Need Advice - Don't Want To Give Up My '98 3.2 TL
03-14-2014, 03:21 AM
#1
Need Advice - Don't Want To Give Up My '98 3.2 TL
Hey guys, I'm new here and I joined because I love my 1998 3.2 TL, but people keep telling me to get a new car. I'm not a mechanic and most of the stuff I know about cars is from bringing her to the shop and receiving bad news, but I've picked up tips from my dad and from Googling my car troubles.
She's just over 200,000 miles and she's due for a new timing belt anytime now. She also has a leaky water pump, which I plan have replaced when she goes in for the timing belt job. Due to the leak, I have been checking the coolant level in the radiator before long trips and I sometimes have to unscrew the nut on the top of the cooling system to relieve pressure because coolant would sometimes spew out when I opened the radiator cap even if the car had been sitting overnight, cold. I know there is air getting into the cooling system because I've idled her on an upward slant with the radiator cap off and I've seen small bubbles come out of the radiator. I really hope that is because of the leaky water pump, but my mechanic did a chemical test on the cooling system and said that she failed after six minutes and the test revealed that combustion gases were present in the coolant, which indicated that the head gasket was going. However, my dad insisted on "the old school way" and told me that if it runs smooth, there's no smoke in the exhaust, and the oil isn't white, then the car is fine. By the way, she failed the chemical test after overheating a few winters ago. Luckily, I noticed and pulled over as soon as I could, but I did drive her to the mechanic with the temperature gauge hitting the red line on and off for most of the way. After this happened, I opted to have the mechanic add pellets to the coolant, and they have made the leak in the water pump intermittent instead of leaking all the time.
So that's been the issue for the past few years, but the more recent problems have been that I don't drive her enough because I work from home now. When I do drive her, it is mostly to take 1-1.5 hour trips. I was noticing for the past several months that she'd shake a lot at stop lights. For as long as I can remember she's always made a small ticking sound that I assumed was from "valve covers" after talking to someone who said his daughter's car ticked because of the valve covers. One day the ticking got a lot louder when I started her up in the driveway to maintain the charge in the battery. The next time I took her out for a 1.5 hour trip to my parents' house, after driving for about a mile, the check engine light came on. She was still running, so I ended up continuing on to my parents' house because my dad could then check things out. He determined that she was misfiring and told me to drive home and then not take her for long trips again until bringing her in for a tune-up, specifically to change all the spark plugs. So that was what I was going to do, but on the way home, I had one of those horrifying moments, you know, when you hear an awful sound and you think, "Was that MY car?!" Well, yeah, this time is was my car. That ticking noise had turned into ticking that ended in squealing with every tick. That night, I did everything in my power to coast home and then crawled to the shop the next day. Turned out she blew a spark plug into one of the cylinders and melted the coil. I don't know if it matters which one, but the mechanic said #3 on the phone but on the bill it said #2. They had to vacuum out the debris from the spark plug and install a new coil, then changed all the spark plugs. She ran much smoother after that.
She came back from the shop on March 10th, 2014, and the mechanic recommended that I get the timing belt done ASAP after driving the car for a bit to make sure there was no more trouble in that cylinder with the blown spark plug. I've been really thinking about that because it's a big expense (the mechanic I prefer quoted $700-800 and some other place quoted $1,500). The spark plug issue came out to $647.72, full synthetic oil change included. Now I'm looking at dropping another $700-800 on the timing belt and water pump job, and I almost forgot to mention, I had my first fender bender ever last November. The accident broke the tie rods and bent something in the front so now the alignment is set up so the steering wheel is turned a little when the wheels are aiming straight. The headlight is busted and the bumper fell off, but if you can see past the damage, she's still the best car I've ever driven and the one car I want to continue driving.
But in all seriousness, I need to make sure I'm not throwing my money into something that is only going to be a waste. The way I see it is I could keep paying a few hundred dollars here and there to fix my Acura as time goes on, or I could drop a few thousand on another used car that could have all the same problems I've been fixing in my current car, not to mention, I might not even like it. As I said before, my next expenses will probably be the timing belt and water pump, but on top of all that, she needs the serpentine belts replaced, a state inspection in the spring (they'll probably fail me without the bumper and a broken headlight fixture even though the light bulb works), and now I think the exhaust just broke because on my way home yesterday, the engine noises started to get very loud. I have been through that before, so I am 99% sure it is a rotted exhaust pipe. I am expecting $300-400 for that, but I have not actually gotten a quote yet.
As for money already spent on the car: replaced the radiator (~ $500), two batteries (~ $100 each), a cooling system hose (~ $100), brakes (included stuck sliders, rotors, and pads and came to some ridiculous amount I can't remember), tie rods ($250?), tires (probably several hundred dollars by now), exhaust patch ($40), exhaust pipe (~ $300), coil and spark plugs ($647.72), and that's what I can remember off the top of my head. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about the head gasket, but if it did blow, I think I could replace it for about $1,000, right?
