nats007

Good Morning All,

I picked up a 2000 Acura FPR 3.2TL in April 2012 for a good deal for the Mrs and so far been enjoying the vehicle. I bought it with 169K and the transmission recently replaced (around 130K) with all electronics working expect for the driver heated seat. All servicing was done directly with Acura from the orignal owner. I usually do all the work myself, so I joined , but have been getting almost all my info from here.

TL currently has 200,360 miles on it. To date... I've done the following maintenance/restorations:

1) New Plugs
2) New brakes (rotors still good)
3) Oil change + filter (done several of these)
4) Double check serpentine belt condition (all good)
5) Double checked timing belt condition (all good)
6) Replaced oxygen sensor
7) Replaced ECT sensor
8) Replaced EGR valve
9) 3.2TL emblem that came off during washing it (left it off)
10) Replaced cabin filters
11) Replaced OEM rearview mirror (previous one exploded)
12) Replaced OEM hood dampers (both were blown)
13) Replaced air filter
14) Fixed arm rest lock (need new arr rest cover)
15) New front interior light assembly with homelink (works now with garage)
16) Spare tire (was missing)
17) Salvaged a trunk carpet/and trunk lid over spare tire (was missing)
18) 2003 OEM clear tail lights (HUGE difference)
19) New radiator
20) New radiator fan assembly
21) Attempted to clean interior carpet (stained up pretty bad from previous owner, so going to replace)
22) JVC Headunit with BT
23) 2003 TL wheels (currently on my RSX)


To do:
1) Oil leak from rear cylinder head (going to replace gaskets)
2) Rear main seal leaking
3) Clean out Intake Manifold and EGR from carbon buildup
4) Re-tint the car
5) Replace interior carpet
6) Exterior B pillar covers (black)
7) Get some floor mats
8) Replace interior panels (coming apart, but not high priority)
9) Repaint (paint is in good condition, but there are some bad scratches all around)

There was no real plans to mod this car, but it may end up being a project later on after combing through multiple thread on acurazine. I currently blow all my mod funds on my 2002 JRSC RSX Type S

Quick shot of the car... Actually needs a wash Will get better pics up later on

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

pretty red!

Mr. Maker

iTrader: (4)

In for thanks.

Gabru678

iTrader: (1)

HOORAY FPR!!
looks like a solid list :thumbs:

Gabru678

iTrader: (1)

HOORAY FPR!!
looks like a solid list


Edit: sorry about the double post

nats007

I appreciate it!

Here are a couple shots from when I installed the 02-03 clear tail lights. Looks sooo much better

TheMightyQuinn

Those tail lights look great!

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

Looks nice, good to see your taking care of all the maintenance, instead of posting up what turbo should you go with lol. I have a tls so I never had to deal with the amber tail lights, looks good keep it up.

nats007

Been there and done that... With my civics lol. I've outgrown that phase a while ago, but its funny to see those types of posts for TLs as it caught me off guard and took me back to my teenage years trying to mod my car.

nats007

Starting to look at replacement transmissions as a just in case as it is starting to show signs of slipping during part throttle acceleration. The car has 200,7xx and on its second tranny (first was replaced by Acura around 139K). I took it to a transmission shop for a test drive a couple weeks ago and it was not slipping at the time, but more sputtering during part throttle (in 3rd &4th gear). Of course the car drove fine, switched gears with no sputtering and he thought the tranny was fine.

With that, basic question. Looking into the 2007 Accord Auto V6. Is it recommended only to look for an 07 or would an 06 be OK? Also, I'm assuming as long as its a V6 auto, it doesn't matter if its a hybrid or non hybrid, correct?

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

I picked my TL up on the cheap because the guy thought the tranny was going out but I replaced all three eng mount and no more problems, it was jumping around at shits and at part throttle. From my understanding the AV6 trannys are basically the same as ours with a few improvements and hope fulling less mile making it better for a swap instead of a rebuild. I cant see how the hybrid tranny would work.

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

It is funny to see people do simple maintenance and feel a difference in power and think they have moded the ride.

nats007

Good to know... The mounts look solid and the engine isn't really jumping. Its now more of a pressing the gas and the car seems to hesitate to accelerate (with a slight grinding sound as if it is not in gear), but then it switches gears when I let off and it catches. Its sporadic at the moment.

As for the trannys, I was thinking the same thing about hybrid vs non-hybrid, but when I searched sites and choose ony the non-hybrid option, the hybrid trannies should up in the list as well

I'll just keep looking out for an 60-07 that I know pairs with their 3.0L V-6 non hybrid engine. Prices seem to range from $1400 to $500 from a quick search last night (depending on condition).

yea... no mods for this car... just maintenance to keep it running and looking clean

nats007

New valve cover gaskets, pcv valve, and throttle body gasket coming in for maintenance this weekend. Will post some before and after pics of the intake mani and EGR port getting cleaned out.

