What did you do today to your 2003-2008 Pilot?

162582 Views 2523 Replies 97 Participants Last post by plplplpl, 3 d ago

Oh3CoPilot

Discussion Starter · Jul 5, 2020 (Edited)

4

Replaced NGK Laser Platinum spark plugs with NGK Ruthenium HX plugs on my 03'. Oil change with Amsoil 0w-40 Signature Series oil and Amsoil EA filter. Why 0w-40 instead of the recommended 5w-20? The 0w will flow a little faster on cold starts in the winter and the 40 will protect much better on 90F+ (outside air temp.) summer days.

Also, I called NGK and verified that sparkplugs.com is an authorized distributor/seller (they didn't have them listed on their website) so, I get real plugs and not counterfeits. Yes, there is a whole world of fake/counterfeit auto parts out there and I would recommend not buying auto parts off of Ebay. If you're not buying directly from the stealership, definitely go to the manufactures website and look up their authorized distributor/seller's and if they don't have this information posted give them a call.

Here are some fun for the whole family spark plug pics:

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road2cycle

· #701 · Jun 7, 2021

Before you replace the fan:
1) Swap the fan relays just to be certain the radiator fan relay hasn’t failed.
2) Jumper the radiator fan directly to the battery to see if it spins. If it doesn’t the fan is dead.

I believe you have to remove the battery and its tray in order to get the radiator fan out of there. Lucky for you the radiator fan is closer to the battery, so you don’t have to remove the A/C fan as well.😁

I don’t recall many folks replacing the radiator fan, but since you’re in Florida I’m sure that fan is on often.

Keep us posted.

Reactions: 3

mschflbn

· #702 · Jun 7, 2021

4

Today I dremeled all the rust spots and hit it with Honda touch up paint. I suck at touch up painting, but hey, all the rust spots are now more matching than brown rust spots 🤷‍♂️ I also removed the old door edge film that was cracking flaking and looking terrible. Looks a lot better now for sure. And I tried to install my new rear sway bar links but I got sent the set for a 2nd Gen, so try try another day.

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aggrex

· #703 · Jun 7, 2021

mschflbn said:
Today I dremeled all the rust spots and hit it with Honda touch up paint. I suck at touch up painting, but hey, all the rust spots are now more matching than brown rust spots 🤷‍♂️ I also removed the old door edge film that was cracking flaking and looking terrible

Silver is a bit forgiving. Rust never sleeps but you just need to keep it at bay. Strange how the roof edge got all chipped up.

mschflbn

· #704 · Jun 7, 2021

Yeah I'm not sure how it happened, but that roof line had the majority of the rust on it.

plplplpl

· #705 · Jun 7, 2021

mschflbn said:
Yeah I'm not sure how it happened, but that roof line had the majority of the rust on it.

Happened to me. After a few stopgap measures, it kept coming back. Finally took it to a real body and paint shop and paid the big bucks to have it done professionally, along with the rear fender / wheel well area.

Reactions: 2

ConrodM

· #706 · Jun 7, 2021 (Edited)

road2cycle said:
Before you replace the fan:
1) Swap the fan relays just to be certain the radiator fan relay hasn’t failed.
2) Jumper the radiator fan directly to the battery to see if it spins. If it doesn’t the fan is dead.

I believe you have to remove the battery and its tray in order to get the radiator fan out of there. Lucky for you the radiator fan is closer to the battery, so you don’t have to remove the A/C fan as well.😁

I don’t recall many folks replacing the radiator fan, but since you’re in Florida I’m sure that fan is on often.

Keep us posted.

Thanks for the Tips 😊👍
I applied direct power to Fan lead and gots nuthin’. Also checked for incoming voltage from relay and had 14 v.
The radiator was replaced at the same time by the local shop that did my Timing belt so I will be looking for broken wires too. May have to get that cool Scanner Danner tool that pierces the insulation and checks for voltage in very hard to reach spots 😉😊. Looks to be a level 3 out of 5 job, but has to be done.
I am considering replacing the condenser fan while in there for a piece of mind too. We run AC 350 days out of the year typically. Rock auto is where I’m looking to buy from.
Will keep y’all posted

Reactions: 4

CPTDaniel

· #707 · Jun 7, 2021

ConrodM said:
Thanks for the Tips 😊👍
I applied direct power to Fan lead and gots nuthin’. Also checked for incoming voltage from relay and had 14 v.
The radiator was replaced at the same time by the local shop that did my Timing belt so I will be looking for broken wires too. May have to get that cool Scanner Danner tool that pierces the insulation and checks for voltage in very hard to reach spots 😉😊. Looks to be a level 3 out of 5 job, but has to be done.
I am considering replacing the condenser fan while in there for a piece of mind too. We run AC 350 days out of the year typically. Rock auto is where I’m looking to buy from.
Will keep y’all posted

I just ordered my AC compressor from Rock Auto, can't wait to swap it out. This will be the first car I've owned in about 20 years with working air.

aggrex

· #708 · Jun 7, 2021

CPTDaniel said:
This will be the first car I've owned in about 20 years with working air.

