itstruemental

Hey guys -- I've hit the 100k mile maintenance milestone -- what should be my standard health check changes on the 2009 TL?; wanted to get a better idea from here before I went into the Acura dealership leaving it completely to their disposal to tack on every serviceable component without knowing the standard no-brainers (assuming I'm brainless about intricate car mechanics).

Thanks.

Reorge

I wouldn't have this done at the dealer but it's time for the timing belt (TB). Which should include changing: Water pump, TB idler pulley, TB tension pulley, tensioner, front main seal, accessory (alternator, AC) belt, spark plugs. Some of these items are optional but if you have to remove them to change the TB you might as well put new parts. Some items require you to remove the TB to change (Water pump, front main seal) so again, might as well change them while the TB is off. The TB pullies run on ball bearings which have a finite life and probably will not last till the next TB change at 200K miles. A mechanic friend of mine makes customers sign a waiver when he changes their TB and they opt out of changing the pullies.

I'm sure my post will spur some contradictory options but this is mine. I've been driving and maintaining a J-engine cars since 1999.

itstruemental

Thanks.What's the estimated cost on a "non-dealer" for the aforementioned work? And why would you not go to a dealer on this?

itstruemental

Up...

jim_c

I'm sure it varies all over the map, but I have a different opinion about going to the dealer. The Acura dealers I have dealt with here in Ontario have been very good. Apparently they are not all created equal.
Here's what I do: I try to do all my own maintenance on repetitive normal maintenance items like oil changes, plugs, brakes, filters etc.
I buy Acura parts from the dealer. I would not have a dealer do routine stuff like this because they charge outrageous prices like $25 for a spark plug and $100 to change a cabin air filter. And I don't need some teenage hack in the back to rotate my tires.
But, for things like a timing belt change or valve clearance adjustment the dealer has a set price which I have found to be quite reasonable. I don't want to do those jobs myself and I figure a trained tech who works on Acuras every day should be able to do those things properly.
I would strongly suggest that you stay away from chain outlets like muffler shops or big box store shops.
Privately run shops can be very good or very bad, you really have to test them out before trusting them with anything complicated.
This strategy has worked well for me.

Reorge

My recommendation NOT to go to the dealer was based solely on price, mostly labor. It wouldn't hurt to get a quote from them. Most internet Acura OEM dealer parts sell for a 30% discount which I'm sure the dealer will not give you. My WAG (wild ass guess) for a local shop would be between $500-$800. In fact, get a quote from the dealer and local shops. They should be able to give you a "hard quote" for this commonly performed work with a known parts list.

Here is a parts list I had for my Father's 2008 Honda Odyssey. I did the work this past Summer. My guess is that our Acura's parts are almost identical if not the same.
As you can see I changed the thermostat, rad cap, & rad drain plug. (~$45).

Item Part Descirption $ List $ Discount Total
Timing Belt page 166.79
5 Timing Belt 45.94 65.63 30.0%
6 Adjust Pulley 83.81 119.73 30.0%
10 Idler Pulley 37.04 52.92 30.0%

PS Pump Page 32.35
8 PS Belt 32.35 46.22 30.0%

Oil Pump 5.47
24 Oil seal, main 5.47 7.82 30.1%

Water Pump Page 137.30
3 Water Pump 110.02 157.17 30.0%
5 Thermostat 27.28 38.97 30.0%

Radiator 17.36
2 Drain Plug, Radiator 4.62 6.60 30.0%
3 O-ring, Drain Plug 1.45 2.07 30.0%
8 Rad Cap 11.29 16.13 30.0%

359.27
Handeling 4.95
shipping 28.92
Grand Total 393.14

Tonyware

^ A couple of notes from my notebook... Add spark plugs to the list. Also add the timing belt tensioner... new one comes with pin in place, too lazy to push back the old one - lol. Plus, some of these piston tensioners in past J engines have been known to rust. Might as well change that one too.

Also two small questions to anyone who has changed the timing belt on a J37A4:

Is the crank pulley bolt easy to remove or is it a total b*tch like on some other J engines?

