Hello all...been reading stickys and posts for a while but still have a question or two. Couple of weeks ago I bought this 1994 EX 5spd coupe with 38k miles but have very little service data on it. No records beyond oil changes and an exhaust replacement..which I don't quite understand...but anyway it was a Craigslist find and here's what I know. It was garage kept until 25,000 miles in 2007 when the PO bought it. He put on the remaining miles and did oil changes, the exhaust, but beyond this I know nothing...and I'm worrying about stuff like the timing belt and all the other things that can be going bad from being old, as opposed to just being worn out. I can predict what might go bad due to mileage...but I'm having a hard time predicting what might go bad due to simple old age. Today I replaced the original Michelins which were rotting out...got an alignment and the car feels like new. It's amazing and I admit that I'm falling in love with the damn thing...but I'm wondering about what needs to be done to it to keep it safe...due to it's age. Timing belt should be done by like 90k miles...but is there a time stamp on that as well? And what else is time-sensitive?? Thanks in advance...
btw...I put on Continental Procontact eco plus tires and wonder if anyone has any experience with these tires...Take care...

 

Sounds like you got one sweet ride, its hard to find a car that old with that low of miles.

I would do the timing belt as soon as possible. I would hate to see such a low miles engine get destroyed due to a timing belt snapping. The timing belt is recommended to be replaced every 7 years if the car does not meet the mileage requirements before then. Which obviously your car is well over that time period. When the timing belts get old they start to crack.

Its possible that it may have been replaced, but in a situation like this its better to be safe than sorry.

 

Owner's manual has the maintenance schedule, in months and miles. If you don't have that book, then go to www dot ahm-ownerlink dot com and register with the car's VIN. Pretty sure you can see an on-line version of the owner's manual.

For now, you'll look at all those maintenance items for months. I'd get fresh brake fluid and fresh anti-freeze for a start.

I'd bleed the brakes & clutch to get fresh brake fluid in there. That stuff absorbs moisture from the air, over time, regardless of miles.

Antifreeze uses up it's anti-corrosion package over time, regardless of miles..

External drive belts (alternator, etc) get hard & slippery as they get old. You'll have to remove them in order to do the timing belt, so it's silly to put the old ones back on. But if the external belts snap it won't destroy the engine.

I don't know what the schedule is for sparkplugs in 1994, but real low total miles suggest that the car only saw short trips. That's tough on sparkplugs, & they're pretty cheap to replace.

 

tranny fluid, rad coolant, look at brake / power steer fluid.

for such a find, I'd also do the timing belt 'early.'

 

Small detail regarding the timing belt; when you have it done, or if you tackle it yourself, ensure the balance shaft seal retainer is installed. The 94 falls under the recall, but it's no guarantee that it was done.
Nice find by the way

 

Thanks for your replies...I would'nt have thought of the fluids and when I get the timing belt done ( very soon ) I'll cover all the items you all suggested. Thanks again, John.