Noob first post...

I recently acquired an 06 TL (manual) with 157K miles with original timing belt. After consulting the forums and Youtube I decided to change the belt myself. Bought the "kit" w/water pump and reputable parts all OEM except the pump). Long story short, I can't remove the crankshaft bolt. I have tried the following:

1) long breaker bar. We sheared off the square nub on the 1/2" extension. Yes, used plenty of liquid wrench and let soak-in overnight.
2) Good home use impact gun with heat applied to bolt.
3) Industrial quality impact gun (1200 ft lb) w/special harmonic balancer socket

Yes, I'm turning the bolt correctly (left-loosey standard threads)

I have exhausted what I'm willing to do to get the bolt off for fear of damaging it.

Brought the car to the local dealer after they quoted me $650 for the job using my parts only to find when I got there that they would NOT install my parts for liability reasons.

Pissed, I brought the car home to mull it over. In retrospect, I should've asked that they give me the parts at cost since they told me something different over the phone.

So, here are my options as I see them:

1) Bring to a reputable local shop. Probably explain the issue first to see if they can reasonable solve it. My fear is that a local shop damages the bolt and I'm SOL.
2) Bring back to a dealer, take one in shorts, and sell the kit on CL.

Looking for thoughts and opinions from the wise and experienced here.

Thanks!

PS - located in the Annapolis MD area

 

Industrial impact gun is no good if you don't have the right hose size and compressor. You can:

1. try the starter blip method (there's a link to it in the Timing Belt DIY thread)
2. Take it to a shop with a 3/4" -1" gun and good compressor. Pay them $25 -$50 to pop the bolt loose, then retighten it for the drive home, then DIY at home.

 

I've always been able to get the bolt off the Honda V-6's with a 3/4" gun and judicious use of heat applied to the bolt head. I personally have not tried it on these but it is my understanding Honda techs do the starter trick all day long with good results.

 

+1 for the starter blip method. That's what I had to do to get mine off.

 

Thanks. We had >120 psi in the tank so I thought that was enough. I read some old threads on the topic and I see that people are getting the bolt red hot. I got it hot, just not ludicrous hot. I might get someone to break it for me.

 

Never liked using heat on the end of the crank, really no reason.
If you have the correct socket to hold the crank, correct socket, get another breaker bar, one that has a lifetime warranty, and put a long pipe over the end. To keep it level, place the extension on a jack stand and let it rip.

Haven't used this method for years, actually decades, but used the starter to break many Chev/Pontiac crank bolts loose, worked like a charm.

 

OP, PSI is only part of the airflow requirement. CFM is probably the bigger player. As a rough guide, if the gun is a 1/2", your compressor needs to support at least 5 cfm. If 3/4", at least 7 cfm. And you probably need a 1/2" hose to support the CFM needed by that gun.

For me, it took a 6-ft iron breaker bar and all of my ~200 lbs to break my bolt loose, but several folks have had success with the starter blip method. Here's the link to a discussion on the starter blip method:

https://acurazine.com/forums/perform...1/#post8789120

I bought one of these for next time

 

Thanks nfnsquared for the info. We used a 3/4" gun. We bought a shorter hose to limit losses, but I don't think it was 1/2". Interesting point about the cfm.

On the breaker bar, we used a 5' bar with the extension on a jack stand but we clearly reached the endpoint of torque that the extension could handle when it snapped. My buddy torquing it is a brute (400+ lb bench press). Perhaps a better extension and a longer bar would work. Or, more cfm to the gun we used.

 

I used a Craftsman 1/2" extension (20" long) with a Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar, supported by a jackstand. The 6' iron pipe slipped over the breaker bar. I started with the end of the pipe at about head height (~5') and torqued it almost all the way to the floor. I was about to give up when all of a sudden I heard the glorious loud "pop"

The iron pipe actually bent slightly (see the photo below). You may indeed only need another 1' of leverage and a better extension, or maybe a 1/2" hose (if your compressor will put out at least 7 cfm).

On the other hand, it may be worth the $25 - $50 to just run down to a local shop with a 1" gun and industrial compressor and have them pop it for you. A quality extension will probably run you at least $20.

 

I went through the same thing you did OP, short of breaking my extension. I wasted over an hour, maybe two, trying to get that bolt off. Both with a high power gun and me and a friend on the end of a cheater bar. After I exhausted all options I decided I'd try the starter method. Started with a 30 second set up of my breaker bar, a 10 second prayer, and a 2 second blip of the starter the bolt was off. I said... "well shit... that was easy. Why didn't I do that in the beginning?" Save yourself further heartache and blip it. But that 20v gun sure would be sweet too.

Note, add 2 minutes for unplugging my coils.

 

Just a quick question concerning the complexity of this job. I've done plenty of car maintenance, mainly on VW. I also have experience as a shipboard marine engineer on steam and diesel plants. The directions seem pretty clear, although the penalty for screwing up is rather severe. Given the right tools, should I be concerned with at all with doing this myself?

 

No. Have you read through Majofo's DIY and do you have a copy of the service manual?

Just follow proper procedure for installing the belt and double check your marks. You should be fine. And watch the rear cam sprocket, it will likely move on you.

 

Yes, I have the service manual directions and the DIY. One local shop will charge me $500 for the job. Just seems like I could save the money and have the satisfaction of doing myself.

 

2006RL (44K miles). Dealer "concerned" timing belt (probably 9 yrs) "could fail" and offered $1450 mat&labor to change. Declined . Anyone have history of belt failure miles and/or years?
***

 

Personally, I wouldn't worry about this. If you said the car was 20 or more years old, you could make a case for the belt breaking from environmental exposure, but at 44K miles, I wouldn't be concerned. I think the likelihood of a belt breaking at such a low mileage is very low. That is just one opinion of course (and I have evidence of a belt of my dad's Accord going to > 250K before it broke meaning he never got it changed)- and that was in a 94 Accord). I think you'll be fine. I assume you're not hard on the car and it's low mileage as it doesn't get used too much.

 

I agree that you are good. I assume your car is kept in the garage it's whole life? My 04 TL belt I changed ~8 months ago at 110,000 looked and felt new. The hydraulic tentioner usually goes bad before the belt does on our cars it seems.

If you do end up changing it, go to an indy shop or Honda dealer for a much cheaper rate.

 

Yes, I am solo driver and RL has been in garage majority. Driving time mostly at 60mph on highway. Yet, I still enjoy "flooring it" on an Interstate on-ramp (to move into traffic ). Seems the auto is just now "running great"! Think the dealer(s) are hunting for money. (Nothing new, ehh?).

 

Appreciate your comment for Honda facility vs Acura dealer. Have same experience.

 

Appreciate observation & response. Yes, RL is single driver, garaged & "babied" (maybe too much). Yet, there are a few on-ramps that allow "all-most" full accelerator couple of times a year . Believe this vehicle is strong. Dealers want maintenance $$.

 

Honda dealer has always offered best prices for parts. Haven't incurred labor, yet.

 

I've gone about 14 years on two different V6 Honda engines. Both had low mileage- the higher one being at about 55k miles. Both were garaged. The belts that came out were about a fresh looking as the new ones going in. No cracking around the teeth etc. The Mechanic I had do both of them said they probably could have gone quite longer time wise