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

You should adjust the valves if your pulling the valve covers, if I remember correctly it should be checked every 100k or something like that. I like picture can't wait to see the progress.

nats007

So, I did not get an opportunity to work on the car as I planned. The Mrs. has the weekend booked with other events, so I couldn't work on the car. I did get a chance to clear the oxidation off the headlights and give it a good wash.

Here are some pics:

before:



after:




washed up:

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

Looking good!! I had to wet sand my headlights to get them back clear, but it really makes a difference.

Yikes

I appluad you sir. This thread is something that I've always wanted to do with my 2000 FPR TL ever since I got it last August, but always found myself lacking the money to do anything. Hopefully this summer, when I get back from college and get a steady job, I can get started.

I've really wanted to do the '02-'03 amber to clear tail light conversion too, but I'm still on the fence. Some things I need to do:

1) Oil change- have about 800 miles until I hit 3k on my current oil.
2) Timing belt- it's due in the next 5k-7k.
3) Serpantine belt- Should probably change it along with the timing belt
3) New spark plugs
4) Clean TB
5) Wet sand headlights (hopefully to get them as clear as yours!)
6) Should probably change the EGR valve.
7) New motor mounts- engine starts to shake at around 35 MPH.

I'm pretty sure the threads on my oil pan might be stripped. There is a small oil drip that leaks about a half quart every 1,000 miles or so. The oil spot on my driveway back home has gotten pretty big. I'll inspect it next time I change the oil.

nats007

Thank you Sir and yes it does I just wish there was a better way to keep them clear. I've done wetsanding, plastX, various headlight restorer kits multiple times and it just comes back after several months.

Thanks and truly appreciated Good list you have there for maintenance as being sure the car runs in great condition should be your top priority. Any questions, feel free to ask! When you clean your throttle body, go ahead clean out the intake manifold and EGR ports as well. There is a DIY on here and looks straightforward. I changed my EGR valve, but never cleaned the actual EGR port

I'll get some better shots posted of the clear tails... it really suits the car better in my opinion, especially the FPR!!!

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

nats I'm right there with you on the head lights seems like once you start working to get ride of the haze it a non stop battle.

Dman00tl

Same thing happened to me. It kept coming back after several months, so i just went and bought a new pair off of amazon.

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

Dman I thought about doing the same thing, but I strugel to come off the money when I can polish them back out in a few minutes. What did the Amazon set run you and how was the quality compared to the OEM?

nats007

x2 on this question...

Actually, one of the headlights (passenger side) is fairly new and the other is the original. The previous owner had a minor accident in the car that caused the headlight to be replaced.

nats007

Alright, this weekend I plan on getting some time to service the TL. The car has been driving funny lately (feels like it is slipping out of gear), so I started looking into a 3G 6MT, but after some talks with friends and members on AZ, I came back to my senses and will just service this car and continue with no car payments.

Should have some pics to come of the work. This car has definitely grown on me more than I thought it would.

nats007

Some quick snaps from yesterday at work. I remember saying I'll get some shots of the rear with the 03 tails. It flows so well with the FPR IMHO...





and a front shot

nats007

So I got the eBay motor mount kit and did some work on the car. I was able to knock out the front and passenger side motor mounts today. I'll finish up the rear and transmission mounts next weekend.

Took about 4 hours... I cannot stress the need for the right tools. Also, the DIYs on AZ are a HUGE help. Thanks to those who contribute as it makes these jobs a little easier for first timers. I will post some pics tomorrow.

After replacing the 2 I did today, I noticed the shudders decreased significantly. Its still there bit I know the rear and trans mounts are shot, so hoping once replaced things will smooth out more

tOny3

iTrader: (9)

Great progress so far, wish i had that color. I love red lol

nats007

Here are some pics from the side and front mount swap. Primarily, just a comparison of the old ones to the new ones











Front mount

03 tls nc

iTrader: (6)

Looking good man, its funny how these cars do grow on you. I picked mine up in trade getting out of an F250 that drank gas like crazy, and thought of it more as a beater. But now that I have given her a little TLC and a few performance parts I'm really happy with my TLS

Yikes

Nice window tint by the way. Did you have it done / do it yourself, or was it like that when you bought the car? I wish the windows on my 2G were tinted.

I've also wanted to throw some 2G TL-S rims on mine and get rid of the stock 16s, but I can't find any in decent shape for a reasonable price. Not even on ebay.

As far as wet sanding your headlights, what type of sealer did you use?

You're not kidding. I remember before I could even drive one of my brother's friends showed me his 2G CL-S and I can remember not really caring for it.

When it came time to get my own car, I was highly interested in the 6th generation accord, but I couldn't find a decent one for a fair price, not to mention those transmissions are just as notorious for failure as our TLs. Anyway one day I test drove a 1999 TL just for shits and giggles and fell in love with it. I was going to buy it but when I took it to my mechanic he read off a laundry list of work that needed done, so thankfully I ended up passing on it. Found the current one I drive on VA driven. Inquired just for the hell of it, because I thought for sure I wasn't going to buy a 200k car. Ended up getting a good deal on it, too.

