I was looking through the manual tonight trying to figure out how to reset the average MPG and speed and in the index, found 'Timing Belt' near 'Trip Meter'. This baffles me. I would have been sure this engine would have a timing chain as most Honda engines that I've heard of have timing chains. Does anybody else find this a smidge on the odd side?

 

did you figure out to how to reset the MPG?

 

Really? Every Honda and Acura I've had going decades back to my 76 tomato red Honda Accord hatchback has had a timing belt. I guess I would find it odd if they didn't have a belt. Honda/Acura even paints little white marks on the side of the belt so you can line them up easier with the cams and timing marks.

 

Yes I did...thanks.

Oh well...guess I was wrong on the timing chain bit...

 

The only Honda with a timing chain is the S2000.

 

Just about everyone went to a belt from a chain years ago.
the primary reason is that belts are inherently quiter than chains.
As every car will need a water pump replacement at about 100K, it seemed efficient to design the car so that the timing belt can be changed as you change the water pump, therefore the durability issue (belt vs chain) was moot, and chains DO break too.
Thats much harder to change when that happens.
So, belts it is.

 

When you fill up you need to reset the Trip A mileage manually (and possibly the Trip B mileage as well) by pressing and holding the Select/Reset button on the right side of the steeering wheel. Having Trip A set to reset automatically at fill-up won't reset the MPG. You need to reset it manually. I reset both at fill-up and it rests the MPG.

 

If you go through the driver settings (on the MID) you can set up trip A to automatically reset itself on fill-up.

 

Right but it won't reset the MPG readout. You have to do that with a manual reset of Trip A (at least in the 2005 RL).

 

What excately is the difference between the timing belt and the timing chain?

 

older cars had a chain originally made of metal links then they went to a fiber chain. Then they got rid of chains and began belts. Very similar to how some motorcycles had cahin drive and then went belt drive

 

Honda V6's have always had timing belts.

Honda I-5's all had timing belts

Newer Honda 4 cylinders have timing chains

 

The main difference, chains dont need to be changed (normally)

Belts do need to be changed between 60,000 miles and 100,000 miles. It costs 500 to 1000 dollars.

 

I'm assuming you mean average MPH because it does reset miles per gallon on auto.

 

That's my point. If you go into the driver's preferences (through the MID) you can set it up for either a manual reset, or an automatic reset everytime you fill up.

At least that's how it is on My '06. Not sure if that was an enhancement over '05.

Any '05 owners out there that can speak to that?

 

yup, '05's will auto-reset if so configured, too. Average speed has to be reset manually.

 

What do you consider "Newer Honda 4 cylinder"? The last 4 cylinder Honda I owned was an 02 Civic Si and I'm pretty sure that it was a belt.
Also, make sure the belt is changed when it's due because if it breaks, it will bent rods meaning major engine overhaul costing upwards of $2K. Also, when you change the belt, that's the time to change water pump and accessory belts at the same time since you should not have to pay additional labor, just the price of these parts (provided you plan on keeping your car a little longer).

 

The TSX, RSX and RDX all use timing chains. All 4 cylinder engines that Acura has used in the Alpha Numeric naming era use a chain. All Acura 6 cylinders use a belt.

 

I assume this was a US Civic Si, if so it had a K series motor, which all use timing chains, not belts. i-VTEC motors cannot use timing belts.

 

Not true, i have a 2.3CL and it is a 4 cylinder F Series motor with a timing belt. (Great car by the way)

 

The only motor Acura has gotten with a timing chain is the K series (RSX, TSX, RDX)

 

I recently had the timing belt, water pump and belt tensioner replaced on my 2005 RL.

I had around 127,000 on the vehicle at the time of the replacement.

The mechanic showed me the tensioner, it looks and acts like a piston/shock absorber, which is filled with oil. It was showing signs of oil leakage and would be just a matter of time before it would start losing its outward pressure on the belt.

Timing, pun intended, is everything.

 

Jeez man...how much driving do you do?!?!

 

You know I was just thinking the same thing.

The one thing I do know is: The Acura RL is the best car for the money. This is my 3rd RL and won't be my last.