Pengfei Yao

I have own this 2011 TL SHAWD for half year. The engine has some slightly clicking noise when speeding, and my mechanics told me it should be the noisy valve or lifter, and he put some rislone oil additive and asked me to wait until an oil change. The weather drops cold to 0 degree last night, and I find the engine gets some really loud rattling noise. Is this the same issue from noisy valve or lifter? Or something related to belt tensioner? My mechanic told me to do a valve adjustment if the oil treatment doesn't work. The TL has 180k mile on it.

csmeance

You have the 3.7L engine which is prone to burning oil. Make sure your oil is at the right level and you are using 5W-20 at a minimum. Many folks who have had issues like yours found the rear cam was worn/toast from oil passages being clogged from carbon deposits from the burning oil.

Pengfei Yao

Thank you for your reply. Checked oil level today, the level is higher than half after 3000 miles, so I think it is not burning oil. Does this 3.7L engine just sound loud, or it could be a problem need to be fixed? Feel it quieter after engine warm up.

dzionny_dzionassi

Sounds like bad cam.

Edward'TLS

After an oil change, the oil level was at the max marking. After 3000 miles, the oil level is higher than half.

YOUR CAR IS BURNING OIL !

Girl-Trapped

My 2010 SH-AWD is also loud like that at startup when it's cold outside. I'm in Texas, so I haven't had a real scientific opportunity to document engine noise relative to ambient temp yet. Seems like when it's below 50 F outside, engine rattles for first 2-3 minutes until warming up then goes away. I've had my car since April and it was initially burning about 1/2 quart per week or more. I replaced the PCV valve and did some oil treatments and my latest intel has me adding 1 qt since my most recent oil change at about 2k miles driven so far, so less than the threshold Acura seems to reference. I just keep a quart in the trunk with me and keep it topped off at every gas fill-up.

I'm at 92k miles and it drives like an absolute BEAST!

dzionny_dzionassi

my suggestion would be to try Shell Rotella T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 Diesel Engine Oil. I am running it in my MDX and engine runs much smoother ....
According to oil test in Europe it is one of the the toughest engine oil, good additives, cleaning properties and handles heat really good..
And it is used in gasoline turbo applications by Subaru, Mitsubishi owners too...

Pengfei Yao

Surprised shouldn't oil burning is like comsuming too much oil?

Edward'TLS

^^^^^

It is a norm for European vehicles to burn oil like crazy. But generally, Honda engines (except the 3.7L-V6) are not known for burning oil.

Most Honda owners do not require to add even a single drop of engine oil in between oil changes.

But our 3.7L-V6 on the AWD trim is known to have engine defect that causes oil burning issue.

So always keep an eye on the oil dip stick level, and maintain the oil level at the top (max) marking.

WDPanda

Is that noise coming from the timing belt tensioner?

bryan916

That's definitely the timing belt tensioner. My '09 SH had the EXACT same noise. It would go away after the car warmed up too. There are a few others on here with the same noise and turned out to be the hydraulic timing belt tensioner.

Pengfei Yao

An update on this: the noise is growing loud quickly and go replace the timing belt and tensioners, the noise is gone now. So I think I can conclude it is the tensioner. Mechanics told me they have seen a lot of bad tensioner causing noise on these J engines, seems to be something common.


Though still some noise like diesel engine, but it is like this since I got this TL. Wondering if it is needed to be fixed, feel it maybe normal becuase it is high mileage(185k).