I haven't told my parents about the exhaust noise yet because they will probably say I should get a new car (if I had to buy a new car, I would want another '98 TL, but they would think it's crazy if I bought another). It just doesn't seem practical because I don't commute to work and I like the car I have, but I just want to see what other people have to say. I figured this community would be a good place to start because you guys are all here because you share an interest in Acura and some of you seem to have a lot of experience.
Here's a picture of my TL (I Photoshopped the background to make the clouds meet the ground and I removed the license plate, but that's her before the accident):
Sorry for the long post, but thanks for reading!
She's just over 200,000 miles and she's due for a new timing belt anytime now. She also has a leaky water pump, which I plan have replaced when she goes in for the timing belt job. Due to the leak, I have been checking the coolant level in the radiator before long trips and I sometimes have to unscrew the nut on the top of the cooling system to relieve pressure because coolant would sometimes spew out when I opened the radiator cap even if the car had been sitting overnight, cold. I know there is air getting into the cooling system because I've idled her on an upward slant with the radiator cap off and I've seen small bubbles come out of the radiator. I really hope that is because of the leaky water pump, but my mechanic did a chemical test on the cooling system and said that she failed after six minutes and the test revealed that combustion gases were present in the coolant, which indicated that the head gasket was going. However, my dad insisted on "the old school way" and told me that if it runs smooth, there's no smoke in the exhaust, and the oil isn't white, then the car is fine. By the way, she failed the chemical test after overheating a few winters ago. Luckily, I noticed and pulled over as soon as I could, but I did drive her to the mechanic with the temperature gauge hitting the red line on and off for most of the way. After this happened, I opted to have the mechanic add pellets to the coolant, and they have made the leak in the water pump intermittent instead of leaking all the time.
So that's been the issue for the past few years, but the more recent problems have been that I don't drive her enough because I work from home now. When I do drive her, it is mostly to take 1-1.5 hour trips. I was noticing for the past several months that she'd shake a lot at stop lights. For as long as I can remember she's always made a small ticking sound that I assumed was from "valve covers" after talking to someone who said his daughter's car ticked because of the valve covers. One day the ticking got a lot louder when I started her up in the driveway to maintain the charge in the battery. The next time I took her out for a 1.5 hour trip to my parents' house, after driving for about a mile, the check engine light came on. She was still running, so I ended up continuing on to my parents' house because my dad could then check things out. He determined that she was misfiring and told me to drive home and then not take her for long trips again until bringing her in for a tune-up, specifically to change all the spark plugs. So that was what I was going to do, but on the way home, I had one of those horrifying moments, you know, when you hear an awful sound and you think, "Was that MY car?!" Well, yeah, this time is was my car. That ticking noise had turned into ticking that ended in squealing with every tick. That night, I did everything in my power to coast home and then crawled to the shop the next day. Turned out she blew a spark plug into one of the cylinders and melted the coil. I don't know if it matters which one, but the mechanic said #3 on the phone but on the bill it said #2. They had to vacuum out the debris from the spark plug and install a new coil, then changed all the spark plugs. She ran much smoother after that.
She came back from the shop on March 10th, 2014, and the mechanic recommended that I get the timing belt done ASAP after driving the car for a bit to make sure there was no more trouble in that cylinder with the blown spark plug. I've been really thinking about that because it's a big expense (the mechanic I prefer quoted $700-800 and some other place quoted $1,500). The spark plug issue came out to $647.72, full synthetic oil change included. Now I'm looking at dropping another $700-800 on the timing belt and water pump job, and I almost forgot to mention, I had my first fender bender ever last November. The accident broke the tie rods and bent something in the front so now the alignment is set up so the steering wheel is turned a little when the wheels are aiming straight. The headlight is busted and the bumper fell off, but if you can see past the damage, she's still the best car I've ever driven and the one car I want to continue driving.
But in all seriousness, I need to make sure I'm not throwing my money into something that is only going to be a waste. The way I see it is I could keep paying a few hundred dollars here and there to fix my Acura as time goes on, or I could drop a few thousand on another used car that could have all the same problems I've been fixing in my current car, not to mention, I might not even like it. As I said before, my next expenses will probably be the timing belt and water pump, but on top of all that, she needs the serpentine belts replaced, a state inspection in the spring (they'll probably fail me without the bumper and a broken headlight fixture even though the light bulb works), and now I think the exhaust just broke because on my way home yesterday, the engine noises started to get very loud. I have been through that before, so I am 99% sure it is a rotted exhaust pipe. I am expecting $300-400 for that, but I have not actually gotten a quote yet.
