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Hey Acurazine, so ever since purchasing my TL 2004 5.5 months ago, I've found that it leaks from the engine, the power steering and the transmission. Needless to say, I've been driving it for this long ever since I found out about the leak. Every day when I check my drive way, I see that it drips one toonie sized drop from the power steering, a slightly bigger drip spot for the engine and a loonie sized drop from the transmission.
I've tried ATP stop leak, I've tried STP stop leak and I've tried Lucas stop leak for all the leaks and nothing helps it. It always just keeps dripping when it sits on my drive way.
I've planned to save up for a new Honda Civic SI which I'm probably a year or two away from getting, since I have school and work a part time job. Anyways, my TL is at 250455 KM now. It's old as hell in mileage terms. I've talked to a few of my mechanics for different options and they all told me it's gonna be quite costly to fix those leaks and they say it's not worth it considering i don't plan to keep the car for more than two years.
My question is, how long do you think this car can last with the leaks?
Keep in mind, I check my fluid levels for everything like 1-2 bi weekly and so far the rate of the drops haven't been bad to the point that I have to fill it up like every week. I probably have to add a little fluid for my engine and transmission like once a month or so. The power steering I have to add like every two weeks or so.
At this point; the car i got it for cheap. About 4000$ as my first car. I have plans to own an SI soon enough.
I want to know what your guys opinion is on this.
It's gonna take me two years to save and I'm just scared that the car will be messed up in these two years.
What do you guys think my options are?
Of course if my transmission dies one year from now, I plan to actually swap the transmission which will set me back but I gotta do what I gotta do to have a car. But if I'm lucky enough and this car can last for two more years, I can get the SI.
Do you guys think winter will be the death call for my car because of the leaks? I bought this car in the summer so I don't know how it'll survive during the winter. How will this effect me? What should I do?
Any of you guys experience the same stuff? I know for you guys you might've gotten the car when it was new so you sorta will put the money in to fix it.
I do have the money to swap my engine and transmission which will stop my leaks for good but I'm not sure if it is worth it. Anyone have some advice?
Let me know your opinions!
Thank you for the long read!
It wont last 2 years with those leaks, they will keep getting worse until properly fixed. If you can swap the engine/tranny yourself or have a mechanic that will do it for you for cheap that may be your best bet. And 250xxx kms on this car is nothing if maintained properly. I have 215xxx kms on mine and it drives perfect but I'm also very anal when it comes to my TL.
Good luck dude where in Canada are you. keep us updated
It wont last 2 years with those leaks, they will keep getting worse until properly fixed. If you can swap the engine/tranny yourself or have a mechanic that will do it for you for cheap that may be your best bet. And 250xxx kms on this car is nothing if maintained properly. I have 215xxx kms on mine and it drives perfect but I'm also very anal when it comes to my TL.
Good luck dude where in Canada are you. keep us updated
So basically keep monitoring it until it gets so bad that I need to swap the tranny and engine?
It sucks cause the previous owner didn't take care of it that well. I've since done oil changes and 3x3 tranny drain and refill. I've done quite a bit of maintenance to it. I just hope it'll last longer
Just keep monitoring your fluid levels...you never know, it may make it 2 years just fine and the leaks don't get any worse. You may want to track down the source of the Power Steering leak. That shouldn't be that difficult to fix assuming it is coming from the pump area.
Actually if you keep topping the fluid, the car is proably last longer with fresh fluid replacment. I had an old MB that lasted over 300K mi with leaky engine oil because I give it a fresh qt of oil every 2-3 weeks. The key is not to let it run dry. Good luck.
It wont last 2 years with those leaks, they will keep getting worse until properly fixed. If you can swap the engine/tranny yourself or have a mechanic that will do it for you for cheap that may be your best bet. And 250xxx kms on this car is nothing if maintained properly. I have 215xxx kms on mine and it drives perfect but I'm also very anal when it comes to my TL.
Good luck dude where in Canada are you. keep us updated
Agreed. I also bought a 2005 TL 3 years ago. At first, it was perfect, then it started leaking all over. Power steering, engine, transmission mainly. But like Sickest, i'm very protective of my car and want to last it a long time. At some point this summer, my leaks were so bad, they were not toonie size but more bank note size if not more. You can see the pictures below, it was quite aweful and my parents were going berzerk with all those oil spots all over the stone paving and not knowing how to get rid of the oil spots.
If you have the motivation and want to save a lot of money, check it yourself. In my case, the power steering leak was air bubbles forming in the reservoir and making my fluid overflow a tiny bit. The fix was a new O-Ring. The engine was in fact my oil pan, because a stupid mechanic used an air gun to tighten the drain plug, I fixed it myself, bought a new oil pan and installed in at those car lift rental places, in total, cost me about 200$. My transmission was a bad shifter seal, that was the only thing i didnt fix because it was still under warranty by the shop that rebuilt my transmission.
