I recently brought my car to the dealer and they recommended that i change the timing belt and tensioner because of a leak they saw on the tensioner car has 110k on it. I told them to hold off until i get a few more price quotes. So i found a place that can do it a lot cheaper and bright it to them. I ordered the Aisin timing belt kit and had them install it. I asked the mechanic how bad was the original one was he said it was time to be changed but didn't notice anything abnormal. So i thought that was odd that he didn't notice the tensioner leak the dealer referred to. I called the dealer and asked how did they know if it was leaking if they never removed the timing covers and the service advisor said they is a small hole they can look through to see it without removing the timing cover. Is this true? or was the dealer just trying to get over on me. Let me know what you guys think.

 

The tensioner is partially outside the TB cover so if it was leaking (I'm not sure the tensioners we have are oil filled) it would be easy to tell by visual inspection. But I'm shocked, SHOCKED, that a dealer service rep or technician would misspeak (aka lie) to you.

I don't trust dealers to perform any maintenance or repairs. Years ago I brought my 1999 TL to the dealer (I think it was an airbag check) 3 weeks after I replaced the front brake rotors and pads. They called me and said my front pads were completely worn and the rotors were grooved and warped. I have not been back to that dealer other than to have keys programmed for my daughter's TSX.

 

aisin kit does not include the accessory tensioner!

 

Yes but it includes the timing belt tensioner i didn't need a accessory tensioner. Yeh I'm not sure if i will go back to that dealership but either way i needed to do it but they made it seem more urgent then it was.

 

I want to do the change myself but the quote at the dealer here in Greensboro NC is 1050 for timing belt, pump kit (their words) and i think it is a bit off. I also would like to replace my plugs at the same time, i could do the front ones myself but have no tools to check the back.
Anyone knows a good trusted mechanic around here? Anyone from here anyway? I am still fishing around.
Acura TL 2011 with 81,000miles.
thanks

 

Why are you doing a timing best and such at 81,000 miles? It is recommended at 105,000. I have 110,000 and just brought it in this week due to the oil consumption issue so doing the timing belt at the same time. Plugs are also recommended at 100,000 miles or so. No need to do it so early if the car is running good.

 

Thermoguy, the car is running very well if I can figure out why it's not starting now since i change my battery. It's a 30 ays old battery and I am wondering if alternator could be an issue since the life of an alternator is around 80K too. The car is right now at the mechanic to take a look. I can't DIM

 

Does anybody know the torque down specs for the bolts that are removed for 105k service? I bought a kit including the timing belt, water pump with rubber gasket, idler pulley, tensioner pulley, and hydrolic tensioner. Want to know the torque down numbers on the water pump, tensioner pulley, and hydraulic tensioner.

 

Is there a way to find out if the TB needs replacement, I was told by one of the local shop to get it changed ASAP and gave me a quote of some $1100.

The car 2010 TL has 83k miles on it, so wanted to check if there is any easy way to find out if it really needs replacement and what all would it need. TIA

 

There is no way I know of to tell if TB needs to be changed other than elapsed mileage.
You could take off one of the upper covers and inspect the TB but it probably looks fine.
83K miles is too soon. Wait till 105K as noted in the service manual.

 

Agreed. The timing components are very likely engineered to last considerably more than 105K miles simply based on engineering. Changing them early is definitely unnecessary.