As for money already spent on the car: replaced the radiator (~ $500), two batteries (~ $100 each), a cooling system hose (~ $100), brakes (included stuck sliders, rotors, and pads and came to some ridiculous amount I can't remember), tie rods ($250?), tires (probably several hundred dollars by now), exhaust patch ($40), exhaust pipe (~ $300), coil and spark plugs ($647.72), and that's what I can remember off the top of my head. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about the head gasket, but if it did blow, I think I could replace it for about $1,000, right?
I haven't told my parents about the exhaust noise yet because they will probably say I should get a new car (if I had to buy a new car, I would want another '98 TL, but they would think it's crazy if I bought another). It just doesn't seem practical because I don't commute to work and I like the car I have, but I just want to see what other people have to say. I figured this community would be a good place to start because you guys are all here because you share an interest in Acura and some of you seem to have a lot of experience.
Here's a picture of my TL (I Photoshopped the background to make the clouds meet the ground and I removed the license plate, but that's her before the accident):
Sorry for the long post, but thanks for reading!
03-14-2014, 07:05 PM
#2
For Christmas you should ask for a AAA membership...
Tough call. I would recommend that you try and learn to do some of the work yourself. You will save a pile of cash and get great satisfaction from a job well done.
Perhaps you can make a few friends that have some experience or get a part-time job at a local shop.
Perhaps you can pick up another used one that is in good shape and keep the current one for parts...
My Dad gave me his 98 2.5 because it needed too much work and the dealer was going to charge $4K+. I did the work, plus a couple of things they didn't catch myself for $900. I used all Acura parts except for the engine mount.
If you waterpump goes, it will take the timing belt out and that is never good news...
Tough call. I would recommend that you try and learn to do some of the work yourself. You will save a pile of cash and get great satisfaction from a job well done.
Perhaps you can make a few friends that have some experience or get a part-time job at a local shop.
Perhaps you can pick up another used one that is in good shape and keep the current one for parts...
My Dad gave me his 98 2.5 because it needed too much work and the dealer was going to charge $4K+. I did the work, plus a couple of things they didn't catch myself for $900. I used all Acura parts except for the engine mount.
If you waterpump goes, it will take the timing belt out and that is never good news...
03-14-2014, 07:34 PM
#3
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Much cheaper to spend a bit of money on your current car than a new(er) one. 
At least you know whats wrong with the vehicle and frankly doing a timing belt and water pump and full alignment should make your car drive like new.
At least you know whats wrong with the vehicle and frankly doing a timing belt and water pump and full alignment should make your car drive like new.
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Aman (03-22-2014)
03-14-2014, 08:53 PM
#4
adventurecrv, my parents did get me a AAA membership for Christmas, thankfully! Sometimes I wish I could do some of the work myself, but I don't have another vehicle to practice on. How will the water pump take out the timing belt? By dripping coolant on the belt and breaking down the materials prematurely? That's what the mechanic said, but I just want to make sure there aren't more ways. I was told that if the timing belt broke, the engine would be ruined.
That's what I was thinking, Ken, it would be cheaper to stay with my current car. I don't know why my dad keeps saying I should get a new one, though, but I'd much rather keep the one I have.
That's what I was thinking, Ken, it would be cheaper to stay with my current car. I don't know why my dad keeps saying I should get a new one, though, but I'd much rather keep the one I have.
03-14-2014, 08:55 PM
#5
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Yes, if the timing belt snaps you'll need a completely new engine. Basically your engine's pistons could/most likely will smash into your valves if the belt snaps.
The water pump is turned by the timing belt as are several other things. So change out the pump at the same time as the belt, it'll save you some money doing all of it at once.
The water pump is turned by the timing belt as are several other things. So change out the pump at the same time as the belt, it'll save you some money doing all of it at once.
03-14-2014, 09:19 PM
#6
Should I do the timing belt and water pump when I bring the car to the mechanic to fix the exhaust next week? I just had the blown spark plug problem fixed on March 5th and I haven't even used up a full tank of gas since. He told me to make sure it drives okay before spending the money on the timing belt and water pump. He didn't sound too sure that the spark plug fix would hold... well, basically, when I suggested maybe doing the timing belt and water pump job that day since the car was there already, he said I should drive it first to be sure it was okay, but assured me that he was 100% sure it would be okay. I'm not sure how long I should drive it to confirm that, but I have Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and I can't take the loudness of the engine for too much time as it is right now, so I know I'm going to have to do something about it before driving it anywhere else. Unfortunately, I did not get much warning before it started being very loud, except for a roaring sound occasionally at certain rates of acceleration that could be avoided by either speeding up or slowing down (I don't know if that was related, but if it is, then I'll be fixing two problems in one when I get the exhaust fixed because that was annoying).
03-15-2014, 03:08 PM
#7
Three Wheelin'
Such a long post! 
Have someone check that your engine is running properly before dropping that much money on a timing belt job. Another vote on keeping the TL out of the scrap yard.
