I thought #21 is where you hook the top of the spring. Another stud is the pivot point. But sometimes the parts drawings are kinda funny how they place the parts...

 

Thank you for the great information and pics. We ended up taking it back to the mechanic and I shared the posts. He was a little offended saying he had worked at Honda for years and had done many timing belts. He said upon checking over all of it, he didn't see anything out of order. He said he tightened the "secondary" belt as it seemed it could have been considered a bit loose, but did not see anything "wrong."

This did not make any change to the noise it is making at 1.5 to 2 RPMs. He shrugged and said he didn't know what it could be and said to just drive it.

On the drive home, a loud grinding sound ensued and immediately pulled over fearing the $$$ pistons/valve issue. Called him up and he said to have it towed back to shop. The next day he called and said it was ready again reporting that they had now replaced the alternator belt. It was after dark and very cold when it broke down on side of road, so I did not actually spend time looking at it/checking to see alternator belt had done something. He did not charge me anything, so I wondered if he realized they had missed something about it in the timing belt/water pump work.

Also, he said "nothing would happen" is the timing belt had broken, because this vehicle is a single overhead cam engine and not an interference engine. This is confusing to me when he said he knows Hondas very well, worked at Honda and here, plus looking it up said, "All Honda cars from 1984 through 1996 have interference engines. The engine codes include ES2, ES3, A18A1, A20A1 and A20A3 in the 1984 through 1989 Accord and Prelude. The engine could be a 1.8- or 2.0-liter engine." I don't know why he would say it was not.

As this thread is getting some good information, I am adding these two links I also found for people who may reference it. The second one said it is a really great step by step tutorial for timing belt replacement:
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...nsion-3085634/
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...f22b1-1908944/

Drove a short distance today, keeping an ear out. The noise is steadily there at 1.5 to 2 RPM, but no loud grindings. Stuck for now driving it with that until I can get some time to follow the pics and look at it myself. After paying $400 though and him saying he looked over everything and it is fine to just ignore that and drive it, am not thrilled. Am thrilled with the fantastic work you guys do here.... Thank you for your activities here keeping this forum going. It's great.

 

The shop manual sometimes uses the term "secondary belt" to mean the balance-shaft belt.

I thought they are all interference engines, but I'm going by the same kind of general statements found on the internet (so it must be true). Some engines (like the DOHC Hondas) have higher compression ratios & therefore more interference than others.

And I'm sorry he was offended, but I usually lean towards trying NOT to take anything for granted so I end up explaining more detail than some people want...

 

Thank you very much for how you explain things and for caring to not take anything for granted!

No need to be sorry at all from my view....I was mentioning his reaction out of my own frustration that he seemed not to care about this really useful, clear and valuable information! Not in anyway to say it made sense he was offended....

We end up with the $400 repair and the belt noise from wherever it is coming, still there same as it was, because he is "offended" with actually getting to finding out what is not right about it and making that sound. It never made it before this water pump/timing belt job done at the shop....

Had I had the time I would have taken it on with the really great detailed explanations here. Hope the thread may help out some other water pump/timing belt jobs.