Hi acurazine member i have some question is the
2003 acura tl type s 3.2l is a interference engine?
Also i have 120000 miles on car when i bought it
The dealer didnt know wheb the timing belt was change
So i wanna know when should i change it
Around 150000 or lesser or more? Thank you

 

Interested in what people honestly think about the timing belt (not what dealer recommends). I have a 1999 Acura TL with 184k & original timing belt! Have decided not to replace and will sell the car within a year or so (have a short commute) without replacing it as the roof and trunk of the car look horrible (paint has clouded out)!

 

People are going to stretch the limits when it comes to any big $ PM work.

But why ? If ya got a good solid dependable car that's paid for, it's well worth the money spent on recommended maintenance, IMO.

Unless of course, ya wanna take the risk of being left stranded and looking for a new car payment. It's ultimately the owner's choice to neglect their accountability with PM.

 

Timing belt and water pump should of been done already. Haven`t really heard anybody's timing belt snap and ruin their car or engine but who would admit to neglecting their car.

It also is a good selling point and good piece of mind to get it done. Costs vary but if you have the time, skill and patience you can do it yourself otherwise shop around get a few estimates and get it done.

 

To answer your questions.

The J32 is an Interference Engine if the Timing belt snaps say bye bye to engine.

The Timing belt should be replaced at 60K, 114K, 205K...

 

Age is far harder on the rubber belt than miles. Mileage for the average person should be forgot about. At the age your car is i WOULD change the belt. Its not something i would risk blowing an engine for.

 

Yikes.

To answer your question- yes. The J32A2 is an interference engine. If the timing belt breaks, the piston can travel up too far and hit the valve, bending it out of shape. If you bend your valves, you might as well buy a new engine. It is less headache.

What I would recommend to you is to take the car to a mechanic you trust and ask them to inspect the timing belt. If it has minor cracking, you should change it. As stated, age is worse than miles on the rubber belt. The intervals for timing belts are every 7 years or every 105k (depending on your climate. In extreme conditions, every 60k), which ever comes first.

Also true. The toughest part of the entire job is being able to get to the belt. The changing of the belt itself is easy. The biggest obstacle in the entire job is having the correct tools- the biggest of which (arguably) is the Honda crank bolt remover tool. The head of the tool itself is around $90.

 

To add to what has already been said, the timing belts in the J series and most newer engines have steel cords in them like a tire. It is highly unlikely that a belt would snap out of the blue but not impossible. It would be more likely that it wear down the teeth that mate to the gears and jump time, which is equally as detrimental. But the factory sets service limits for a reason, belts stretch which effects timing to a small degree. I know of a 3g TL that has over 200k and is still on his original timing belt with not trouble and good power and mileage. But I would keep the maintenance current things just seem to work out better that way and usually cheaper in the long run.

 

Not really steel cords per se, but an aramid fiber that is supposedly as strong, or stronger than steel. And beyond 200,000 miles and 10 years, they do just snap out of the blue. Even earlier/sooner on some other makes.