Have someone check that your engine is running properly before dropping that much money on a timing belt job. Another vote on keeping the TL out of the scrap yard.
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03-21-2014, 03:23 PM
#9
I am sad to say that I don't think I can fix my car. My mechanic called and told me to stop putting money into it because it has a gas leak, too. He ended up patching the exhaust for free. I'm crushed because I loved that car and getting rid of it is the last thing I want to do. 
Maybe I can find another one with less mileage.
Maybe I can find another one with less mileage.
03-21-2014, 06:35 PM
#11
He said that the gas line was leaking, but I'm not sure how severe it was. For the past few months I have been smelling gas when I park and get out, so I believe it's there. He said there is plastic around the line and there are other things bundled in it, so they would all be changed at once. The job would be $700, so that plus the timing belt and the exhaust would have been about $1,400-$1,500. If I did the timing belt and water pump, I'd also want to do the pulley kit and serpentine belt, so the total after that would be about $2,070. Plus, to pass inspection in a couple months, I'd need to fix the damage in the front. The headlight alone would be $150, but if it needs body work from a body shop then it could be a lot more.
03-21-2014, 06:50 PM
#12
Three Wheelin'
I suggest getting a second shop to look at it. Also, prices seems a little on the high side compared to here. Maybe they're using a different rate on you because you're a girl, who knows? Something similar happened to a member on the 3G TL side where his wife was charged higher for the same job at the same shop that another member got done for. And lol on $150 for a headlight assembly. You don't need a brand new one. I can get a used one here or like $50 and ship it there to you if needed for cheaper, haha. From the pics, it looks like all you need is to put the bumper absorber and cover back on and maybe bend some tabs on the fender back to match the mounting tabs.
03-21-2014, 09:59 PM
#13
My dad thinks they are charging me too much, too, but I can't tell. Their quote on the timing belt/water pump job was about half as expensive as another shop ($700-$800 vs. $1,500). But either way, I guess I could shop around. What kind of shop calls you up and tells you to cut your losses before you pour more money into a car, though? I thought that was honesty, but then again, that's the last thing I want to hear. If I have it my way, I'll be driving this car until the frame rusts in half, lol! Everyone, except for the AcuraZine community, keeps telling me to buy another car as if it would be better, but I keep going in circles on what to do, trying to think realistically. I found a sweet bronze colored 1996 3.2 TL on Craigslist today for $3,500, and I was counting my pennies thinking, hey, maybe I could take a look at that over the weekend, then my dad called and made it sound like there was hope for my car again. He said he'd look at the gas leak because it shouldn't cost $700. He's also going to fix the headlight and bumper so it will pass inspection. When I looked on eBay, the prices of used headlights were about $130-$200~. I just looked again and the lowest price was $129. All it needs is the plastic lens, which I would have picked up and glued or taped together had it not been run over by a truck while I was talking to the cop after the accident! 
The light inside still works, too. I might have to buy two headlight fixtures because the other light is missing a piece inside that secures the bulb or something. My dad was fiddling with it and dropped the piece and we never found it, so he said I should get two headlights since the bumper will be out of the way anyway and we might as well fix them both. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on two headlight fixtures?
The light inside still works, too. I might have to buy two headlight fixtures because the other light is missing a piece inside that secures the bulb or something. My dad was fiddling with it and dropped the piece and we never found it, so he said I should get two headlights since the bumper will be out of the way anyway and we might as well fix them both. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on two headlight fixtures?
03-22-2014, 12:08 AM
#14
Ah, wait, I tried different search terms on eBay and there were some others that were a little less. Like, sheesh, I could make bank if I parted the car out -- $150 per headlight... lol. :P
03-22-2014, 09:43 AM
#15
Get yourself a second one and use the first as a parts car perhaps...
I would also recommend that if you are at all handy to do some work yourself. Get an shop manual and some basic good quality tools. You will be surprised how much $ you can save and you will feel super good when the job is done. Perhaps there is community college near by that offers courses. Or perhaps a local mechanic would be willing to teach you a few things...
I would also recommend that if you are at all handy to do some work yourself. Get an shop manual and some basic good quality tools. You will be surprised how much $ you can save and you will feel super good when the job is done. Perhaps there is community college near by that offers courses. Or perhaps a local mechanic would be willing to teach you a few things...
03-22-2014, 09:28 PM
#16
Three Wheelin'
Try your local junkyard for the headlight assembly. You can also try car-part.com or PM me if you are still having a hard time finding them. Good Luck!
03-23-2014, 03:21 AM
#17
Whaaaaat?! That stock radio is a piece of junk (at least in my car)! Well, the radio part is good, but the CD and cassette player are dead, lol.
I have considered buying a second car for swapping parts, but I don't really have a lot of space to put it. It's an option, though. I'm going to drive my car back from the mechanic's tomorrow and see how things go. Hopefully the patch on the exhaust will stay on. Thanks, guys, for all your advice! I'll keep updating this thread as things happen. Maybe there's hope for my car!
