I took my TL S in for it's scheduled 100k service. and it came out with a major oil leak. First day it lost 1/2 a quart, second day about 1/2 a cup, third day about 2 drops. Then it went back to the dealership. They told me it was just a coincedence that the rear main seal went out wile they had it. Give us $900 dollars more and we will fix it.
Now I need somebody to tell me if I"m wrong but a main seal starts slow and gets worse. A new seal or gasket might leak a little and lessen as the additives in the oil make it swell.
If it is the main seal could the main seal have been buggered by the tech. lifting the motor to change the timing belt?

 

Rear mains are known to leak on the J32 (your motor) The timing belt is NO where near the rear main. They dont have to lift the motor to change the timing belt. Did you have any fuel system treatment or engine cleaning while in for the service? An additive added to the oil or a oil with high detergents would cause it to break down the crud that was helping to hold the oil in and cause a leak.

 

Do a search on here for "rear main seal". You will find three or so cases of people whose rear main seals randomly starting to leak after the dealership replaced a power steering component. Dont quote me on this, but I believe someone stated that while doing this recall work, the technician jacks the engine up in order to take weight off the side mount to allow it to be removed. They think that thats the cause. You will also find my thread from a week or so ago about my rear main leaking just after having the dealer replace the transmission and the timing belt auto-tensioner. Pretty sure the same side mount removal procedure is used for this as well. My dealership also stated that they couldn't have been responsible for the seals leak. I plan to take the dealership to small claims court.

 

^ can you please post the links to the "3" who have had the rear main leak due to power steering work?

There is NO way it can effect the rear main. The rear main is a small gasket that is on the block at the end of the crank shaft on the opposite side of the motor sandwiched between the trans. The trans cant flex and hurt it, Nothing goes thru the rear main other than the small portion of the crank, which has a flex plate bolted to it so nothing flexes and harms it. If any thing were distorting and harming it it would be the crank shaft. If your crank shaft were flexing your motor would grenade. If it were from the removal of the side mount they would have an epidemic on their hands as the front and side mounts get removed and replaces VERY often on these cars, just like the trans.

 

yep-- with the trans bolted to the engine there is NO WAY a timing belt job, or most anything,, would cause rear main failure
It just happens- keep the oil changed and cut down on the problem..occassional use of safe cleaner is helpful

HARSH detergent cleaners can wash away crud.. if thats all thats making a seal on your engine you already had a problem
some of the `treatment packages` are not so great~

TIP: If getting trans done for warranty or other failure, its 30 minutes extra to remove the flex plate to access the rear main seal- part cost 10 dollars, get it done then
otherwise the labor hours to remove and reinstall trans add up..
iirc its 4 hours the book gives

 

PShep-
the dealer will have its service book showing there is no relation to the work and affected part
A senior tech to testify this failure does occur at random and is not related in any way

While you have your belief they must have messed it up because your car ran perfect the day before!!
thats why it was in the shop right? because it was perfect!?

 

I dont think removal of the inspection cover that would reveal rear main leaking,, is part of the 105
Perhaps that should be added `by customer request`--from any of us having a shop work on the car

Its 2 10 mm bolts and pop off the cover- if there is engine oil there- guess what

 

have a transmission shop that doesnt charge 125 an hour like dealer rate do the job
Probably half the cost

 

It was perfect. It was in for scheduled maintenance only.

 

Hey guy's I told the dealership not to do anything to it I will pick it up, have it repaired by a reputable repair shop and see them in small claims court to recover the money for that bill.
Guess what! When I got it home. NO MORE LEAK

 

Here are two, but I feel like there was another.
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/rear-main-seal-leak-repair-761581/
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/another-problem-engine-oil-leak-transmission-bolt-area-759836/
There are a couple other cases after transmission replacement as well.

 

Out of curiosity, why is this?

 

I havent a clue but they do.

 

For starters those are on 3rd gens, though very similar to the 2nd gen. NONE of those were the cause of the PS replacements. Again its IMPOSSIBLE for it to be. The pump is no where near, nor would supporting the engine cause that. Just pure coincidence.

