B92P6MT

With all the talk on here about stretched timing chains on high milage TSX's, I thought I would check the tensioner to see how far out it was. I have an 2004 6MT with 120,000miles. Today was maintenence day so I checked/adjusted the valves (only very minor adjustments), oil change, MT fluid change and coolant change. While the car was in the air I pulled the hard to get at cover for the timing chain tensioner and tried to see how far out the adjuster was. It is hard to see so I removed the tensioner to look at it. It was pretty far out. In order to reinstall I compressed the piston(?) and held the cog in place with a small pin. Once installed in the car I removed the pin, the piston move out a bit and all looked good.

When I finally went to start the car it barely started and would not idle. I went for a drive and it runs great above 2000RPM, but when I come to a stop and the idle drops it runs very rough then dies every time. It does not like to start and runs very rough until I get the revs up over 2000. The VSA light and check engine light are also on, and these have never been on. The car ran like new this morning.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

PACman

Get the Scan Tool out! Find out what codes it's throwing. My guess is something happened while looking at the timing chain.

B92P6MT

Okay finally got the scan tool and the car has only 1 code;

P0341 - Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance

Now to find out what this code has to to with the R&R of the timing chain tensioner.

B92P6MT

After searching for the cause of the P0341 code, all the info I was getting was pointing to a stretched timing chain as the cause. Since I kind of expected that from the beginning I decided I might as well bite the bullet and change the chain. So I spent 3 hrs today disassembling the car and in the process noticed that the chain had in fact jumped a tooth (or 2) on the exhaust cam gear. The chain, guides and tensioner are off now and hopefully I can pick up the new parts tomorrow. I snapped a few photos while I was at it and will try to post these later for those that are curious.

curls

Wow, is it normal for a chain to jump 1 or more teeth when simply checking the tensioner?

(I thought you could check the tensioner position without removing it... guess not?)

B92P6MT

I think with experience you could check the tensioner without removing it. However, when I got the access cover off I could not see the piston extending from it. I was hoping to see how far it was extended, ~2" is pretty far, but since the piston was hidden by the timing cover I decided to remove the tensioner. In order to reinstall the tensioner it is necessary to compress it. I think when I started the car the chain jumped a tooth before the tensioner filled with oil and tighened the chain.

Anyway, parts order went in this morning should have the goods tomorrow.

Miamicarfan

Curls:

That is what I thought too. That you could check the tensioner without removing it. Also, from reading these forums in the past, it has been said that it is an easy process to just check the tensioner. And now this happens??



B92P6MT:

Are you doing the labor yourself, or is a mechanic doing this for you?

B92P6MT

Miamicarfan - I'm doing all the labour myself. Called Acura and they quoted 10hrs for the job, total $1500 CDN. Parts come in tomorrow so hopefully it goes together nice and easy.

neocrynym

updates? any issues with the job?

Simba91102

Just read this thread and couldn't help but chuckle at the request ending this post. Any insights? I have one...... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I guess I can understand why some want to inspect this (chain and/or tensioner), but there's no maintenance interval on either of these items. And since it seems there's virtually no failure rate (to anything but an 04 anyway), I'm inclined to just go with Honda on this and not worry about it (05 w/ 131K miles).

jmrpat

2005 tsx car wont start and i got 2 codes p0301 and p0341

jmrpat

i change the coil and 2 cam sensors still the same

sixwhip14

@jmrpat, start your own thread. You'll get more help.
@B92P6MT, I would like to hear an update and see your pics. I'm hoping I'll won't have to worry about this with my car, but you never know.