Gary Brown

Hey every I have an 07 Acura TL automatic 3.2 base 134k miles. I’m located in NJ at Mcguire AFB . I recently took it to a shop to get an engine replacement because the mechanic said the timing chain broke which caused rods to bend. So I paid 1600 for a used engine with 80k miles and I was quoted 1300 for the installation. The mechanic then tells me week by week that random parts are bad as well, so far it has been a fuel pump, fuel control unit, tie rods and now he is saying there is a problem with the transmission ( saying it’s not going into third fourth or reverse, when the car was working I didn’t have a problem with any of these things besides the engine)and it could either be a transmission soilnoid or an entire transmission. I need to know should I bring to a different mechanic because I feel like I’m being cheated. What should I do and is the car even worth it anymore I need help.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Look, the hard truth is...10 year old cars need love.
cars need to be taken care of on a monthly basis!
they need their fluids changed, they need tires, they need good fuel, they need replacement parts, they need lots of things. they are worse than a needy girlfriend.

you can mitigate these needy costs, by replacing parts on time.
for example; the timing belt needed to be addressed at 105k miles.

if you let these issues sit and stew, you're looking at a hefty repair bill when the time comes.

okay, my dad hat is off and here is the advice...
Do you owe money on this car? if so, how much?
what's your income looking like? What are your expenses?

if the car is paid off, I would suck it up and keep the car.
if the car isnt paid off, I would suck it up and keep the car.

90foxnotch

Do you trust the shop you took it to? I can understand the timing belt being an issue and needing a new engine, but not sure how a fuel pump randomly just quits. Honda fuel pumps are pretty strong from factory. The transmission is a common failure and hopefully you do not need a new one. Depending on the condition of the car it might be worth it just to repair what it needs but a second opinion never hurts.

Ron A

Welcome to the forums.

Since this is a topic/technical issue which will require replies, and not a "New Member Introduction", I moved this thread to the model specific forum.

truonghthe

sorry to heard about your issues but however the fuel pump and AT is something you need another expert opinion. I had two TL and none of them has transmission problem. I never had a bad fuel pump with Honda/Toyota product given the mileage around 200k miles.

Scottwax

280k on my first Accord, 238k on the current one, both have the original fuel pumps. Not even my piece of crap 626 needed one. Not saying they don't go bad but it isn't a common problem unless you have an E90/92/93 BMW 335.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

We don't have timing chains..

Go somewhere else

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

How reputable is this shop? Do you know the mechanic? Get a 2nd opinion.

134k is nothing. How many miles were on it when you bought it?

Take it from me, I had no car payments on my beater, totaled it out, and now have payments. Car payments suck! If you're not dropping at least 250+ a month on the car, keep it. Get all the maintenance done and it should run for a while.

Gary Brown

I bought the car when it had 68k miles on it. That’s what I was thinking it should last forever after this engine change if I keep up with the maintenance.

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

So did you change the TB and water pump at 105k? That would be very strange for it to break at a snag under 30k.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

I find the comments you related to us from your shop in original post a bit suspect. Why? Personally I think you need to find a different shop, I mean "bent rods" from a broken timing belt? As a general rule, a broken timing belt either means rebuilt or replaced heads, not an entire replaced engine.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

This.....

nfnsquared

You shouldn't need a whole engine if the TB broke, you should only need new/rebuilt heads/valves. Your mechanic is a dumbass or a crook.

1black_seven

iTrader: (2)

I bought an abused TL... I put it on jack stands to get the clutch changed in September. Four months and $6400 later I have a beautiful and fully functional car.

DMZ

Hey! He's one of my guyz !
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truonghthe

So let me get this straight, OP has perfectly working condition car until the timing belt broke. At which point he hire the mechanic to replace engine and then all the sudden everything (fuel pump, transmission, etc...) goes bad? OP you need another opinion from different mechanic since the first one sound like a crook to me.

quantum7

Not to be harsh, but did you do the timing belt at 105k, and if not, why not? Seems to be a gamble to run it past and unfortunately the gamble did not pay off. The 07 TL is a very reliable car if properly maintained.

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

I've asked that. I'm thinking not. If he did, 30k and a TB breaks....

truonghthe

because you know some people here with the slogan "if it isn't broke don't replace"

BTW no mean I wasn't talking about OP situation, I am assuming he did change the TB. I saw Honda TB snap before and the guy who perform the work is an instructor for Automotive mechanic school in Panama City. Hard to believe but in the end he got two bend valves on cylinder 5 and yes he did use OEM TB belt.

nfnsquared

Meh, if the belt went at 137K, I can almost guarantee it wasn't because of the belt wearing out. The tensioner was probably at fault....

stevemk07

While on the topic... Who makes the best tensioner for our cars? I ak gonna do this job this spring/summer amd dont wanna cheap out on these parts.

Acura TL Builder

Gates/Mitsuboshi - get the kit on amazon. I'm going to do mine in the next 8 weeks

Glorygang600

6400 on what exactly? Your not a dIyer are you?

DMZ

Get the AISIN kit from rockauto. OEM parts without the Honda name on the package, or the OEM price!
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Chad05TL

I would doubt needing an entire engine. Because I had a 3000GT years ago that broke the timing belt and the valve collided with the pistons and bent the valves. No damage was done to pistons because they are pretty solid and if it comes to the pistons or the valves, the valve will always lose because they only have the valve stem for support.. but the piston is bigger and is surrounded by the cylinder walls and its very stable. So, all they did was replace the valves and timing belt and it ran as smooth as a kitten afterward.

It sounds like the mechanic just doesn't want to do all that internal work. Lots of mechanics today get paid the same whether or not they have a big job or a little one. I even had a mechanic tell me once, why would I want to hunt and try to fix your electrical problem when I can do someone else's brakes in half the time and make the same amount?
This may seem like a stretch, but for these front wheel drive cars, these transmissions and engines are really all crammed together and they can swap it all out at once. BUt that would be a lot of money. Much more than these cars are presently worth. I would not trust this mechanic from what I can tell now.

As for transmissions, My transmission was not shifting into reverse or even first gear after I did a transmission fluid swap. But I knew there was not anything wrong with it. So, I just let the engine warm up and then slowly let it go into gear and then drove around my block like 5 times and it began to shift properly. somehow the transmission adjusts itself every time fluid is changed or added. And it might take a good 15 minutes of idle and then another 15 to 20 minutes of babying the car in 1st gear around the block, to get it to shift correctly. I gave this advice to someone else on this website and he did like I said, and instead of taking his car into the shop immediately, he drove it around and it began to work properly. But the key point here is that we did a fluid swap and "nothing was wrong before hand".. that was what you just said above. So, even if this mechanic is not lying, he may not be well informed. Did he swap the fluid?