Over the last two weeks my check engine light came on for a couple of days then would go back off after I filled up the gas tank. So I made sure the gas cap was on tight. Also at highway speeds I could smell traces of engine exhaust. Lastly it would sometimes take 2 or 3 turns of the ignition to get the car to start. Any ideas?

 

spark plugs, wires, distributor...basically sound like somewhere in your ignition..not burning gas could cause a smell....meaning your spark plugs.....not to sure....hope this helps to start findin the problem

 

The CL-S doesn't have a distributor or plug wires.

 

my bad..didnt know that....

 

Could be an injector or the fuel pressure regulation system...just be careful...gas fumes+heat=fire (or worse).

 

That, or it sounds like the carburator may need to be replaced. :P

 

a carb on a cl???????

 

Well I talked to the service rep at Eserman Acura and he said the problem is bent valves. According to Acura the only way to bend the valves would be over-revving during down-shifting (most likely missing a gear). They say that it may be 18 hours of work because they'd have to check each cylinder. Each valve is $18, Plus the labor, and my estimate would be about $2400! So i told them I didn't that kind of money right now and I'd take care of at another time. Well they called he back a couple hours later after talking to Acura and they said they would pay for the whole thing! Reason being that if I continued to drive with the car in that condition, then there may be an engine failure which Acura would be responsible to care for. So needless to say I didn't put up a fight.

1. I bought the car used in Feb.
2. I don't remember downshifting 6th to 3rd or 5th to 2nd since I've had the car.
3. They say the rev limiter only works during up shifting.
4. after this I've seriously considered trading if for something else.
5. Why the hell would anyone want to remove their rev limiter.

 

Wasn't there someone else with the exact same problem with a used car?

 

Yeah barely used though only 50 miles when he got it and 1100 when the valves were found to be bent. http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...ht=bent+valves

 

 

he was being sarcastic :P

 

I thought rev limiter worked in all cases ? Cutting off fuel @ 7200 ?

 

It will cut off the fuel but if you shift in to second at 80 mph the engine will over-rev even if there is no fuel.

 

Well to update what's going on....I go to pick up the car on Monday. The service rep shows me the work order and where it says they replaced both the front and rear cylinder assemblies and gaskets @ over $3600! But he also showed me where it says that the damage was caused by the driver and its not covered by warranty. Of course I disaggree with that, but they did the work for free so it was kind of hard to argue. They also wrote on the order that it was a "one time good deal". Anyways before I leave I asked the Rep 2 questions.... 1) how many valves were actually bent? answer- "I don't know" .... 2) do I need to break the car in again? answer-"no". So I drive home with no real issues. So today I'm driving home again and the car has this strange shake in the the lower rev range of each gear and sure enough the CEL comes back on. Now, I have been real careful since I got the car back to now over rev, in fact I never even made it into VTEC, and I kept the speed at 70 or lower. So it seems the problem may be something else or atleast caused by something else. The Rep did say something else I didn't realize, the service dept. is paid by Honda warranty. I guess I never really thought about that. So I wonder if they tried to pull a fast one....considering that I initially said I couldn't afford the work.....Hmmm?

 

hope you did not sign that piece of paper at the dealership..

if so, you might have yourself a world if hurt if they pull out the paper trail trick on you...

Contact the dealership ASAP.. let them make attempt #2.. if it fails Attempt #3.. then you go lemon law, but if you signed that piece of paper I would go find an attorney mighty fast.

 

I agree with Smitty. By noting on the work order that it was driver's fault and that it was done on good faith may come back to bite you.

Either way, the work in the first place may not have been covered under warranty, but since it has been performed at their expense, it should now carry a specific warranty on that work. Just go back to see what they say. Good luck.

 

Smitty & Pure Adrenalin,

Thanks for the advice. I'll do it in a month. Unfortunately this happened right before I'm heading out to Australia and Hawaii again until the end of June. I won't be able to get back to the dealer before I leave. But I'll be looking into this when I get back.