Cornflake

OK ... The story so far....

Been having problems for the last few months with coolant being "lost". Thought maybe small leak, but no coolant to be found, pressure test OK. Been getting worse to the point that I am topping off the rad almost every day now with about 1/3 bottle of pre-mix coolant. SO...dropped the car off at the dealer this morning where a good friend is a service advisor. the mechanic looks at the car all morning, doesn't think it's a head gasket, no oil in coolant or vice versa they say. Topped it off, bled off system want sme to drive it for a few days and see... Works fine the first trip home.

Driving to my G/F's house, cold air coming out of the vents again after car is warm (BTW, STAT checked out fine today as well) SOOOOO.....If it is a head gasket, everything I have read about them on the Legend forums says that I am now relinquished to permanent head gasket replacements every 20-50000 kms.

SO If it ends up being that, I have a decision, change it do the Timing belt/Water pump (which it is just now due for at 200000 kms and I have 201000) and hope it lasts for at least another 50000 kms....OR...and here's what I REALLY want to do... Pull a DV8 (those of you who ever go on the Legend forums know who he is!!) and buy a 3.5 RL block and some type II heads and build up a motor to put in and just not do the T/B and W/P on my motor and drive it until it dies and/or I get the new motor ready. I figure I can build the motor for about the same as it would cost to find a suitable JDM replacement....and if I do that, I would really want to find a 6 spd tranny to swap in at the same time. So here's my dilemma...WHAT DO I DO!?!?!?!?

While I REALLY want to do this motor swap, I am REALLY trying to pay off al my debts to buy a house. If I have to change the motor anyways, I will do it, cause I won't find a replacement car as snice for the money it will cost to fix mine. Oh me oh my....What's a brotha to do!!!

Oh yeah by the way....Day before I made the appt at the dealer I ordered the springs from 98TLRacer soo I'll have those to put in as well... (not that I mind, just maybe the money coulda gone to something better at this moment in time!)..Isn't timing great!?

Ken1997TL

Get an RL motor from a yard and swap it

Cornflake

You think that would earn me some rep points on here..... HAHAHA!!!

Ken1997TL

Yup I think so

But really, the C35 RL motor will drop in perfectly. Even the mounts will be quite similar.

LDH

yea it would. But i think the person that would get the most respect for their car is the first person to do a 6 spd manual tl.

How much do you guys think a c35 would go for? I don't see rl or tl's in yards often here.

spooky3ce

Actually, i just gave you some just for thinking of it... If you get the MT on your TL that would be bad ass... there's already somone here with a turbo... which i think is bad ass... especially since its a 2.5... Then someone with a MT on their 1st Gen 3.2... that'd be awsome...

If i were you and had the cash/knowledge to drop in a 3.5 RL engine into the TL... i'd go for it... but... biiiiiiiiig but... if you are planning to buy a house, which in my opinion is more important then cars (can't believe i just said that...) i'd keep the TL... drive it until its dead... hopefully by then you already have you debt paid etc... and are buying the house... buy the house... put your dead friend in the garage and work on getting the RL engine in it...

now if i wasn't in debt, i'd already have my house... buuut nooo... i had to go and get a credit card... but thats off topic... The above is only my opinion of what you should do... priority man...

It would be bad ass nonetheless to get a 3.5 RL engine w/ MT into a TL...
Whatever you decide... God speed my friend... and may the force be with you... lol...

Cornflake

Thanks Spooky. STAY AWAY FROM CREDIT CARDS! They are the reason I am 30 years old next month and moved back into my parent's house two years ago!!! I think I may have to just drive the TL till the motor cacks, then go out and buy a shitbox to cruise for a few years until I finish paying everything off and exactly, get a garage to park the TL in and just work on. That will prolly be what I end up doing. Gonna start pricing out RL blocks and Type II Legend heads today.

vishnus11

echoing spooky's sentiments I'd say that the first of your priorities should be to pay of the debts and invest in a home. As much I love cars (and my tl) and think that there are other things in life that are a little more important. So good luck and hope everything works out.

AND...don't lose faith in your baby just yet. We 1st gen members don't love our cars for nothing. Everyone of these fine pieces of machinery that rollled out of Sayama, Japan was built to last. Have faith my friend...I'm sure you're will last when you need it the most.

