Just picked up a 94 NSX, what should I do mechanically?

[Rob4092xx]

I just picked up a stock 94 NSX, manual transmission, 50k miles.

The water pump and timing belt were done at 42k. Other than the oil on the dipstick looking clean, I have no idea what other, if any, maintenance has been done.

I am going to use the car as a weekender only...no racing, track, etc.

I have a friend who is a car mechanic for a living. He works on police cars for a local city police department.

Can an experienced mechanic like this work on my NSX or does it truly require a NSX expert?

What should I have the mechanic go through the car and look for?

If the hoses are still soft, do I need to replace them?

What about the valves...do they really need to be adjusted?

A list of what to look at and any other comments would be genuinley appreciated!

THanks!

 

[DocL]

If you didn't get any service records with the car, I'd open the owners manual and do everything listed based on the age of the car.

 

[synth19]

^ +1. If you are missing records, may be a good idea to change all the fluids, replace all the hoses, and valve adjustment.

 

[ChopsJazz]

When were the timing belt and water pump replaced? Time is a factor in the TB replacement as well as mileage.

Coolant hoses? Are they original equipment? If they are replace them, all 22 of them, now. Not later, now.

 

[Honcho]

Welcome to the club. I just finished the mechanical "refresh" of my 1991 and here is a list of the common wear items I had addressed. Keep in mind I have full service records, so some of my stuff (i.e., TB/WP) was already done.

1. All 23 coolant hoses. Unfortunately, there really is no way to tell if your hoses are bad by looking at them. You usually find out a hose is bad on the NSX when it blows. You should also think about replacing the coolant bottle and cap during this service too, as they crack with age and leak.

2. Fuel Injector O-Rings. LarryB tipped me off to this. On the older cars, these o-rings can deteriorate/disintegrate and raise the risk of an engine fire due to gasoline leaks. The parts are cheap and it can be done by a competent mechanic.

3. Clutch master and slave cylinders. It's a matter of when, not if, these will go bad. Check behind the carpet in the driver's clutch pedal area for wetness or stains. If so, replace master and slave together. I did it DIY, but it is a real b#^*h.

4. Spool valve gaskets Another common issue for the NSX. Both of my gaskets were leaking oil. Parts are cheap ($24 each, you need 2) and it was a fairly easy DIY.

5. Tailight gaskets These gaskets shrink with time and stop sealing properly, allowing water to pour directly into your trunk. This was the first issue I had with my car after I bought it. A common issue in the NSX.

6. CV Boots. Because of the heat from the exhaust, the grease in the CV boots degrades to the consistency of melted ice cream. As the boot rubber ages, the grease starts to leak out. Look for spin lines of grease on the lower subframe near the CV joints. One of my boots was split wide open.

As for work, many of the things on the car can be done by a competent mechanic. You should get a copy of the factory service manual, as it is invaluable whether you are DIY or having someone else do the work. However there are a few things where having an NSX expert is worthwhile. The service manual doesn't tell you everything and sometimes is even wrong (i.e., pulling ball joints). Experienced NSX techs will not have a learning curve to deal with, which can be an expensive thing on this car. Anything involving disassembly of major drivetrain components I would leave to the experts. I'm lucky enough to have LarryB only 90 min away and he has done everything on the car I didn't do myself. I have no doubt his expertise has saved me both time and money, as well as frustration with dealing with a mechanic who is unfamiliar with the car. As such, for a valve adjustment, I would use a NSX tech.

Chopsjazz is absolutely right - the timing belt is also a time issue, not just miles. If it is more than 6 years old, the conventional wisdom is to replace it. That's not to say that at 6 years and 1 day, it will snap - some people have been driving cars with 17 year old belts just fine. But, you're running a risk. Most Prime members opt to replace the belt at the specified interval, since a broken belt = destroyed engine, and NSX engines are not cheap. :smile:

Other tips: OEM or Denso (the old OEM manufacturer) oil filters are best. Stay away from Fram. Use 10W-30 oil, any full synth is good but folks here seem to like Mobil1 or Penzoil Platinum. Exercise your ABS system every once in a while. Change your clutch and brake fluid every 1-2 years to preserve the systems. Stick to paper air filters - OEM intake is best for power. :biggrin: Call Tim at Ray Laks Acura for any parts you need. Get the car over 6000rpm to work the VTEC system and keep your cats heathly - plus it's just fun to do anyway!

 

[davidf]

Was the owner a Prime member. That would tell alot.