I have considered buying a second car for swapping parts, but I don't really have a lot of space to put it. It's an option, though. I'm going to drive my car back from the mechanic's tomorrow and see how things go. Hopefully the patch on the exhaust will stay on. Thanks, guys, for all your advice! I'll keep updating this thread as things happen. Maybe there's hope for my car!
03-24-2014, 12:42 AM
#18
I drove my car back home yesterday evening and the patch on the exhaust held, thankfully (not fixed, but quieter, though I babied it the whole way). When I turned it on, the check engine light was on. In the past two times I've ever had the check engine light go from not being an issue to suddenly turning on, it has blinked until I restarted the car. This time it was on steady, which I think means that it must have blinked the time before when it was driven, which would have been when the mechanic parked it, because it was fine when I drove it after they fixed it a week or two ago. I don't know what this means. Could it be burning up something in the exhaust system from when they did the patch and a sensor in the engine detected it? They told me that the second time it came on was because the engine was burning up the stuff they used to get the spark plugs to come out. If the problem or whatever caused the light to come on resolves itself, will the light go off or do I have to get the codes and do something to reset it? I sure hope it's just a fluke. At least it seemed to drive okay....
03-24-2014, 06:50 PM
#19
I bought a cheap scanner from WALMART. Does the trick and allows you to reset the codes. It was about $55 up in Canada. Just pop out the "ashtray" and plug it in. A valuable tool.
I recently changed out my front O2 sensor. Two weeks later the light is back on. Rear O2 sensor... I had to take the car into the shop for the rear. Couldn't get the exhaust off as my tools were stuck in North Carolina!
I recently changed out my front O2 sensor. Two weeks later the light is back on. Rear O2 sensor... I had to take the car into the shop for the rear. Couldn't get the exhaust off as my tools were stuck in North Carolina!
03-24-2014, 07:58 PM
#20
I might have to try that. I wonder if the gas line leak is causing it? I did some reading last night and someone was saying that a cracked gas tank cap can throw off the system in the car. Will a scanner say what the codes mean? (I've never used one before.)
03-24-2014, 08:19 PM
#21
A cracked gas cap or one not put on properly could cause the light to come on.
One code I got was P0139. The manual that came with the scanner called it O2 Sensor CKT Slow Response (Bank 1 Sensor 2).
The other code was P0135. O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 1).
The service manual comes in handy after that point. Internet searches and this forum is rather helpful as well. The codes have to be interpreted.
Bank 1 Sensor 1 is the front sensor. Bank 1 Sensor 2 is the rear sensor in my case.
It doesn't always tell you the part...
Here are the codes:
http://www.troublecodes.net/acura/25tl/
One code I got was P0139. The manual that came with the scanner called it O2 Sensor CKT Slow Response (Bank 1 Sensor 2).
The other code was P0135. O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 1).
The service manual comes in handy after that point. Internet searches and this forum is rather helpful as well. The codes have to be interpreted.
Bank 1 Sensor 1 is the front sensor. Bank 1 Sensor 2 is the rear sensor in my case.
It doesn't always tell you the part...
Here are the codes:
http://www.troublecodes.net/acura/25tl/
03-24-2014, 11:24 PM
#23
Three Wheelin'
A blinking CEL usually means misfire, but get the codes to find out for sure what needs to be fixed. An auto parts store like Autozone usually will do this for you free of charge. You can either google the codes or go to that site that adventurecrv posted to look up your car.
03-25-2014, 04:09 AM
#24
I just ordered one of these on Amazon:
Might as well make the investment because even if I can't save this car, it could be useful for shopping for other used cars, too. That makes sense that the car had a misfire because back then it was having spark plug issues. Although after they changed the spark plugs, the same thing happened again, but I took it back and had them fix the codes again. Hmm, well, I guess when the scanner arrives I will see what the poor car is complaining about this time, lol.
03-25-2014, 10:26 AM
#25
Here is the link to the 3.2TL...
http://www.troublecodes.net/acura/96-9832tl/
I have a 2.5TL...
Harbour Freight has some good starter tools as well and a good deal on a large tool box at the moment.
http://www.troublecodes.net/acura/96-9832tl/
I have a 2.5TL...
Harbour Freight has some good starter tools as well and a good deal on a large tool box at the moment.
03-26-2014, 01:27 AM
#26
Thanks! Which tools should I have if I wanted to start doing some of my own small repairs? I can't wait for the scanner to get here so I can see if I can use it effectively myself. That would be really cool.
03-26-2014, 09:23 AM
#27
Screwdriver set. Flathead, Robertson, and Phillips. Torx is nice to have around, but nothing on the Acura that I have run in to.