Cornflake

OK, spoke to my buddy who is a big honda guy (he's done a few turbo civics, tonnes of other integra's, accords). We're gonna do a cylinder leakdown test to confirm the head gasket. If (and I think when) the test confirms the need for a new head gasket, I m gonna start sourcing and buying the needed requirements for the 3.5 RL Hybrid. I have printed off DV8's recap from his install and am gonna give it to him tomorrow so he can start figuring out what he needs. I gotta get a n RL block, intake and one of the engine mounts, Type II legend heads and ecu. I thought about trying the 6 spd conversion at the same time, but I just don't have the loot for that right now. I'm not gonna do the timing belt on my TL since I am just going to let the motor die and hopefully I can get the new one built before that happens. Wish me luck guys cause if this doesn't work I'll likely be COMPLETELY without a car!! But I figure if I gotta spend $2000 on head gasket job anyways, I might as well see if I can build this motor for another thousand bucks or so.

vishnus11

LET THE PARTY BEGIN....AS much as I hate to see a fellow tler havin trouble, the fact that your about to make first gen tl history by installing a 3.5rl type II hybrid or whatever u want to call it is AWESOME. TAKE SOME FREAKIN PICS OR WE"LL ALL BEAT U OVER THE HEAD. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, go into as much detail as possible. I for one am extremely intersted in how this will go.

More importantly my friend, hopefully everything goes well.

And is that a 6sp legend tranny I hear calling you name!

Cornflake

Well, as much as I hate to admit defeat, especially so early in the game, this is just going to cost too much. If I was lucky enough to have another car to drive for a few months, and a garage of my own to do the work in, I would probably do it. But since I have to pay someone else to do it, I don't think I can swing it. I am just going to find a low mileage JDM Legend GS (Type II) motor and put it in the car. I'll do a t/b and water pump along with changing the head gaskets on the new motor and hope for the best. I would have LOVED to do this swap, and maybe still when I actually buy my house with a garage!!! I will be able to . but now that is my priority and blowing $4000 on a motor for the TL just isn't gonna help. I think the extra 30 Horses from the Type II motor should be enough to keep me happy for a while. Anyways, thanks for your support guys and while the project is suspended, the idea is DEFINATELY not out of my head, that's for sure!!! Once I can put the car up on blocks in the garage of my OWN house, I'll be more likely to actually get some of the hairbrained schemes done!!!

Ken1997TL

Keep in mind that the USDM Type II engine is actually more powerful than the JDM motor

230 hp verses about 215.

LDH

whats the cost of a type II motor anyways? My cousins motor in his legend is starting to have more and more problems so I'm just curious on the cost.

Ken1997TL

Depends. I got a great deal on the heads and headers for mine. I've seen everything from $600 to $3500.

Cornflake

I've got a line on a Type II DOMESTIC market with 78000 kms GS motor for $1300 CDN. My question guys is this...Is this motor REALLY exactly the same as ours? I know the heads will work, but is the block identical?? Can I just put this motor in to the TL with no problems?! That would be perfect please respond as I would like to grab it this weekend to get prepared to start!!! ASAP....it's not a RL Hybrid, but 30 extra HP and 125000 less KMS would be nice for sure! MIGHT even take the heads off and port them and then just drive the current one until it cacks out.... Would be worth it...are the Legend exhaust manifolds better than ours too? Should I be getting those with it?! I'll get the too if it's worth a few HP, if not I won't bother.

lbbrando

Will a Rl block and legends heads work?
Isn't the legends 3.2L and the Rl 3.5L.
The Rl also has a balance shaft, I don't think matters much for the heads but just wondering.
Good luck.

TooCooTL

ok...being realistic...how hard is it to really do a 3.5RL and 6sp MT swap on a 96 2.5 TL and how much will the whole thing cost...i got about 4G's to mess around wit...and i kinda wanted to do a custom turbo but some one beat me to it...plus my engine is leakin oil and is not in good condition...i mean im not being negative...but is this actually do-able or just a pipe dream? i would do it for real...but where to start...finding the engine and a shop with enough acura knowhow to do the swap and tune the damn thing right. i need to be steered in the right direction...HELP PLEASE!

