From reading here and experience with my own Honda, going
through at least one set of outer CV boots with older Hondas
is the norm. With the noise, expect to need new CV joints as
well. At least one new radiator is usual, too.

A  leaky water pump with Hondas is often associated with not
using OEM Honda coolant (or, for many of us, the equally
effective orange Havoline Dexcool). Was the water pump
changed when the timing belt was done?

Try to find out what year the TB was changed, btw, since it
is both miles and years that will deterimine when it is next
due.

In my experience (with my 91 Civic, original owner, and
reading here), sinking around $1000 into a Honda over a span
of a few years mid-life will give several more years of
relatively trouble free performance. Especially since you
say the engine seems sound, I would consider having  this
major work done.

Please state exactly what kind of 97 Accord you have: manual
or auto, EX, DX, whatever, etc.

On the oil tube seals, are you getting oil in the spark plug
tubes? If so, see item 19 in
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&cat
cgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1997&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=CYLINDER+HEAD
+%281%29

These O-rings do fail around 150k miles give or take. See
http://home.earthlink.net/~honda.lioness/id3.html for my
experience changing them out. I think most folks with
experience working on cars can do-it-themselves. I mean, if
I can, most any wrench-experienced dude/babe can.

Well, what condition is the body in?  It sounds like the engine has much
more to give, if the rest of the car doesn't fall to pieces around it!

If you do your own work you're looking at what, maybe $4~500 for two
decent axles, a pump, belts, etc?  That's around two months' payment on
a financed replacement.

Oil in the spark plug holes is a nuisance.  Mine aren't too bad (yet),
and I can simply swab out the afflicted hole every few weeks.  If the
engine starts to miss at low revs, I know I've been lazy...

IMO, if there are no other serious issues, I'd be inclined to give it at
least one more refresh.

-Greg

That's a lot of miles, but not a lot of years.

If you can do the work yourself, it's about a tossup, I think.

I gather the price was right, so you might want to fix it up, drive it
for a few months, then sell it off at a modest price to at least
recover your expenses, or longer if it seems to be going well.

J.

it's worth fixing imo.  if you're worried about the health of the
engine, do a compression test, but if as you say it burns no oil, it
should be good.

buy yourself the factory repair manual from helm.com, a pulley wheel
holder tool, and a ball joint separation tool.  you should then be set
to go with all these repairs.  also go to tegger.com for lots of advice
and useful info on what to do and how, including tools.

re leaky seals, you may need to repair them, but maybe not.  different
oils have different qualities of seal conditioners.  try a better brand
of oil and see if that helps.  [castrol gtx worked for me.]