Metric wrench set. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, and 19 mm. 13, 18, and 21 mm have come in handy for me as well on my Ford F150. SAE set is a nice to have as well, but nothing on the Acura that I am aware of. My '07 F150 is weird - it has a mixture of SAE and metric.
Ratchet set. Deep and shallow sockets with various extensions. 3/8" and 1/4" to get started. 1/2" drive is nice with a long breaker bar to break free those fastners that just do not want to give. Spark plug sockets are usually included in the kit. Don't get the crappy 8,000 piece set for $9.99 - it makes a difference. I like the smooth finish on my wrenches and ratchets...the push button to help release the socket from the ratchet is nice to have as well.
A set of jack stands and proper jack is a must for working under the car. 1.5T stands minimum. 3.0T stands are nice. I have 6.0T stands for my F150. Do not crawl under the car with just a jack supporting the car - always use stands. I also block the front and back of a tire that is still on the ground for good measure. For example, if I jack the left front tire up, I block the right rear tire. 2x4s work well. Harbour Freight has a couple deals on jacks at the moment. About $60 or so.
A torque wrench. I have three. 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive to cover the various torque ranges. $9.99 each at Harbour Freight at the moment with the flyer coupon. I got mine at Canadian Tire and Princess Auto when I lived in Canada - they were unfortunately not $9.99...I would start with the 1/2"...
Oil and antifreeze drain pans (one for each fluid). Oil filter wrench.
Vice grips, needle nose vice grips, needle nose pliers, lineman's pliers, the pliers that you use to cut wire with (I forget the name - wire cutters?), and adjutable wrenches. Wire strippers are handy to have as well.
Rubber mallet(s) of various sizes and a hammer or two are good to have. Pry bar set ($10.00 max). I also have a BFH (four pound sledge hammer) - had to use that to get the old rotors off my truck.
Multimeter is good for electrical troubleshooting.
Service manual for your car as a guide.
A toolbox.
When you get comfortable you can move on to an air compressor, impact gun, and impact wrench. Ensure you get the proper impact sockets/extensions (they are usually black) - shallow and deep of course. Normal sockets will break. I used to have two compressors. A small one for filling up tires and running my nail gun and a big one for running my impact gun. The big one was destroyed in the moving truck fire on the move down...on the list for replacement.
Rags, heavy duty blue paper towel, safety glasses, steel toe boots, and latex gloves are good to have around as well.
Allen (hex) keys would be on my list as well.
Don't buy the cheapest stuff going when it comes to the ratchet, screwdrivers, and wrenches. You should try them out first in the store. Like the look and feel of them. You will be transferring your energy to your tools which will help you with your work.
You don't have to spend a fortune, but you do get what you pay for. I was without my tools and bought a set of metric deep 1/2" sockets at Harbour Freight for $17.99 (not on sale...rats). Quite nice and they have done the job very well. I tried cheap tools, but they were junk and caused me more grief than anything else.
Watch for the sales and coupons and you don't have to buy everything at once. I have been collecting tools as I go along for almost 30 years. Tools also make great birthday and Christmas gifts!
With the stuff above you can also fix a lot of stuff around the house.
Sears also has some nice tools and should still have a lifetime warranty. Harbour Frieght was touting a lifetime warranty as well. I wouldn't bother with HomeDepot, Walmart (junk), or Lowe's. Canadian Tire, if you are in Canada is good, but always get the stuff on sale from them.
Patience, time, postive attitude, and a sense of humour. Don't be afraid to make a mistake.
Metric wrench set. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, and 19 mm. 13, 18, and 21 mm have come in handy for me as well on my Ford F150. SAE set is a nice to have as well, but nothing on the Acura that I am aware of. My '07 F150 is weird - it has a mixture of SAE and metric.
Ratchet set. Deep and shallow sockets with various extensions. 3/8" and 1/4" to get started. 1/2" drive is nice with a long breaker bar to break free those fastners that just do not want to give. Spark plug sockets are usually included in the kit. Don't get the crappy 8,000 piece set for $9.99 - it makes a difference. I like the smooth finish on my wrenches and ratchets...the push button to help release the socket from the ratchet is nice to have as well.
A set of jack stands and proper jack is a must for working under the car. 1.5T stands minimum. 3.0T stands are nice. I have 6.0T stands for my F150. Do not crawl under the car with just a jack supporting the car - always use stands. I also block the front and back of a tire that is still on the ground for good measure. For example, if I jack the left front tire up, I block the right rear tire. 2x4s work well. Harbour Freight has a couple deals on jacks at the moment. About $60 or so.
A torque wrench. I have three. 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive to cover the various torque ranges. $9.99 each at Harbour Freight at the moment with the flyer coupon. I got mine at Canadian Tire and Princess Auto when I lived in Canada - they were unfortunately not $9.99...I would start with the 1/2"...
Oil and antifreeze drain pans (one for each fluid). Oil filter wrench.
