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Hello,

Tomorrow I will be looking at a 18#,### mile 2003 EX. It is a two owner car according to the Carfax report. Owner says she has service records from her and the previous owner. The price is fair! Man, dealers want too much for old cars.

Anyhow, is there anything in particular notable about this generation of Civics?

She said the timing belt was done at 100,000 miles. I guess these aren't chains.

 
Rep Power: 229

If there are any issues it won't be with the model. At that mileage there will be issues on any make/model.

The head gaskets and automatic transmissions are prone to failure on some vehicles of that year. If the coolant is over full in the reservoir and/or low in the rad., be ware of head gasket issues. If there is any transmission hesitation/failure to shift do not buy the car.

It will definitely have lost compression (but if you are using it as a grocery getter, this is not a concern).

I can't imagine it does not leak/burn some oil. (if you do not want to have these issues fixed make sure to check oil level every week, then if everything is ok every two weeks, then monthly, then every two months and so on until you know the engine well).

Make sure to update all basic maintenance issues.

-Check mileage on all fluids
-check/change airfilter
-check/change spark plugs
-check battery health

then fallow Gearbox's DIY

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...e-up-mods.html

 
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What makes you say that it will have lost compression?

 
Rep Power: 229

That is just regular engine wear and tear. The piston rings slowly shed metal as they pass up and down through the cylinders, or, the cylinders shed material from the block.

The valve seals also go and loose compression.


My car is only 170,000km old or 105,000 miles and I've dropped compression from stock 180-190 down to 150 across all four cylinders.

 
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have the car scanned for engine codes etc

check the catalytic converter if it were replaced yet. thats a $900 dealer part.

whats up with the timing belt? it it brakes, valves could get bent.

frame rot or damage?

does the engine ID # match the car?

 
Rep Power: 150

I've got 180K miles on mine. Wouldn't the engine lose a fair amount of horsepower if compression was down 22% for every 105K miles?

 
Rep Power: 229

Exactly.

I'd imagine the deterioration is exponential to a point (where you loose the most amount of power at first then it teeters off), not a linear deterioration to absolute zero.

 
Rep Power: 150

If I'm not burning oil and my valves are still closing tight, I can see compression being off from a new, tight motor, but Honda advises 5w-20 oil, or 0w-20. We are talking pretty tight tolerances. I don't believe my engine is down more than 5 horsepower from when it was new.

 
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I would say yes in those years transmission failure is common but just drive it. Do 5 oil changes relatively quick first at 500miles second at 1000miles third at 1500 miles fourth at 2000miles and finally fifth one at 2500miles what this will do is technically flush you motor from inside. Next you are coming close to the second timing belt complete kit change which they change timing belt, drive belts water pump and may be tensioner. Hope this help.

 
Rep Power: 518

That's a helluva drop. I sure don't expect to see a significant drop like that on an engine with such low mileage as yours.

Yours sounds broken, or maybe there are issues with your test equipment or method.