Whether you keep the car or not for the next few years, you should fix all that. And also if you sell the car, they will see all those leaks and you might lose buyers or a lot of value in the car, if you think of it, if you don't bother fixing 3 obvious leaks, what assures your buyer you took good care of the rest of the car?
Agreed. I also bought a 2005 TL 3 years ago. At first, it was perfect, then it started leaking all over. Power steering, engine, transmission mainly. But like Sickest, i'm very protective of my car and want to last it a long time. At some point this summer, my leaks were so bad, they were not toonie size but more bank note size if not more. You can see the pictures below, it was quite aweful and my parents were going berzerk with all those oil spots all over the stone paving and not knowing how to get rid of the oil spots.
If you have the motivation and want to save a lot of money, check it yourself. In my case, the power steering leak was air bubbles forming in the reservoir and making my fluid overflow a tiny bit. The fix was a new O-Ring. The engine was in fact my oil pan, because a stupid mechanic used an air gun to tighten the drain plug, I fixed it myself, bought a new oil pan and installed in at those car lift rental places, in total, cost me about 200$. My transmission was a bad shifter seal, that was the only thing i didnt fix because it was still under warranty by the shop that rebuilt my transmission.
Whether you keep the car or not for the next few years, you should fix all that. And also if you sell the car, they will see all those leaks and you might lose buyers or a lot of value in the car, if you think of it, if you don't bother fixing 3 obvious leaks, what assures your buyer you took good care of the rest of the car?
how much would the shifter seal cost? mine is leaking as well
Agreed. I also bought a 2005 TL 3 years ago. At first, it was perfect, then it started leaking all over. Power steering, engine, transmission mainly. But like Sickest, i'm very protective of my car and want to last it a long time. At some point this summer, my leaks were so bad, they were not toonie size but more bank note size if not more. You can see the pictures below, it was quite aweful and my parents were going berzerk with all those oil spots all over the stone paving and not knowing how to get rid of the oil spots.
If you have the motivation and want to save a lot of money, check it yourself. In my case, the power steering leak was air bubbles forming in the reservoir and making my fluid overflow a tiny bit. The fix was a new O-Ring. The engine was in fact my oil pan, because a stupid mechanic used an air gun to tighten the drain plug, I fixed it myself, bought a new oil pan and installed in at those car lift rental places, in total, cost me about 200$. My transmission was a bad shifter seal, that was the only thing i didnt fix because it was still under warranty by the shop that rebuilt my transmission.
Whether you keep the car or not for the next few years, you should fix all that. And also if you sell the car, they will see all those leaks and you might lose buyers or a lot of value in the car, if you think of it, if you don't bother fixing 3 obvious leaks, what assures your buyer you took good care of the rest of the car?
Thank you for the thorough response, yeah it sucks like all Leaks. My cousin was supposedly my "car checker" and he missed out on those leaks after I purchased the car. I have some doubt right now but at the same time I'm debating between throwing cash at this car and making it "new" again or saving for a civic SI. I love this car, it's special because it's my first car. It's unfortunate that I have these leaks. I'm thinking of swapping the tranny and engine when it dies but im not sure. My mechanic said 800$ for a tranny swap. The transmission itself is 800 as well so it'll be about 1600$ total. But the engine may be another 2000$ ish as well. Any ideas?
and you'll need to repair the problems. if the problems are not properly fixed, you will always have a leaky car.....unless you drop a used engine into it.
personally; I would try to fix the problems as they arent at the point of engine replacement
My honda dealer quoted me $1100 to change the seal because the have to pull the trans? Is that true?
I have no idea what they quoted you for but its not a shifter seal. Its actually quite easy to do, just remove driver wheel and there are a few bolts to remove, then pierce seal, let tranny drain, clean, install new seal, fill tranny and re-install everything else. 45 minutes max, about 50$ for the seal and oil.
I have no idea what they quoted you for but its not a shifter seal. Its actually quite easy to do, just remove driver wheel and there are a few bolts to remove, then pierce seal, let tranny drain, clean, install new seal, fill tranny and re-install everything else. 45 minutes max, about 50$ for the seal and oil.
They quoted him the rear main seal. You have to pull the tranny for that and it is quite labor intensive.
They quoted him the rear main seal. You have to pull the tranny for that and it is quite labor intensive.
That's funny. I specifically said the shift shaft seal as I'm leaking ATF, not oil. Guess that's why they call it the stealership lol. Anyone have a service guide or something I can show them?