Vice grips, needle nose vice grips, needle nose pliers, lineman's pliers, the pliers that you use to cut wire with (I forget the name - wire cutters?), and adjutable wrenches. Wire strippers are handy to have as well.
Rubber mallet(s) of various sizes and a hammer or two are good to have. Pry bar set ($10.00 max). I also have a BFH (four pound sledge hammer) - had to use that to get the old rotors off my truck.
Multimeter is good for electrical troubleshooting.
Service manual for your car as a guide.
A toolbox.
When you get comfortable you can move on to an air compressor, impact gun, and impact wrench. Ensure you get the proper impact sockets/extensions (they are usually black) - shallow and deep of course. Normal sockets will break. I used to have two compressors. A small one for filling up tires and running my nail gun and a big one for running my impact gun. The big one was destroyed in the moving truck fire on the move down...on the list for replacement.
Rags, heavy duty blue paper towel, safety glasses, steel toe boots, and latex gloves are good to have around as well.
Allen (hex) keys would be on my list as well.
Don't buy the cheapest stuff going when it comes to the ratchet, screwdrivers, and wrenches. You should try them out first in the store. Like the look and feel of them. You will be transferring your energy to your tools which will help you with your work.
You don't have to spend a fortune, but you do get what you pay for. I was without my tools and bought a set of metric deep 1/2" sockets at Harbour Freight for $17.99 (not on sale...rats). Quite nice and they have done the job very well. I tried cheap tools, but they were junk and caused me more grief than anything else.
Watch for the sales and coupons and you don't have to buy everything at once. I have been collecting tools as I go along for almost 30 years. Tools also make great birthday and Christmas gifts!
With the stuff above you can also fix a lot of stuff around the house.
Sears also has some nice tools and should still have a lifetime warranty. Harbour Frieght was touting a lifetime warranty as well. I wouldn't bother with HomeDepot, Walmart (junk), or Lowe's. Canadian Tire, if you are in Canada is good, but always get the stuff on sale from them.
Patience, time, postive attitude, and a sense of humour. Don't be afraid to make a mistake.
03-26-2014, 10:22 AM
#28
Adventurecrv makes an excellent point: safety is pivotal when working on your car.
"A set of jack stands and proper jack is a must for working under the car...Do not crawl under the car with just a jack supporting the car - always use stands. I also block the front and back of a tire that is still on the ground for good measure."
Adventurecrv…its funny that you mention Canadian Tire. I'm in Canada and I always shop at Canadian Tire for tools. They have some good quality stuff that is always on sale.
"A set of jack stands and proper jack is a must for working under the car...Do not crawl under the car with just a jack supporting the car - always use stands. I also block the front and back of a tire that is still on the ground for good measure."
Adventurecrv…its funny that you mention Canadian Tire. I'm in Canada and I always shop at Canadian Tire for tools. They have some good quality stuff that is always on sale.
03-26-2014, 11:02 AM
#29
Born and raised in Toronto. Agincourt actually. Lived at Warden and Sheppard for 18+ years. Moved to Ottawa area in 2010. My mom is in Pickering now and my Dad in the beach.
Down in Florida with the military for four years and back to Canada (location TBC) after that.
Canadian Tire was always my favourite tool source - hard to beat the sales and the warranty. I gave my old torque wrench to my brother years ago and it broke last year. He went in with it and they gave him a new one. It was at least 20 years old!
Apologies "sheruns" don't mean to hijack your thread!
Down in Florida with the military for four years and back to Canada (location TBC) after that.
Canadian Tire was always my favourite tool source - hard to beat the sales and the warranty. I gave my old torque wrench to my brother years ago and it broke last year. He went in with it and they gave him a new one. It was at least 20 years old!
Apologies "sheruns" don't mean to hijack your thread!
03-26-2014, 01:17 PM
#30
Thanks for all the info! I have a couple of screw drivers, Allen wrenches from various furniture kits, a hammer, and a wrench set so far (I use the wrench set to loosen the little nut on the cooling system to relieve pressure that builds up from the water pump leak), but my birthday is coming up, so I could ask my parents for tools. I looked at service manuals on eBay and they seem to range a lot in price. Some of them said "supplement". Should I avoid those? Also, it looks like getting it on CD is a better deal, except it probably means bringing the laptop out to the car while you work, which I'd rather not do, but maybe stuff can be printed out. Ugh, yes, safety first. There was a kid in my high school that was killed while working on a car. I think it fell on him. It was very sad and unfortunate. Hopefully when the weather gets nicer (I'm in the U.S. on the east coast, by the way) I'll be able to work on the car with my dad and maybe he can teach me some things and I can see if I like working on cars. I've tried working on antique 2hp outboard motors before, but never really got into it. My dad set me up with a bucket of gasoline and told me to clean some parts with it. I wore rubber gloves so I wouldn't have to touch the gas, but the gas broke down the rubber and the fingers expanded and tore. It was a nasty mess, and it was raining, lol. After that I was like, yeeeaah, maybe tinkering with motors isn't really for me. But I'll give this a shot. 
