i was driving down the highway at about 70 and my 2001 tl shut off and decided it didn't want to start up again. 250 bucks later for a tow home and now i'm stumped. I tried the ignition switch, i hear the fuel pump kicking in, i tried starting fluid, looked for blown fuses, tried different keys, battery. My next thing is towing it to the stealership and have them hook it up to a computer. figure i'd try on here first. Any ideas???

 

probably should have said that the car is cranking over normal

 

Check ,#11 or #13 fuse in the driver side fuse panel . It is labelled IGN.
with a test light or volt meter.
Disconnect one of the coil pact connector and check for 12 volts going into the coil pact.
Get a fuel pressure gauge and test for fuel pressure at the point below the brake master cylinder.

 

I'll have to pick up a fuel pressure gauge but i ckecked those fuses and they checked out but, the coils are only reading 7 volts all 6 of them, battery is fully charged. any ideas?

 

That should be okay for now. I do not have my volt meter at home to check mine.
Can someone confirm the voltage at the IGN fuse in the driver side fuse panel?
Fuel pressure:
If you have about 40psi you should be good.
I will check this value on alldata.

 

If engine is cranking normal at startup....but wont fire...
any sparks from the plugs? thats what you want to chk.

 

I was reading 12 volts in the fuse panel, I plan on picking up that Fuel Pressure Gauge today and check that, im pretty sure i'm getting fuel because i can smell it but that doesn't mean i'm getting the right pressure of course. but i'm a little curious why she wouldn't fire at all with me spraying starting fluid down the tb

 

yeah i'm getting a nice blue spark from the plugs.

 

i replaced the timing belt a few months back could that have anything to do with this?

 

not unless it snapped.

we know u are getting spark and air. so now u need to check the fuel

 

This is something I am also thinking about.
Starting fluid should start her up, if it is the fuel supply.
My friend had a starting problem on a GMC express van Fuel pressure okay.
Spark okay.
And would not start because the computer would not pulse the injector properly. But will start right up with starting fluid.
Is the green imobilliser light off when you try to start?
I am beginnig to lean towards the anti theft system locking you out.
There is also a second power feed to the coil pact comming from the right hand side of the engine, could it be, that one was disturbed during the t-belt job and was just hanging and got disconnected during driving.
The voltage to the coil pact is on the low end.
When checking the voltage at the coil pack, use the yellow and black wire and the black wire going to the coil pact. That way you are also checking the ground.
That ground is a bunch of wires bolted on the frame below the battery, can also check that.
I am having problems understanding why you are getting 12volts at the fuse and 7volts at the coil pact.
That wire go from the fuse to a junction connector C107 then it split into six and then to each coil pact.


Crank sensor.
Suggestion from my Acura specialist Technician.
I am unable to ellaborate much on this.

 

Do you see the Green Key light in the cluster flashing or staying solid while trying to start?

Pop the inspection hole on the timing belt cover and see if the belt is in one piece.

Do you have a code reader? Can you get any codes to be read?

 

the timing belt is all intact, i'll have to check about that key light i'm almost certain that it just remains on and doesn't flash. i've tried my other key as well. the funny thing about the mil it came on when the car died but when i got it home and hooked up a scanner that i rented it didn't have any codes... pretty frustrating

 

I'll have to check those wires when i get home and i'll re-check the coil packs. Do you know of anyway i can bypass the anti theft system to try to narrow it out of the way? And about the crank sensor i had to replace one on a jeep i had almost the exact symptoms, but the only thing with that is that i had a check engine light on with that, thats the only way i didn't wanna go that route but that seems like a great idea.

 

The anti theft system cuts the fuel.
By spraying that quick start that is a form of bypass.

I think we have given it a GOOD shot on this forum. I also know how frustrating this is for you.
Go to justanswers.com pay about $10 and get a honda/acura tech to walk you through the step by step checks from bottom to top. They have access to all kinds of info that they can share with you.

 

Look on the top of your trans , there is a connector type junction . It looks like a plug, but is not plugged into anything. There are 14 wires going to it 7 black and 7 yelloy and black. That connector has a cap , it is a jumper. Take the cap/jumper off and one of those 7 yellow and black wires should have voltage with your ign on. Read the voltage there.
Alternately you can try to probe it from the back, in this circunstance all should have Power.
One of these wire come from the driver side fuse panel go into that junction and serve all your six coil pact via a jumper inside, hence seven.
This is why I have a problem understanding why you have 12volts at the fuse panel (one end) and 7volts at the coil pact(other end).

 

I retested the coil pacts like you said to do and i got a reading of 12 volts on all 6 i don't know how i was getting the 7 volt reading previously. sorry for that. I'm really leaning towards a crank sensor, does anyone know where it is located? After i check that out i'll try that website, i've never been on there is it pretty good?

 

Keep the volt meter hooked up while you are starting the car. Your voltage could experience a dangerous drop. Thus, preventing you from starting.

The crank sensor is located on the right side of the engine.
I can see it on alldata, but I am unable to post the diagram.

Thanks to the guys here. All my Acura problems were solved here.
Other vehicles I always go to that site.
You do not pay, unless you are 100% satisfied.

 

dug into the timing belt and found it was all chewed up. the cause of it all is the idler pulley bolt snapped and let the belt slip. it looks like i will have to yank the engine to get the broken bolt out sense i cannot get a drill in there. I haven't found out if my head is ruined yet but i'm hoping for the best.

 

wow! the failure we caution about happened!!
I take it when the 105 was done- the idler pulley was not replaced?
possibly it siezed and broke off its bolt,,sending the engine into chaos
At 70 mph its a fair guess there is damage to several exhaust valves- the question is: are the heads hurt too, or just need fresh valve seats and valves etc- or does it need new/rebuilt heads

there can be problems with crankshaft and other items sensative to a sudden stopping shockwave thru the parts

Add to that the times you cranked the engine over- raising the pistons and smacking the stuck open valves again and again

most times I read about here- get a junkyard motor and throw on the new water pump and new tbelt and tensioners-idlers-everything that moves gets a new one, drop it in and enjoy and several more years... till car gets handed down in the family

 

yeah the thing is, i did replace that idler and it is my no means seized, idk if it was over tightened or what would cause that bolt to shear off like it did... pretty frustrating

 

Did you do the work or paid a shop to? how long ago?

Every bolt has a specific torque spec based on its size, density and use
If its exceeded the bolt breaks

 

i did it myself about 6 months back i don't know why the delay in the breaking if something was installed improperly. any quick way to check the valves w/o ripping the head or exhaust off? the timing belt isn't on right now so there's no way to test for compression.

 

cylinder leakdown test will tell if the valves are toast-
but I can assure you `based on everyone who has a belt failure with engine running`- there are bent valves
The exhaust valves hit the piston for sure in a TL timing belt failure

These pistons have decent sized cutouts in the piston top to allow valve clearance in normal running
Its called an `interferance engine` because--stuff interferes/CONTACTS when not in synch/time..just one tooth off on the timing on install will damage an engine-
imagine several teeth off timing as there was no belt running the cams,
but the pistons continued to go up and down with great impact force

the only question will be= are the heads repairable, or better to replace.
Once off and ckd for surface flatness and damage to the valve seats- ckd for cracks to the head,,that determination is made based on total cost

When you overtighten a bolt- its threads are stretched and causes weakness in the metal structure,,bolts have a stength and stretch limit in their designation of hardness- grade 5 for most stuff Grade 8 for heavy duty needs

So for 6 months, vibration and torque forces work and work on the weakness until one day it fails......... and physics wins once again