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Anyone familiar with the Radiator? There's a line coming out of the bottom, right next to the large hose that I circled here. I'm pretty sure that it's a trans cooler line?
I've developed a leak from this location. It looks like a nut that is threaded into the radiator, but when I called Acura they say it's a non serviceable part? That it is screwed into the radiator itself when assembled and that they use thread locker?
Yeah trans cooler lines. If it's failed you can try to take it out and threadlock/teflon tape it
or just replace it with a new DENSO radiator.
Thanks, I thought so. It looked threaded. I'll mess with it and see what happens. Is it all that difficult to get the old one one out to drop the new one in?
This is close. It's pretty easy to replace, pliers to remove the hose clamps (upper and lower radiator hose and trans clamps) , 10mm ratchet to remove the fans and radiator braces.
This is close. It's pretty easy to replace, pliers to remove the hose clamps (upper and lower radiator hose and trans clamps) , 10mm ratchet to remove the fans and radiator braces.
Okay that's good, looks like once I get some stuff out of the way there's gonna be some room.
Anyone familiar with the Radiator? There's a line coming out of the bottom... I'm pretty sure that it's a trans cooler line?
I've developed a leak from this location. It looks like a nut that is threaded into the radiator, but when I called Acura they say it's a non serviceable part?...
Any thoughts?
Hi!
If it is the trans line, then suggest to stop driving it until you replace radiator. You are lucky it didnt fail yet. I changed my radiator before such point.
Do a search on radiator failure transmission.
Quick synopsis: failure occurs rather quickly, due to multiple reasons, likely internal galvanic corrosion as a major least visible one, forces the destruction of the threads, followed by either complete dump of both fluids or internal mixture.
*** specific radiator diagram shows a temp sensor next to the large coolant rubber line. The trans lines have a much thinner rubber, the sensor has only wire harness, ie. if sensor leaking you may not need to replace radiator as sensor is removable, replace with new and add teflon tape.
Do a search on MDX forum, this is a common issue on the J series models with cooler running through the bottom of the radiator. The problem lies in the washers used for the fittings.
Tried limping the car home from my parents house tonight. Wanted to get it in my garage so that I could work on it.
Ended up leaking pretty bad on the way. Even had some trans fluid in the mix. Noticed a few times that I had some slippage when shifting, but nothing too crazy.
New radiator went in and everything hooked up, gotta get some coolant in it and more ATF tomorrow. I suppose my question now is more about the transmission? Do I drain the trans from the bottom and then add 3 fresh quarts and see where it's at? I'm also worried that the two maybe mixed and got back in the transmission?
Any thoughts? Drain, fill, check level and add? Then just drive it and see if everything is okay and shifting alright?
Sorry to hear about the sudden trouble, good for you to have it replaced by now.
The ATF flows through radiator portion at higher pressure than the coolant does, when operating normal that is...
If you didnt lose large portion of the AT oil and its not close to replacement anyway, check it for signs of water foam, bubbles, whitish creamy mark on the AT dipstick... if none present could then top up and plan for an early drain and fill for the AT anyway...
Did you get a new the fan sensor or just transferred the old one over? Either way, use an OBD2 and determine what temperature does the fan(s) activate at while idling from cold: it should be at or below 212F. Let us know
I wanted to update the thread incase anyone comes up on it in the future.
I ended up draining the radiator and refilling it with fresh fluid and doing a 3x3 ATF drain and fill. I think it actually leaked a little bit extra out so when I drained the 3 quarts and put 3 new in, it was a little bit shy. So I added a quart and checked it to see what happened. Car is shifting much better. Still planning for a other 3x3 on the ATF and then once more.
I had once instance where the trans wouldn't shift up to 4th from 3rd and I lost power completely until I let the engine idle back down and the transmission synced up. It was after this that I added the single quart of ATF. Since then I've not really had any problems.
No overheating, still want to drain the radiator again and replace, just to be sure, but I think I caught it all in time.
I just did the same thing... make sure you see my the link at the end.