Hopefully when the weather gets nicer (I'm in the U.S. on the east coast, by the way) I'll be able to work on the car with my dad and maybe he can teach me some things and I can see if I like working on cars. I've tried working on antique 2hp outboard motors before, but never really got into it. My dad set me up with a bucket of gasoline and told me to clean some parts with it. I wore rubber gloves so I wouldn't have to touch the gas, but the gas broke down the rubber and the fingers expanded and tore. It was a nasty mess, and it was raining, lol. After that I was like, yeeeaah, maybe tinkering with motors isn't really for me. But I'll give this a shot.
03-26-2014, 01:30 PM
#31
The supplement manual, if I remember correctly from when I worked at Acura, is a thinner book with additions. Don't think it will give you the info you need.
Haynes are pretty good. I have a CD off ebay for the BMW motorcycle and it is good. Yes, you can print which is handy. http://www.haynes.com/
Gasoline to clean...not a great idea either. Oh well. Good on your Dad for throwing you into the breach!
Haynes are pretty good. I have a CD off ebay for the BMW motorcycle and it is good. Yes, you can print which is handy. http://www.haynes.com/
Gasoline to clean...not a great idea either. Oh well. Good on your Dad for throwing you into the breach!
03-26-2014, 09:38 PM
#32
Awesome! I'm originally from Midland/Lawrence area…I moved a while back though - - in Waterloo region half my time.
Born and raised in Toronto. Agincourt actually. Lived at Warden and Sheppard for 18+ years. Moved to Ottawa area in 2010. My mom is in Pickering now and my Dad in the beach.
Down in Florida with the military for four years and back to Canada (location TBC) after that.
Canadian Tire was always my favourite tool source - hard to beat the sales and the warranty. I gave my old torque wrench to my brother years ago and it broke last year. He went in with it and they gave him a new one. It was at least 20 years old!
Apologies "sheruns" don't mean to hijack your thread!
Down in Florida with the military for four years and back to Canada (location TBC) after that.
Canadian Tire was always my favourite tool source - hard to beat the sales and the warranty. I gave my old torque wrench to my brother years ago and it broke last year. He went in with it and they gave him a new one. It was at least 20 years old!
Apologies "sheruns" don't mean to hijack your thread!
03-27-2014, 06:16 PM
#33
I got the scanner today and tried it out. It said the code was "P0141 O2 Sensor Heater Circuit (Bank 1 Sensor 2". That's not a major problem, just a bad oxygen sensor, right?
03-27-2014, 10:06 PM
#35
I believe that is the sensor AFTER the cat (i.e. the rear one). You will want to double check that though. Your car has three. Two upstream, one downstream.
http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no
I got mine from Amazon. Rockauto should be a good source as well.
About $60-$100 depending on brand. Big bucks from Acura. I got Denso from Amazon which is an OEM supplier for Honda and what is most likely on the car now.
http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no
I got mine from Amazon. Rockauto should be a good source as well.
About $60-$100 depending on brand. Big bucks from Acura. I got Denso from Amazon which is an OEM supplier for Honda and what is most likely on the car now.
03-27-2014, 11:11 PM
#36
I looked up this part number on Amazon: 36535-P5G-A01 and they had a few options, but then I noticed drop menus for choosing make, model, etc. so I clicked on those to make a selection. It then said that trim was important and the choice was premium or base. How could I find out if my car is premium or base? (Mine is a 1998, by the way... not sure if that matters.) Or should I just go by the part number? The spec sheet in your link said 1997.
03-27-2014, 11:27 PM
#37
Leather seats might be the easier way to tell? CDN market, base=cloth seats, premium=leather, and some other goodies (well, at least for that time period they were goodies)
03-27-2014, 11:31 PM
#38
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I looked up this part number on Amazon: 36535-P5G-A01 and they had a few options, but then I noticed drop menus for choosing make, model, etc. so I clicked on those to make a selection. It then said that trim was important and the choice was premium or base. How could I find out if my car is premium or base? (Mine is a 1998, by the way... not sure if that matters.) Or should I just go by the part number? The spec sheet in your link said 1997.
All 1998 3.2 TL's had heated leather seats. The ONLY option that year was traction control and that only affects when you buy an air intake.
03-28-2014, 02:10 AM
#40
Oh wait, maybe the year doesn't matter because I used the Delray Acura site to search for my year and the part number for the O2 sensor in the exhaust section is the same. So if I buy that on Amazon, I can just pop it in and the check engine light will go off? Will I need to jack up the car for this or use specific tools? I'm completely new to this, lol. I read somewhere that the O2 sensor "clips in" somewhere, but I don't think they were talking about my car in the article.