the rotor was completely off the number one plug, not quite between #1 and #3 but close, and not enough adjustment on distributor to get it lined-up to #1 plug.

It does turn over just doesn't start, but I also noticed that when I turned on the key nothing came on, no radio, fan, heater, electric windows wouldn't work until I turned the key to where it just about would kick the motor over and even then I would have to hold it at that position before anything would work.

I do recall now that every now and then my wife would have to play with the steering wheel (back and forth) before she could turn on the key. And on my daughters car, a 1990 Honda Accord EX also, she said her steering was hard to turn. So I checked her power steering fluid which it was low, so did add some Honda fluid. But at a stop with the motor running and you try to turn the wheel it is really hard but when its moving even just a little it turn like it's suppose to.

When driving everything's normal as far as the steering and handling, but when she got home later that night she called me and said she also noticed that the steering wheel wasn't where it should be, meaning that the steering wheel, when going straight, the center piece of the steering wheel instead of being upright, and straight from left to right. The steering wheel was turned approximately a ¼ turn.

So if there's a Honda emblem on the steering wheel it would now be at a vertical position instead of up right at a horizontal position? Thank you again for all your help, and look forward to hearing from you again.

Thank you,
BSF

A. Your car sounds like the timing belt jumped a tooth. So I would suspect it's time for a new timing belt and possibly new timing gears.

It also sounds like the contacts inside the ignition switch are gone also. On your car the ignition switch and lock cylinder are two separate parts, you can replace just the ignition switch. To change it you need to remove the steering wheel. If you are not comfortable with that, it's something just about any shop can do.

As for your daughters car, I would put it on a lift and examine the steering and suspension very carefully. The wheel doesn't go that far out of alignment unless you smack a curb fairly hard. And if she did that, I'm sure she would tell you.