So driving to airport to pick up a friend, car starts smoking. It’s raining and dark. Pulled over and can’t see nothing. Waited till smoke clears out and I started it up, there was no overheating it was running at 171 degrees. Start driving car goes in to first, then second, SLIPS and I don’t have any more gear engagement at all unless I’m doing 3500 rpms after that. Towed it home transmission fluid dripping down my block what a mess.
Fast forward. Got it in the garage lifted it up on jacks and started looking. No tranny fluid near the actual transmission. Lot of oil but that’s for another thread LOL. I touched the a small pipe on the bottom and there came out coolant splashing down. Ok but that doesn’t explain my tranny fluid. So I get a friend to watch, I get in the car while it’s on the jack and jack stands, I shift from park to reverse than to drive back to park with my foot on the brakes. Tranny fluid comes down pouring from the same area as the coolant.
Changed out the radiator, installed new hoses, thermostat. I did drain all the tranny fluid out and filled it up with ACURA ATF DW-1 from Acura dealership.
I don’t care what anybody says any z1 or any other generic ATF is not gonna help the 2007-2008 Acura TL. My car has 190K miles with its original tranny and never have I had an issue with my transmission. Every 40K I do a drain and filled with Acura cause they use the correct ATF and it what the transmission needs to last.
My radiator reservoir cap broke so I’m not having any luck with the coolant part I need to bleed the system, once I get that part I will drive it and hopefully mines will work as well, I did like the fact that you did have 4qt just like I did.
last thing and the most important. Idk if you are aware on resetting the transmissions ECU, if your not I will recommend you do this immediately! This will make your car learn your transmission again so you have better shifting anytime it’s jerky.
Link is below.
I wanted to update the thread incase anyone comes up on it in the future.
I ended up draining the radiator and refilling it with fresh fluid and doing a 3x3 ATF drain and fill. I think it actually leaked a little bit extra out so when I drained the 3 quarts and put 3 new in, it was a little bit shy. So I added a quart and checked it to see what happened. Car is shifting much better. Still planning for a other 3x3 on the ATF and then once more.
I had once instance where the trans wouldn't shift up to 4th from 3rd and I lost power completely until I let the engine idle back down and the transmission synced up. It was after this that I added the single quart of ATF. Since then I've not really had any problems.
No overheating, still want to drain the radiator again and replace, just to be sure, but I think I caught it all in time.
...
I don’t care what anybody says any z1 or any other generic ATF is not gonna help the 2007-2008 Acura TL. My car has 190K miles with its original tranny and never have I had an issue with my transmission. Every 40K I do a drain and filled with Acura cause they use the correct ATF and it what the transmission needs to last.
...
That's good that you changed it so quickly, hopefully there is no lingering damage.
Regarding the oil and mechanical failure of radiator, plain corrosion seems to be the culprit, pushing the elbow out. Once one knows the mechanism, failure could be considered inevitable and slow, visual signs of external corrosion insufficient to trigger a call to action.
Early radiator replacement (yes, early being at 8-12 years since car was made, 10 years might be a good enough round number, as imperfect as it may be) should be considered preventive maintenance and added to the owners "to do list".
Whether coolant timely replacement could delay it more than a year should be considered a gamble. The AT oil and its maintenance does not appear related to the noted corrosion which starts internally, on the coolant side.
Unfortunately, that means change of coolant wont do much for your 4th gear troubles, if you still have troubles. If a fresh gallon of DW1 still does not work for you, even temporarily, it might indicate potential upcoming failure, you have to consider your options.
On my 08 rdx 5AT box, had a rough change of gears, started soon after my first DW1 refill (and pressure switches replacement), continued to reappear within months of more R&R. Seems my engine mounts were deteriorated far enough, and that combined with daily stop'n'go routine at the time to degrade the car performance.
Once the engine mounts were changed, the trouble of gears switching between 3 and 4 (~60km/h) was gone, proof that oil change was just a temporary bandage, not a fix. I also changed ATF oil brands, allowed me so far to go more than 12 months/~24k kms without AT oil changes, still no deterioration at shift points.
I blamed it on extended idling/speed too low in daily rush hour commute: causes higher AT oil operating temperature that leads to faster oil breakdown, demanding too frequent change intervals, ymmv.
11-06-2019, 05:53 PM
