jfman55

I brought my car to a Honda dealer to get my valves adjusted, timing belt water pump tensioner and drive belt replaced. I have a 2006 TL 6 speed with 223000 miles. Before going in my valves started a little tapping about 4 months ago. After it was done the mechanic took it for a test drive and the car was running bad like a misfire he said. He took the valve covers back off and saw the rocker roller broke in half and all the little pins we're missing. He winded up taking the head off and dropping the oil pan to find all the pins. At this point with fixing the head with a rear intake rockerrarm grup and putting everything back together I'm in for an extra $1600 on top of what was done maintenance wise. I was talking with the mechanic back and forth and I got a 2nd price of $2700 and he'd refresh the engine. Take the other head off replace all head bolts head gaskets oil pan gasket oil pump and piston rings and pcv valve. I'm going with the $2700 even though I'm not burning oil. The oil pumped has a tiny leak and he said no extra labor to replace. He was also impressed about how clean my valves we're. My question is can you think of anything else I should that won't break the bank?

jfman55

O and I have a full xlr8 exhaust and the flex pipe on the jpipe rotten through. I fixed that myself already. My dad's a welder.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

As the rods need to come out, find it hard to believe one would replace rings without doing anything to the bottom end, along with cutting cylinder ridge and honing, and no valve job, but that's just me.

Depending on location you can purchase an engine <70,000 miles for less than $1,000 and have it installed and come out lower than the $2700.

jfman55

Ok they haven't done anything yet I'm going to look into that today thanks.

Pair of TLs

I'm with turbonut on this--why do the rings if you're not doing the whole bottom end including bearings, but why do the rings in the first place?

jfman55

Yea I wasn't thinking the mechanic brought it up and I don't know much about the inside of the engine at all. I'm not gunna do that. I'm going to get an estimate on how much to change the engine tomorrow. Now trying to find a low mileage engine is what I'm trying to do in new Jersey. Would be nice to swap in an 08 tls motor but that too complicated for me now. I don't have any time to do stuff my self as my wife is 7 months pregnant and I have a 22 month old.all I wanted was a valve adjustment and this happened 🙄

Pair of TLs

Ask him how he managed to break the rocker arm doing valve adjustments--hitting it with a hammer??
And I'd call shenanigans.
You don't need a motor or a rebuild, just a new rocker arm (maybe an oil pump since the pan is off) and to get your car out of there.

jfman55

Seriously he said the front head the valves we're tight not too far off. The rear head the valves we're loose and flopping around. I argued with these people as to why they took the head off to look for the pins. If you don't see it the only place it's going to go was the oil pan. Before removing the head why not drop the oil pan but it was too late as it was already done. That sounds like a good idea too. My thing is im looking to get another 6 years out of i and I drive round trip to work everyday between 70-100 miles. I'mma call again tomorrow morning.

thisaznboi88

iTrader: (7)

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like some fuckery..

If you end up swapping a motor, 05+ Odyssey motors (EX/LX only) are a direct drop in & quite cheap. Just swapped one into my 06' 6spd a few months back & it's the definition of bang for your buck.

Good luck.

thisaznboi88

iTrader: (7)

^ go with a motor swap.

jfman55

Im definitely going to get a price for another engine so i can consider all my options. It a direct swap? Like I keep my same ecm and everything?

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Same everything. Just have to reuse your original intake manifold since the J35A6 doesn't have an IMRC.

The most important thing if you go down this route is to confirm that the motor came out of an EX or LX model. The EX-L/Touring models have VCM engines & you don't want to deal with that

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Take a look:
car-part.com
Don't know where your located, but have dealt with Al's in Trevose for decades.

As far as the Odyssey, although a 3.5, the HP is only 255 and the prices seem to be higher.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Only 255hp with an Odyssey ECU, definitely puts more power down with a TL ECU and manual transmission. Your also missing the key fact, 250tq is the main focus here..

As for the price, they're out there cheap, just need to find a wrecker that isn't completely greedy. Picked mine up for $200 & has skipped a beat.

Pair of TLs

Is your car still in the hands of this "technician?"

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

250tq
Making too much out of torque. The 3.2 has 233ft-lb, so the 17 additional isn't going to make the car a barn burner.
Also, you could get a diesel with 420 ft-lbs, but it will be slower than the TL.

Now if you want to pull a stump out of the ground........................

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

We're definitely not hunting M3's with the added torque but it most definitely makes the car far more enjoyable in day to day activities than the stock J32.

What do I know though..

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

I'll agree with that, especially being doable for virtually free!

jfman55

I thought about it and I went into the dealership and raised hell. I think everyone in that place knows who I am now lol. Since I have. 21 month old and my wife is 6 months pregnant I want the car back with little effort. After tearing into them, I was there for 2 hours going back and forth with different managers, they gave me my valve adjustment for free. On top of that instead of 1500 to fix the car now it's going to be $500 to fix the rocker arm and get the car back together. So I was going to pay $300 for the adjustment so for an extra $200 I'm getting the arm fixed and the car running good. I pick it up tomorrow and then in the summer when I take off 9 weeks I'll use the back half to do the engine swap myself. Thanks for all the replies!

Pair of TLs

I'm glad you stood up to the shenanigans this shop and "tech" were pulling.
But I'm still wondering why you need a new engine??

jfman55

I might change my mind by then but with Soo many miles and that failure it worries me. I drive round trip to work everyday 90 miles and I love my car. That's my plan now but I might wait till something else goes.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

The TL is definitely a great car, but with the family situation might have been better of with a fuel sipping 4 door and wait until later for the "quality" car..

jfman55

I get 28 mpg with my TL lol. I can have both right now 😉

Pair of TLs

And... I don't have to spend all that money for a newer car, that I can lavish on my TLs which can travel cross-country problem-free, in style and comfort, getting 31MPG, first thing in the morning if need be.

But you can't beat that genuine new-car smell.

Jackass

I think his point is that the TL is a gas hog when not on the highway. If your drive is mostly highway, then I agree, the TL can generally hold its own on MPG. However many new mid-size cars are up in the mid and upper 30s now on the highway and stay in the upper 20s or low 30s in the city.

I have two young kids and the TL fits them just fine...as long as we don't need to take anything with us like a stroller + bags. The moment the stroller + bags are a requirement, we must take the wife's vehicle.