I've searched the forums and DIY stickys but couldnt find any threads or posts about changing the fuel filter. Is it in the fuel tank itself? And what is the procedure for getting to the filter.

I've noticed some odd RPM behavior while maintaining speed (runs 1,9k jumps to 2,3 for a split second and repeats, no jerking). She Idles fine in the driveway. Got a list of things I THINK need to be done.

(Car is at 158k miles)

1. 3x3 tranny fluid swap
2. New external, internal tranny filter
3. New Fuel filter
(4?) I've got a CAI mounted on her. Could air restriction from a clogged filter also cause problems of this sort?

 

I don't think there is a fuel filter in the TL. At least not like the old days when there was one in the fuel line coming from the tank. It is not listed in the owners manual as a maintenance item. And cars now have plastic fuel tanks, and the Car Talk site mentioned that most cars don't have fuel filters since that switch. Which surprised me when I started to look for the fuel filter at 100k on my TL. There may be a screen in the fuel tank.

You may have another problem. Transmission slipping? Or it could be normal operation as my tranny will jump a couple hundred rpm with a little gas on a hill if I watch the tach.

Timing belt is an important maint item, and these cars need an EGR clean around 100k. And engine mounts fail at around 75k.

 

Yes its definitely strange that there would be no replaceable fuel filter for our TL's. I've seen on similar year cars maintenance books that the fuel filter should be changed regularly every 75k miles or so, so it does seem strange.

Although even if the tranny is slipping theres no going back on it as I'm definitely not able to do a AV6 swap, so I'm just hoping the 3x3 tranny fluid flush + filter change and possibly Seafome would prolong the life of the gearbox.

 

Regardless of what you've read about the 2g tl/cl fuel filter not having one or it's not serviceable. That is totally false and misinformation.

Acura recommends the fuel filter being change if fuel psi is out of spec, not by mileage. Replace the fuel filter if the fuel pressure is out of spec from 41-48 psi with the FPR vacuum line disconnected and pinched. However, before changing the filter one should confirm that the problem is not a faulty FPR or fuel pump.

The fuel filter is attached to the fuel pump and the fuel pump is mounted to the fuel tank. The pump itself is submerged in the fuel bc the fuel keeps the pump from overheating.

 

that's correct- we have a filter SOCK that goes over the pump inlet
It is not called for replacement unless the car fails fuel pressure test- Number of times I have heard of that happening = 0

Seafoam in the gas at 2 oz per gal - done twice. That's a 16oz can added at just under half tank of gas, on 2 occasions= within a few weeks or tanks

Then once at midyear- 1 can seafoam to half a tank for maintenance cleaning
That will clean the filter sock for you!! as well as make all the internals shiny like new, so combustion is most effective