TL.Driver

took car into local dealer for A12, they said i need timing belt replacement, and are quoting me $1120 plus tax, I have 120,000 miles on the car (yes I drive a LOT). Is this necessary or should I wait? Seems pricey..

2006 Acura TL 6 speed-man

Legend2TL

Actually you're 15K over the limit with 105K miles being the replacement mileage for the timing belt under normal driving conditions. $1.1K is slightly pricey, call a Honda dealer since the TL 3G J32 motor is extremely similar to the Accord J30 motor.

So replace it ASAP, you do not want to spend ~$4-5K for a rebuilt motor. When the timing belt breaks the pistons tap-dance all over the engine valves!

TimTim

iTrader: (4)

^^ Yes, change it ASAP, a broken timing belt while driving will empty your pockets!

DaveD

I'm getting ready to take my 05 to the local Honda dealer.
He quoted me less than $700. They just did all 4 brake pads for $285.
Let's see that Acura Dealerships match that. Oh yeah. All genuine Acura parts.

Fulani has a TL

iTrader: (1)

Possible DIY for timing belt replacement?!!

CaryTL

I just did timing belt on my odyssey couple of weeks ago, and the belt looked pretty much new. many other DIYers mentioned that too.

how many people really had their belt broken due to high mileage?

Adobeman

It can be time and/or mileage. Honda's recommendations are considered to be conservative so most are usually safe going over 7yr/105Kmi. How much is crap shoot. We dumped out Oddy at 8+ years with 88K. Didn't do the belt on it but would have if we planned to keep it.

I'm sure you know this but "looking new" is no gauge of what life it's got left. You may snap it at 12 years and 80Kmi or at 140Kmi at 6 years. Enough have suffered the pain to make me follow the recommendations.

daniel_htech

the belts are due every 7 years or 105,000 miles at the same time your plugs are also due to be changed

as far as the comment on the belts looking new they pretty much always look good when we take them off but why take a chance on the belt jumping teeth or the belt it self breaking. The motors are a interference motors so pretty much most if not all of you valve are going to end up getting bent and as stated above it will cost a few k to fix.

Getting the belt done at honda will be cheaper because most of the time the parts are not marked up as high and the labor rate will be lower.

SouthernBoy

Yep. Honda has been building interference engines for years and it's a poor design. If they would just use a 60+ year old design with their pistons, they would no longer be interference engines. Cutting valve reliefs into the pistons is old rodder technology and works fine. I would bet the public would pay the extra dollars to have this peace of mind with their engines.

CaryTL

I know Honda engines are inference type and the engine may be damaged by broken belt.

but I haven't heard such a case for quite some time. >$1k for timing belt change is quite expensive. how much damage a broken belt can cause? back in the 90s I've heard some civic or accord cases, sometimes there were no engine damage, sometimes around $1k to have the engine fixed.

SouthernBoy

Not "inference", "interference".. BIG difference.

In the case of the engine in either of my 3G TL's, I would not want to find out how much it might cause, let alone the inconvenience. Suffice it to say, it ain't gonna be cheap.

Tripnbeats

even tho the belt looks new or like theres no wear...there is.

Legend2TL

I've changed a changed ~24 timing belts (mostly Acura/Honda's) and all looked in very good or great condition. Only very slight wear to the teeth, no cracks, delamination, tears/rips, or fraying.

I've seen a handful of belts that broke on other cars. With the exception of the break, it was realy hard to tell from inspecting the belt in the non-break parts of the belt if it was going to fail. If you ever see cracks or oil soaked on a TB, replace it immediately.

The one Acura vehicle that was very mileage sensitive was the 1G Integra. I know someone's who broke the TB at ~65K miles, there was no real replacement limit in the book but back then 5 years and 60K miles were considered the limit.

bukjoe15

iTrader: (1)

HA lucky me I have a friend that works at acura he got all OEM parts for me and did it for only 400 including parts if you live in the east coast he would charge you about thte same !

phee

iTrader: (5)

where ar eyou located? buy the OEM parts online and take it to a honda shop. shouldnt be more than 600 bucks

skads_187

If you go to a Honda dealer for a timing belt change, do they have the right to refuse the job?
(Im not sure if this makes a difference between US and Canada, Im from Canada)

Tripnbeats

^ i dont think so especially if its important... because its the same procedure just diff parts. if there even is any difference in parts.

ABP_04TL

iTrader: (2)

285 for brake change damn! ya gettin knocked the fuk out wit them prices...

either do it ur self or keep browsing, 1.1k for timing belt is ridiculous last time i changed it on my last car i paid 160 for timing belt, water pump, gasket seal...

CaryTL

thanks for correcting the word.

timing belt change ain't cheap either. sometimes manufacturers just want to be careful and recommend services often than the car can safely take.

lemonade

Just wondering, the honda dealer stock those acura oem parts (i know it's honda too), but i mean the TL's belt is the same as those on accord, or say any honda dealer can order a acura part for you? And do they have the service manual and data, like how many ft-lb torque needed on each bolt...?

My other Lexus is 90k now and due a timing belt and pump, Lexus quote me about $1100, i called a toyota they offered $600, what a sweet deal assuming they do the work correctly. Yes i am cheap i guess.

omelet1978

Where did he get the oem parts from? I'm going to be coming up on this in a year and would want to cut down on costs as much as I can!

t0talacuratl

iTrader: (3)

What are all the parts needed for a timing belt change? I'm at 90k and need to start thinking about this soon.