Do the pulleys stay in top dead center when you remove the belt or do I have to loosen up the valve rockers to free them and move them back to TDC (like some other J engines out there)?

Reorge

Yes, forgot to include the tensioner which added another $94.33 for a Honda OEM part total of $487.47. I also purchased the spark plugs from another source for an additional $83. Include the two gallon of antifreeze, ~$20. A grand part total of ~$590.

I can't imagine the J37 is any different than the J35. I have the tool (07MAB-PY3010A) to hold the engine pulley while removing the bolt. Still needed a 5' pipe extension on my 3/4" drive breaker-bar. With the car on a lift you could get the breaker-bar close to the bolt but on the ground I needed to extend the bar beyond the wheel well. Took a lot of force to "break" the pulley bolt and it sounds like an explosion.

Tonyware

^Thanks for the reply. On my old Accord J30A4 it took around 900 ft/lb torque to break it loose. Took it to a shop who had the right impact wrench, for a $20 they removed it, blasted the bolt with anti-seize and put it back on. I guess the tradition continues... lol.

A friend tried to remove it by heating it up with a blow torch. Succeeded, but the plastic covers got deformed because the red hot bolt stayed on too long and the heat transfer damaged the plastic covers.

The only thing that worries me, even if I am careful, with the pulley hold tool is that the entire setup can go flying and damage the paint/body. I may try this time around and try to be careful if I find a 5' cheater pipe...

acupower

I did the timing belt service on my TL shawd a couple of months ago. The trick for me was to use a jack stand like in the picture below to hold the extension and breaker bar in place while I step and jump on the bar. Took me a good half hour of pain but then it broke loose!

Tonyware

^ did you have to block the cam pulleys or did they remain in top dead centre by them selves after you removed the old belt? I'll remove the intake/covers anyways to clean things up and change the rubber gaskets and check valve clearance but it is a total b*tch to also loosen up the valve rockers.

Hogan9166

iTrader: (1)

I got a quote from a local Honda dealer for $980 for Acura parts and Honda labor. This was a good $400 less than the quote from the Acura dealer.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

here's my attempt when i did it a month ago.

acupower

When you remove the belt, the cam pulleys will remain at TDC as long as you align them exactly at TDC to begin with. Otherwise they may rotate slightly.

Use a white marker and mark a tooth that falls on each of the 3 pulleys and also mark the corresponding tooth on the pulleys. Then use the old belt to transfer the marks to the new belt. If you do that, then even if the cam pulleys rotate a bit you will still be able to align everything using the marks.

Tonyware

^ thanks for the tip. Hope the pulleys don't fall out of TDC. On my old j30a4 the rear bank was sitting on the top of the valves and the valve springs pushed the pcam pulley to the left when be belt was out.

I also use zip ties to hold the belt in place before removing the tensioner pin. Hopefully I'll remember to remove the zip ties this time lol lol lol

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^the rear head has a "spring loaded feel to it"

which means, as soon as the timing belt comes off, the cam will spring forward or backwards.
this is solved, with like what you said, zipties

Tonyware

^ not too familiar with other than OEM filters, what the heck is that black thing? - lol.

Reorge

The crank, front, and rear cam belt gears have alignment marks on them at the 12 o'clock positions. I align the crank mark before I remove the old belt. But as stated the cams can move a little when on the up/down stroke of a cam lobe. Also, when installing belt make sure ALL the belt slack in by the tensioner before removed the pin in the tensioner. The first time I did a belt the rear cam moved 1 gear tooth when I applied tension so so check alignment before continuing.

Tonyware

I recall the Haynes manual mentioning (the one describing the 7th generation Accord - j30a4) to rotate the engine manually a few times with a socket and a wrench to see if the belt alings back to TDC. To do that best is to have the spark plugs out first and temporarily put the crank bolt back on.

My lower back hurts just thinking of it - lol. I think I'll take the local dealer's offer for them to do all this instead and they'll give me a TLX loaner for a day to drive it like I stole it