 

I figured the same procedure would be used for both generations of TL. I was not quick to blame the dealership in my case. Wanted to see if I was getting a good quote so I searched on here. I accepted the rear main seal as being luck of the draw, but after reading these other cases it just seemed like too many people were having this same luck. Jacking the engine up seems to be the common denominator.

 

have you checked the fluid level today?
maybe it was overfilled as part of 105 service
Ckd oil filter is tight?
only 1 gasket not 2?
Watched under the car with it running?
removed the inspect cover and seen fluid yourself?

did the dealer have a chance to touch the car after they said it was rear main?
a chance to tighten the oil filter,, or tighten loose drain plug from engine oil??

 

Some of the blames that the dealer takes are unreasonable. There are times when i just get in a customers car and some component fails. And guess who is gonna take the hit? The dealer. We are told to not touch the windows, seats, any buttons, controls, etc. because the famous line "Ever since you worked my car, my Blah blah blah doesn't work." Sadly, if someone takes any case involving automotive repairs to court, the dealer always looses, no matter how unreasonable the customer is.

My rear main seal is seal is leaking but i can expect that due to the milage on the vehicle (147k). A seal will leak over time especially with age and a shaft rotating on it.

 

Seriously, it seems the op and PShep does not have a clue where the hell the REAR main seal is! Like fsttyms1, rear main seal is in between block and tranny. It CAN possibly be front main seal aka crankshaft seal. Im not sure how often it fails compared to my old nissan with sr20 but you should be able to see buildup around crank pully if so.

Yeah, blame the dealers for something you have no clue of. Get it repaired by a "reputable" shop and try suing acura lol. Good luck! I would highly recommend you know your stuff before you start accusing people.

 

While skimming through the service manuals procedure for transmission removal and replacement, I found that step 47 illustrated the removal of the flexplate for inspection. Seems like the rear main seal could have been impacted during this step, but I am no expert. Sure the seal can go at any time, especially at 105k or 150k but when it happens days after having the car in for service, to a few different people having similar work done, it raises suspicion.

 

Removal of transmission and timing belt service, what does one have to do with the other? You said you went in for timing belt service, not removal of transmission or anything. You can raise suspicion, but it its completely wrong go about blaming them about how shit goes wrong days after they serviced your car . Sure not all technicians are legit, but that job had nothing to do with your main seals. Not to offend you or saying it about you, but they are not responsible for peoples shitty job on car care.

 

There don't touch the trans for a timing belt change. Read above, it's on the other side of the engine.

 

Unfortunately, it's the ignorance in the society where everyone like to point fingers at others regardless of who's right or wrong.

 

its pretty sad for every one bad review(whether it be true or NOT) the dealership losses 4 customers. some people just have no business stiring up feelings when they themselves dont understand what goes on in the repair facility.
...many of here dont question a doctor or his diagnosis. why is it people always question techs always try to haggle on price. do they not realize techs service their cars, the same cars that lug their families aournd. the same car that provides comforting weather conditions. the same car that protects them in an accident.
so why is it auto techs are revered as some low life scum bag who will cheat one out of money every chance he gets.
...my pet peeve

 

If you were getting a trans replaced, lets hope under warranty- once the trans is out, the tech would shine a light around the flex plate-which is still attached to the engine-
and ck for visable oil,
If not- seal is ok

If there is oil, tech alerts dispatcher/writer to get approval for the work from you

If the customer wants that seal ck'd more closely via flexplate removal- you may as well replace it, remove the plate to get to the seal
thats NOT labor time or part covered by warranty,, so its on the customer to pay

a front main seal after timing belt would be a different story
That is easy to replace when its apart- just do it

 

Was in reference to my case where I had brought the car in for the 2nd gear oil jet kit as well as the timing belt auto tensioner. Sorry for the confusion.

 

they didnt remove trans to install the oil jet kit either
It goes into the filler hole on top

 

You guy's are missing the point. I took the car in for a scheduled service that included a timing belt change. At that time the car had never leaked a drop.
I got it home and it leaked 1/2 a quart overnight. I took it back to the dealership, they told me main seal (coincedence) $900.00 please.
I told them don't touch it I will pick it up. When I got it home It was clean with no leak.