Tripnbeats

idler pulley tensioner waterpump and timing belt

Legend2TL

Timing Belt
Water Pump
Alternator A/C Belt
Power Steering Belt
Timing Belt Tensioner (optional if unit leaking from shaft seal)
Replace coolant
Replace oil (good ideal since it's very easy to get coolant in the dipstick hole)

t0talacuratl

iTrader: (3)

^^Thanks for the info!

DGP-King

Acura qoute'd me 950 and honda qoute'd me 700ish

belt costs 150....I'll take engine apart myself b4 shellin out 950!!!!

and yeah you need one 15k ago....you really hate your tl dont you!

bukjoe15

iTrader: (1)

around 300ish or less

Thinkmoto

Honda engine...poor design???? LMFAO!!!! lay off the moonshine. That is by far the funniest and stupiest thing I have ever read in my entire life. Every brand manufacturer out there has an interference motor.

You think 40's technology is going to net 100hp/liter? And still be driveable and net 30-40MPG? You have to be kidding me.

kneedragger87

What Acura obtains 100hp per liter or 40mpg?

skads_187

has anyone done it at Honda yet (the timing belt change)? did everything go well?

SouthernBoy

Easy boy. Watch your 'tude here.

My statement stands in light of its context and that is designing interference engines when there is no need to do so and an easy solution which would save a lot of people a lot of money and hearache. And I never spoke of 40's technology wringing 100hp/liter out of an engine. My point was simply using a technology that has been around for a long time and used by engine builders, and auto manufacturers for a number of years, to eliminate this very thing: introducing and engine's valves to its pistons. That's it. Nothing more than that.

So take your meds and take it easy. Enjoy the show and contribute rather than insult.

Tripnbeats

lol u guys need to check out the MYT Engine on google.... thats some serious shit on engine design. no valves just straight balls. the engine can run on air as well.

bzyrice

iTrader: (10)

120 hp per liter on an f20c in the s2k .. i beleive.. i think it also had the engine had the most hp per liter than any motor out there that was NA .. oh yah.. and when i had an s2k i would get around 29-30 mpr on hwy if i was driving slow.. lol

TL.Driver

I got the belt changed and paid the 1200, but i do sleep a little easier now.

Jiggy2dmax

iTrader: (1)

Almost certain Toyota/Lexus use non-interferance motors.

A more accurate statement would be most car manufacturers use Timing Chains opposed to belts.

m5runner

I paid to get mine done less than 2 weeks ago. It cost me $610 (parts and labor). I also had the timing belt and water pump replaced at the same time because i hate having to go back 10k miles later to get it done. my mechanic said the timing belt was almost there and the water pump was fine. I also sleep better at night knowing it's done also. If you can find a reputable Honda shop, it's possible they can do it for less. DO NOT take it to a shade-tree mechanic otherwise they will fuck your car up.

94eg!

My stock 97 JDM Integra Type R motor in a 94 Civic CX gets me 197hp @ 1.8L (109hp/L). I get 36mpg w/ minimal power-runs w/ mixed city & 75-80mph freeway. I could easily hit 40 if I ran 60-65 freeway only w/ no power runs.

You try building a NON-interference gasoline engine with 11:1 compression that's anywhere near that thermal efficient. Huge valve reliefs in the tops of the pistons would kill thermal efficiencies. This is why they don't use them...

FYI: The 96-00 JDM Civic Type R B16B used to hold the record for highest specific output (hp per liter) at 185hp @ 1.6L. That is until the S2K came out and killed it by an extra 5hp/L...

SouthernBoy

Maybe they don't need to be huge. Also there is the idea of piston design as an alternative to valve reliefs. In either case, I would wager that if the general public were in a position to have the choice between an interference engine (which I bet not all that many know they have in a Honda) and a non-interference engine, they'd opt for one that didn't self-destruct when the timing belt lets go.

It's a matter of trade-offs with most I suspect. Also, a hemispherical combustion chamber has better thermal efficiency then that of a pent roof design, but no one is making hemis with four valves per cylinder that I know of for street use (don't think any are doing if for racing either since the head design would be a mechanical nightmare).

Engine design has always been about trade offs, concessions, and compromises. Modern 4-stroke gasoline engines are marvels of engineering. And even the old pushrod wedge heads are still doing very well, thank you. The average car buyer, I would bet, would prefer reliability over most everything else. I would imagine that if a Honda/Acura salesman told a customer to, "make sure you change your timing belt when you are supposed to because if you don't you could lunch your engine", he would lose the sale in a heartbeat.

SHaFT7

you guys forget that the mass public would probably not keep a car like this long enough to have to do the belt. always have to upgrade to keep up with the jones's....

therefore they won't care if it's interference or not

Dave_W

I hear you about keeping up with the jones's. I saw a lot of that crap when I was working at the Acura dealer. And those same fools didn't want to utter a word to me till they found out what I was driving. I was a bit leary of the interference engines at first, but I realized that if I take care of my car that there should never be a problem with the valves hitting the pistons. True Story: When I was working at the Acura dealer, in the whole 2 years I was there, not one single TL came in with a broken timing belt or any valve hitting the piston issues. However, we did have a TSX come in the jumped time and was running horrible because the stupid kid was reving the engine 7000= rpm the whole time. Infact the honda equipment proved that his engine was at 7100 rpm when it jumped time. Don't know how, but that repair got covered under warranty as well. I like the hemispherical engines and always have. Maybe at some point, honda will incorporate that technology in to their engines.