I have had this car for about 6 months. I bought it used at 113k and now it’s at 120k. Since I’ve had it I have noticed that when the car has been running for a while it makes a very high pitched squeal at light throttle. It only happens at a certain RPM (1750k) I don’t know what it is and it’s been bugging me. I have asked before and someone suggested that it was a bearing and to find it would be expensive. I also have noticed a cha sound. It sounds like it’s coming from a belt. Is the belt wearing down or is that normal? Another thing, I took the car for its oil change and the guy said that my throttle body needed clean and it was full of gunk. He said he was going to charge me 80 bucks for the cleaning and I declined the services. Did I make the wrong decision? I love my honda I just want to take care of it. It’s my first car!
I have owned a 2000 and 1999 Accord. They are both from the same generation as your 2001 Accord and they are notorious for gunk in the throttle body. The easy way to tell if it is really bad is to touch the gas pedal lightly. If it resists or is “sticky” and you have to push harder to make it go down then the throttle body is REALLY cruddy.
The cleaning job is super easy. First buy a can of throttle body cleaner for a few bucks (NOT carburetor cleaner). Open the hood. Follow the air intake duct from the air filter to the throttle body. It is a big black plastic hose. There is a metal clamp holding the plastic duct to the throttle body. Loosen the clamp and gently pull the duct off of the throttle body. Open the butterfly in the throttle body with your hand (use the piece on the outside where the accelerator cable attaches) and spray the heck out of the inside of the throttle body with the engine OFF. Start the car (it will run rough at first and belch a lot of smoke). When the car runs smooth stop the engine and clean the throttle body again. Start the car again. If you think it is clean reattach the air intake duct to the throttle body and tighten the clamp.
You may have to remove or disconnect some things to move the duct around so make sure you reconnect everything when you are done.
Good luck.
Robert
I agree entirely. I recommend you empty the can when you do this. You will be better off in the long run if you do a thorough job of cleaning.