 

The 2nd gear oil jet kit was what it was brought in for, they inspected and replaced the transmission instead.

 

You should call Acura Client Services before you take things further, I didn't have much luck with them but maybe you might. Maybe hearing about this same coincidence within two weeks will make them start to wonder.

 

They dont remove the trans for the oil jet.

Even with a trans replacement odds are the tech didnt remove the flex plate, especially if there is no signs of leaking. (which they would see when they are under the car with the inspection plate removed removing the flex plate to tq converter bolts)

 

And you are missing the point. They DONT do any thing nor could they have done any thing to cause it to leak.

 

thats correct
so many times- a car comes in for service and the next day something unrelated fails
Maybe its the fact these cars dont call for frequent maitenance like some others.
105 before it sees a tech for anything major? thats crazy talk

seals can start leaking suddenly and without warning

as for the trans removal on warranty replacement at oil jet recall time:
There is no connection direct from a shaft on the trans to the rear main seal
the trans attaches thru the flexplate to the engine
So no motion there to cause wear during service
Its NOT like a manual trans to engine connection with shaft into a driveshaft center bearing and seal

crud gets built up in the oil and can tear a seal,,what oil and filter and interval are you using?
Heat can cause failure--long trips or bad stop and go commute

about the only thing that isnt a suspect-- the tech working on the other end of the engine~

 

the dealer wiped off the oil under the car for you -topped off the oil level? or lowered it~

How is the oil level NOW- still leaking? you are looking under the car?

or was it a loose part they quickly fixed behind the shop,,,

and it was an ambitous service writer
that assumed rear main when they heard oil leak...biz is slow, they have quotas!

 

I have a 2002 MDX. It had a timing belt replacement service (105k service) on 10/29/11. I noticed oil leak on 11/4/11. I took it back to the dealer 9n 11/5/11. They determined it to be rear main seal.

Yes, timing belt service (includes replacing timing belt tensioner, P/S belts, water pumps, A/C belt, engine mounts), for some reason can cause rear main seal to leak. Why? I don't know.

 

I have a 2002 MDX. It had a timing belt replacement service (105k service) on 10/29/11. I noticed oil leak on 11/4/11. I took it back to the dealer on 11/5/11. They determined it to be rear main seal.

Yes, timing belt service (includes replacing timing belt tensioner, P/S belts, water pumps, A/C belt, engine mounts), for some reason can cause rear main seal to leak. Why? I don't know.

 

Then again i took mine to a shop for a axel job n guess wat my fn rack n pinion was leaking hmmm i have a feeling that was them took them 2 days to fix axel shit i could of did my self i should just bing lazy in face they had the same year car of mine there and the guy in it seem to be a good friend of the tech guy...Yea i got screwd ha there goes the blame game

 

In fact

 

first thing to ck/replace for under 10 dollars is the PCV valve, it fits into rear valve cover near TB
that clogs and internal engine pressures need an escape route
the rear main seal is often the easiest way out! and you get a leak

We had a ziner early this year with leak after winter storage AND ran engine briefly many times- enough to sludge up the valve (roller ball),,replaced pcv and leak went away!!

has nothing to do with any other repairs, except not keeping up on your basic DIY maitenance like pcv ck, clean TB air plate, air filter etc

 

It would be impossible for it to cause it. The rear main is on the opposite side of the motor, and nothing they do could.

 

Unfortunately that's what always happens at every dealership. There are always those certain customers that will have the dealer do small work on their vehicle and then come back a week later complaining about something completely different. Basically if the customer does come to dealer for routine maintenance, dealers will replace it for free. But if customer only comes to dealer to bitch about things and tries to get stuff warrantied, then the dealer will tell them they'll have to pay

But as some of have said nothing the technician could have done could cause the rear main seal to leak..... the seal is sealed tight between the engine and transmission, unless they took the transmission out and took that seal plate out nothing they could have done could cause it to leak