ConrodM

· #709 · Jun 7, 2021

CPTDaniel said:
I just ordered my AC compressor from Rock Auto, can't wait to swap it out. This will be the first car I've owned in about 20 years with working air.

Man.... you must live up north some where. If in the south- welllll.... you are tougher than I am!! How did you confirm the compressor is shot? I’m wanting to learn something here 😉👍

Reactions: 2

mschflbn

· #710 · Jun 8, 2021

Washed the ol guy and gave him his first wax since we got him. Also, did the meguiar's trim restore. Not optimistic about how long it will last, but I don't mind doing it every wash 🤷‍♂️.

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ConrodM

· #711 · Jun 8, 2021

Looks Very Nice!!!

Reactions: 1

plplplpl

· #712 · Jun 8, 2021 (Edited)

Not mine, but daughter's 2007 Pilot wouldn't start, and she called in the early evening from a semi-distant restaurant where she had gone with her boyfriend. Packed up mucho tools and battery pack, charger, booster cables, etc., and headed out. After teaching her how to read a plug-in volt meter / USB charger I had installed for her in the front "not a cigarette lighter" socket and seeing 8.something volts, popped the hood and looked at new battery first, hoping it wasn't starter, alternator or hard-to-get-to cables. No verdigris on battery posts, but negative post connection was loose. I had her untighten it, shimmy it down a couple more centimeters to the bottom of the post, then retighten. Taught her in what order to connect the jumper cables I had brought -- pop quiz, please reply below -- and the volt meter read in the high 12v, turned it over, it started right up and the volt meter was reading 14.1v. Phew, not a CDN$500 starter or alternator expense for her.

Over my objections, she and her boyfriend thanked me with a bag of hot, crispy Five Guys fries.

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mschflbn

· #713 · Jun 8, 2021

Glad it was nothing more nefarious! And if I'm honest I always google the order because I forget 😂. Shot in the dark donor neg to sad car unpainted metal, donor pos to sad car pos?

Reactions: 1

xGS

· #714 · Jun 8, 2021

plplplpl said:
Above my objections, she and her boyfriend thanked me with a bag of hot, crispy Five Guys fries.

Plain or poutine style?

plplplpl

· #715 · Jun 8, 2021

xGS said:
Plain or poutine style?

plplplpl said:
crispy

20Piloteer07

· #716 · Jun 8, 2021

plplplpl said:
Not mine, but daughter's 2007 Pilot wouldn't start, and she called in the early evening from a semi-distant restaurant where she had gone with her boyfriend. Packed up mucho tools and battery pack, charger, booster cables, etc., and headed out. After teaching her how to read a plug-in volt meter / USB charger I had installed for her in the front "not a cigarette lighter" socket and seeing 8.something volts, popped the hood and looked at new battery first, hoping it wasn't starter, alternator or hard-to-get-to cables. No verdigris on battery posts, but negative post connection was loose. I had her untighten it, shimmy it down a couple more centimeters to the bottom of the post, then retighten. Taught her in what order to connect the jumper cables I had brought -- pop quiz, please reply below -- and the volt meter read in the high 12v, turned it over, it started right up and the volt meter was reading 14.1v. Phew, not a CDN$500 starter or alternator expense for her.

Over my objections, she and her boyfriend thanked me with a bag of hot, crispy Five Guys fries.

Here is the volt meter unit I installed. It took 1.23 seconds US, 2 seconds Canadian:

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ConrodM

· #717 · Jun 8, 2021

plplplpl said:
Not mine, but daughter's 2007 Pilot wouldn't start, and she called in the early evening from a semi-distant restaurant where she had gone with her boyfriend. Packed up mucho tools and battery pack, charger, booster cables, etc., and headed out. After teaching her how to read a plug-in volt meter / USB charger I had installed for her in the front "not a cigarette lighter" socket and seeing 8.something volts, popped the hood and looked at new battery first, hoping it wasn't starter, alternator or hard-to-get-to cables. No verdigris on battery posts, but negative post connection was loose. I had her untighten it, shimmy it down a couple more centimeters to the bottom of the post, then retighten. Taught her in what order to connect the jumper cables I had brought -- pop quiz, please reply below -- and the volt meter read in the high 12v, turned it over, it started right up and the volt meter was reading 14.1v. Phew, not a CDN$500 starter or alternator expense for her.