Sure was nice to get out of the Jeep Grand Cherokee I was driving before. I loved the SUV itself, but it too drank gas like crazy. Being 16 years old at the time, there are only so many jobs you can get, so just filling the thing up was a huge drain on my pay check. Besides, when you're my age it's the bee's knees to drive a car that isn't owned by your parents. (This day in age, anyway)

OMG TL

Very nice and detailed I like where this is going and looking forward to further posts!

nats007

It has... This is my wife's car that we bought as a daily kid hauler after she donated her 2005 Mazda3 to my younger brother. She's OK with it, but it has grown tremendously on me. I'll end up keeping it as a beater for me and get her a newer car in the next year or two

I've even started looking into shops to do the AV6 swap and may have found one. Just haven't pulled the trigger yet...

Bought the car with the tint already from previous owner. It's actually in a pretty bad condition and looks like it was a DIY job, but the picture makes it look much better than it really is.

As for the sealant, I just used regular polish after wetsanding and Meguiar's plastX. I need to get a better sealant or add some wax tohelp protect. I've read that clear spray paint is another good option...

I have a set of 3G TL on my RSX I'm using for now that I may put on the TL. I'm not sure. I've also been looking at these from OE Wheel LLC:

17" 2G TL Wheels - Textured 17x6.5 SET
http://www.oewheelsllc.com/Wheels_3/...Acura/New-TL_2

Much appreciated! Things have slowed down, but I'm going to tackle the rear mount and 2 transmission mounts in the next couple of weeks and hopefully get around to doing some other misc work around the engine.

nats007

Got the 2G back from the shop on Friday. First ride home with the rebuilt transmission



Next day we were out driving to make sure all is well. So far so good until I noticed that when I put it in neutral, it seems to be in it but not showing on the dash. It can't shift into reverse unless I put a little pressure on the shifter and then it lights up the N on the dash and I can shift to R after that.

Going back Monday to get it sorted out... Other than that, all else seems ok with it and drives great.

nats007

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...postcount=3588

^ link to breakout of transmission rebuild, why, what was fixed, and cost that I posted in another thread

nats007

Reconnected the rear Bose subwoofer with the aftermarket headunit.

I already had the remote wire connected to the Metra harness. All I had to do was connect the RCA cable to the back of the HU, run the RCAs behind the rear seat, and connect the RCA via the DIY: https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/keeping-factory-sub-when-adding-aftermarket-headunit-99-03-tl-326253/

Factory sub


Bose amp behind rear seat (the orange wire with blue stripe and green wire with blue stripe is what you need)


Connected the RCAs


All done


Again, this isn't anything to brag about, but we got some bass back to compliment the rest of the bose sound system

02type-s

Nice! I need to do my mounts

nats007

So, I had a little problem while changing the PCV valve on the TL. It broke and fell in . This lead to me having to take off the valve cover to take it out, so I ended up knocking out a couple other DIYs.

The EGR ports were gunked up with carbon buildup. I used the following DIYs to get through cleaning it.

This is what needs to be cleaned: https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...67&postcount=8

and this in post #52: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=576074&page=2


Pics of the before and after:









After







Here are some pics taking during the intake manifold removal:

Instead of taking off the throttle cables, I decided just to remove the throttle body altogether and keep the cables intact. It was really easy and I was able to remove it without damaging the throttle body gasket. I did have one available if it was damaged.





Manifold off.



Next was the valve covers. For getting the valve covers off, I used this youtube video for guidance. This is for a J Series V6 Valve Adjustment, but same principle nonetheless:
Reason why I had to remove it:





Parts laid out


End of day 1. Started at 11PM and finished around 3am. I started pulling out the brittle gaskets and it was taking forever until I had enough


Day 2 was cleaning. Already have the cleaned up EGR pics above. Here are the valve covers



Spent a good bit off time removing the old gaskets and replaced with new ones. I highly recommend OEM gaskets here. I had OEM for the rear, but I did not for the front and ordered some ebay ones to save on cost. I got them to work, but it was a PITA! I would have gone and bought new ones from the dealer, but it was Sunday and I had to get the car back together. I also cleaned out the the throttle body by wiping it out with carb cleaner, clothes, and q tips.

Starting re re-install






Done!

Last note, be sure to take your time and pay attention during the re-install. Hook up the correct hoses back to where they belong and install gaskets in the right direction. For the past 2 days I was getting misfires on all cylinders because I flipped the EGR upper gasket unintentionally during reinstallation. I thought I had a bad coil and was about to go buy a new one when it turned out to be a simple mistake.

LAST NOTE: Do not overtorque the bolts and all should be well

Nicks2001tl

How was your car even running with the egr ports like that?


A headlight tip: After sanding put a wax on them and rewax as necessary. Problem is they will get foggy again without sealing them.

nats007

No clue... I was like the f#$% is all of this crap in there. No CEL or anything prior too, but now that its cleaned, I hope the car benefits from the better flow.

Thanks for the tip. Hope to be doing that this weekend

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

I miss my FPR more than any car I've owned.

if I had taken the time to put a AV6 tranny in it, I would have never gotten rid of it.