Hello all. This is my first acura. I have a 99tl I've owned the car for over a year. It has now over 168k on it. My wife loves the car and it has a few quirks. I'm trying to get some help from you guys who have owned them. The car for some reason when it is hot out idling will start to heat up on the gauge. The fans run but when driving down the road never an issue. The next issue is the tensioner is making noise. It looks to be all kinds of fun to get to the two bolts. Do you have to pull the pass fender well the tire and the dip stick? I appreciate the help. Thanks

 

Your thermostat is defective. Replace it now or you might damage the engine. Do not drive the car anymore until that's fix.

Idler pulley is usually service under the hood in the engine bay. Remove whatever it takes to get to the mounting bolt.

 

Will put a thermostat in it ASAP. The tensioner I've already tried pulling from the top and that is a no go. Also when hot it sometimes is hard to start. You have to crack the throttle open a little and crank it and it will run. Any idea on that issue?

 

There are a lot of DIY videos on Youtube that will show you exactly how to get to the idler pulley. There is also a DIY timing belt change in this tl section you might want to check out.

The idler pulley replacement is not for a beginner. It's going to take a lot of tools and knowledge. Since it's going to require loosening up the timing belt, if you mess up it will ruin the motor. Either you have the tools and knowledge or you don't. There is no in between in this repair.

Do you know if the timing belt have been changed on your car... mileage/date?

The hard starting, we need more info? Like under what circumstance does it not start... warm motor, cold motor, over night, short stops... etc?

 

The hard start problems have been pretty much addressed somewhere in these forum. You need to do some home work, it's here.

It could be anything... need more info please.

 

Above is a link on one of many DIY timing belt replacement.

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...g-belt-695821/


Click on the above link for the DIY timing belt.

 

He also could mean the tensioner for his serpentine belt, which is alot easier to replace than the t belt tensioner. For either one, there are diy out there, just have to search

 

The tensioner for the accessory drive is the one I'm talking about. The car is hard to start after warm on like a 95* day drive it a few miles shut it off crank crank crank. Tries to start spudders and dies. Push the throttle open a teeny bit crank starts up hold it at like 1100-1500 a few seconds. Let off the throttle to idle and will run ok. I have changed the plugs about 4 months ago. The old plugs were worn had wide gaps.

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/problem...-issue-871358/

For the hard starting click on the above thread.

The pulley, is it on the alternator belt?

 

That idler pulley?

 

That idler you have circled is the one he is talking about. That tensions the serpentine belt. That is the same one that went bad on mine. Squeaked for a long time and then finally got annoyed with the sound and replaced it.

 

You need to buy a special Honda serpentine belt tool like this to get the belt off.

 

^ No need to buy the special tool at all though.
A simple long ratch or break bar + socket will move the tensioner... Its actually quite simple!
Now replacing the tensioner assembly is a whole other story, Space is short...

 

Very important to make sure the Pin is on top.

 

Do the thermostat and see what happens. If you still have an issue it could be your radiator is partially clogged. Also check for debris in front of the radiator

 

Update on the car. I looked into the fuel issue and tried a complete bottle of sea foam in the tank. The car now starts no a hot day no matter what. I have another issue with the car almost seems never ending. The cabin smells like gas. It's hard to explain but I will try. When it's cold overnight sitting uncovered no garage open it smells bad. When it's hot never really smell it. I have put a new stat cap on it. It's hard to pinpoint. It has almost 169k on it. My wife loves the car it's been great other than the main relay had grimlins where it would intermittly not start. It was messing with the immobilizer. Thanks

 

Strange on the fuel odor. I would check the gas tank to see if it is leaking. Also check at the firewall where the fuel lines come up and attach to it. I recently had my feed line corrode and leak but in that case it would leak more so while running

 

Check the fuel pump access panel in the trunk of your car for a bad seal. Vapors may be coming from there.

You might want to take the panel off and inspect the fuel line connections at the pump. If it's damp, you've found a leak.

 

With our EVAP system I've heard that you can get fuel vapor leaks if you overfill the tank. If the tank is constantly overfilled like this the EVAP system can be damaged.

 

overfilling that gas tank beyond first click of the auto shutoff of nozzle will result in fuel being displaced into the Charcoal Evap canister = soaking it with fuel = will leave fumes and poor running issues

you have a new gas cap and always tighten it minimum 3 clicks?
don't worry about over tightening the cap- every click you hear is just the torque limiting spring allowing the top to turn
but its 3 clicks heard, then good to go

 

did you install the correct 8$ each NGK spark plugs?

Seafoam in gas is 1 can to half tank, repeat after a few tanks- add 1 can to half tank
then good for a year
Suggest 1 can in most of a tank midyear/at oil change time for maintenance dose

Did you solder the bad connections on back of relay board? solves the intermittent operation problem