Over my objections, she and her boyfriend thanked me with a bag of hot, crispy Five Guys fries.

Definitely worth the trip for those fries!!! 😁👍 and she learned something as did the boyfriend. Now.... best Fries Ever= wait for it......... DUCK FAT FRIES! in Portland, Main. DUCKFAT - almost worth the trip from fl. I mean Very Close!!
Congrats again for being the Good Daddy/hero/mechanic 😁👍👍.

Reactions: 1

CPTDaniel

· #718 · Jun 8, 2021

I used the Meguiar's trim restore a few months ago and it's starting to fade in spots now, so I'd say it's good for a few washes. Stuff's pretty easy to put on, so it's no biggie to me either. I'm impressed with the results though!

Reactions: 2

CPTDaniel

· #719 · Jun 8, 2021

ConrodM said:
Man.... you must live up north some where. If in the south- welllll.... you are tougher than I am!! How did you confirm the compressor is shot? I’m wanting to learn something here 😉👍

Currently, I live in SW Missouri. It definitely gets hot here, but my car has always been the one only I drive, and the wife's car is the one with AC. I bought this Pilot specifically to use as a traveling car for us and 3-4 kids, so now that it's warming up again I need to make it cool inside. I won't mind driving a car with AC though, don't get me wrong.

I haven't specifically diagnosed the compressor as being faulty, but I've replaced all the fuses and relays for the AC system and the compressor still won't kick on. Whether the R-134a in the system is good or not I couldn't tell you, but the system maintains pressure. There aren't too many things it can be at this point, so I'm replacing the compressor, the expansion valves, and the drier dessicant and fittings. We're going to blow out the lines and the condenser, so any debris should be gone for the most part. I don't think the compressor blew up or anything, it spins freely and makes no noise or anything. Once we recharge the system, if it still doesn't kick on, I think there might be one or two more things to check, but I'd be surprised if that doesn't fix it.

I kinda debated this before (on these forums, btw) and decided that I'd pretty much just go ahead and replace the bulk of the system due to the 2006 having over 200k miles on it. If it's good now, it might still crap out in another month and I'd have to replace the parts anyway. I kinda see it like the timing belt...might as well just go ahead and make sure. Hopefully it will last a good long time after I fix it.

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ConrodM

· #720 · Jun 8, 2021

CPTDaniel said:
Currently, I live in SW Missouri. It definitely gets hot here, but my car has always been the one only I drive, and the wife's car is the one with AC. I bought this Pilot specifically to use as a traveling car for us and 3-4 kids, so now that it's warming up again I need to make it cool inside. I won't mind driving a car with AC though, don't get me wrong.

I haven't specifically diagnosed the compressor as being faulty, but I've replaced all the fuses and relays for the AC system and the compressor still won't kick on. Whether the R-134a in the system is good or not I couldn't tell you, but the system maintains pressure. There aren't too many things it can be at this point, so I'm replacing the compressor, the expansion valves, and the drier dessicant and fittings. We're going to blow out the lines and the condenser, so any debris should be gone for the most part. I don't think the compressor blew up or anything, it spins freely and makes no noise or anything. Once we recharge the system, if it still doesn't kick on, I think there might be one or two more things to check, but I'd be surprised if that doesn't fix it.

I kinda debated this before (on these forums, btw) and decided that I'd pretty much just go ahead and replace the bulk of the system due to the 2006 having over 200k miles on it. If it's good now, it might still crap out in another month and I'd have to replace the parts anyway. I kinda see it like the timing belt...might as well just go ahead and make sure. Hopefully it will last a good long time after I fix it.

If you haven't already paid for all the parts or haven't already checked- might want to check if the Stator that pulls in the clutch is working? My clutch wasn't being pulled in so No Compressor operation. All you have to do is pull the 1-wire lead going to the Compressor and check ohms between it and compressor housing-should be 3-4 ohms. I had Open (none). I just replaced mine last week and filled system. Got AC!! but..... just discovered that the Motor Cooling Fan (Radiator Fan Motor) is shot and has been that way for a while as the blades are white compared to the Condenser Fan blades. My condenser fan has been keeping my pilot going for who knows how long...but Too Long!!! Just ordered another one 10 mins ago- $202 delivered (Honda OEM)

Reactions: 2

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