Ken1997TL

Type I's and Type II's have the same blocks

Legend motors that are Type I are nearly identical in every conceivable way to the 3.2 TL. Legend Type II motors DO have different intake and exhaust.

RL motors are just stroked a bit.

Cornflake

It's been done, bit of work, but it can be made to work VERY well!!!
Check it out here's the guy that inspired me to do it.....
http://www.acura-legend.com/vbulleti...ad.php?t=35629

Cornflake

RL's are stroked a bit, but the block itself s actually a little different, it's a little taller in order to get that extra stroke. As you can see from the link I posted above, it's not just a simple head and intake swap....

Cornflake

So I should be able to drop a complete type II engine in my car NO problem? (and the type II ECU as well obviously...)

Cornflake

Just bought a '95 Legend GS motor with 96000 KMS, compression of 180 across the top for $1080 CDN with a 1 yr warranty...just gotta find an ECU now.....

LDH

where'd you get it from? a local junkyard or online?

Cornflake

Local scrapyard. Had found a '93 Type I motor for $700, but this is a better motor and a little newer with a bit less miles. Compression test they SAY showed good, and they are giving 1 yr warranty so That is good enough for me.....We will see what happens.... Hopefuly be puttin git in just after X-Mas...springs are on way too, so car should be pretty hot for next spring!!! Looking forward to the extra 30 HP from the type II but I won't be ably to unleash it all until I can find an ECU, harder to come by than the motor! Harder still will be the 6 spd swap next year. Tranny's for that are HARD to come by. I have to see if the 5 spd tranny will work with the GS/Cooupe 6-spd ecu. if I can't find a 6-spd tranny.

Cornflake

So NOW I think I'm gonna have to pull the heads off the new motor, do a head gasket and probably get them ported as well as the intake manifold...Man I hope the old 3.2 motor can hold out long enough to get all this done!!!! :S

LDH

That's the fun part...taking apart a motor in your garage. Doing things hands on is always the best way to learn about a motor.

vishnus11

Hope im not stealing your thread cornflake, but this follows along lines of type II conversion. this ? is directed to ken as I think that he's the only 1 with type II heads....do you notice a differnce in gas mileage with type II engine.

Wut about 3.5RL hybrid that Cornflake originally planned - what effect would this have on gas mileage?

Last but not least, standard 3.5RL had 210hp/213ft lbs torque until 02 when this was bumped to 225hp/224 ft lbs torque. It weighs more than our TLs and has more displacement. Then why does EPA give it 25mpg in hwy when our tls only get 24mpg. Both rate same for city at 19mpg. I'm thinking it is in the gearing or transmission maybe??? (although it thought both trannies were identical)

Cornflake

I agreee, that's why I wish this had happened AFTER i got my own house...cause there'e NO WAY my pops will let me do this in his, too much chance of something getting on his precious interlocking driveway!!! HAHAA.... Anyways, it's too damned cold here now for me to be able to do this in a garaga right now, need a shop with HEAT....

Cornflake

Damned thread Hijacker! lol No man, it's cool.

Ken1997TL

Actually the EPA estimates I remember for the TL vs RL

19/24 for 3.2 TL

18/24 for RL

Gearing is the same, same trannies. BUT.. in REAL world experience (I've had RL's for loaners) I was lucky to get above 21 mpg in a 2002 RL.

As for me, I have to really be rough on my TL to get anything lower than 22 mpg. I generally get 25 or 26 mpg, record is 28 mpg. I have stock wheels with tires set at 35 psi.

LDH

yea...my friend has this stone driveway that he accidently spilled oil on and his dad freaked out and paid like 150 dollars to get it cleaned out that day. It spilled when he was checking his oil and it leaked off of the dip stick. So now we do all the work at my house instead because I don't care and my dad plans on getting a new driveway anyways The only downside is his dad has every tool we could possible need. But I'm starting to build a nice tool collection myself.

LDH

I get like 18.5mpg last time I checked and if they rated the 3.2 for 19mpg city I guess my car isn't that bad afterall.

vishnus11

my bad man (sorry cornflake for "thread hijacking!" lol. Got my figure from consumerguide.com or whatever...shoulda checked my figures. And Im gonna assume that you're quoting hwy mpg.

Ken1997TL

Even around town I never get below 22 mpg.