dsmdc5

I recently purchased an 06 TL but Im not sure it the timing belt has ever been replaced.

I called the Acura Dealership to see how much it would cost to inspect the timing belt. They told me they would charge $125 just to pull off the covers and inspect the timing belt.

Is there an easier way for me to do this?

Thanks

Azndjay

how many miles u got?

dsmdc5

I have 110k.

According to the Carfax report, recommended maintenance was performed at 98,663 miles by the Acura Dealership.

WdnUlik2no

I dunno, that seems kind of high to inspect. But considering if the belt breaks you are looking at about $6000, I guess it would be worth it for piece of mind. Do you have an indy shop you trust who can inspect it? Acura dealers tend to overcharge for service. If you get it done, make sure Acura applies the inspection cost to the timing belt replacement.

Before doing anything you can also try calling the dealer listed on the carfax report to see exactly what was done. I did the same thing on an Altima I was looking to buy for my wife. I called the repair shop (aamco) and they told me everything that was done during that service visit. I just gave them the VIN and they were able to pull up the service records.

ez12a

i'd think that the acura dealer has detailed records. Could you call them with your VIN?

A visual inspection can't be relied on. These belts dont crack like old style ones do (According to Gates' website regarding drive belts).

dsmdc5

So you wouldnt be able to tell just by looking at the belt?

truonghthe

there is a simple way to see if the belt was change, You should look at the nut that holding the crank pulley and see if it kinda scratch off and shining metal appear then it is a good sign that he changed the TB, if its looks rusted like the rest of the bolt then the TB is left untouch that is how I look at it when come to used car and see if TB already done or not.

dsmdc5

The nut on the crank pulley could have been used during a valve adjustment.
Am I wrong?

The tech told me the only way to see was to take the cover off.

I called the dealership and left a message.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

First, I'd call Acura to check maintenance records that might be on file.

Probably charging 1 hour for the service, but to inspect, remove the serpentine belt and upper front cover then you'll be able to see if belt has original or aftermarket identification, oil or water contamination, cracks, etc. Even if OE markings, you should be able to detect if relatively new, if not do a replacement.

truonghthe

Valve adjustment doesn't have to do anything with crank pulley, Valve adjustment only involving in remove the valve cover and re-tighten all of the valve spring nut into within factory specs. the only time they would remove that nut from the crank pulley for two reasons.

1. Previous owner decided to put of after market light weight pulley.

2. The TB/WP service had done.


If you are in tight budget then I would recommend go my way. If you like to spend $$$$ then proceed with your idea.

ep3kid914

sorry to come out of nowere im a newbie when it comes to mechanic stuff i got a tl with 160 original motor and transmission according to the previous owner they did the timing belt at 100k supposely where is the nut that is holding the crank pulley located at? happen to have a pic to show me better thanks

gideon's_test

When doing a valve adjustment, in order to advance the engine to TDC for each cylinder, a socket/ratchet is used on the crank pulley to rotate the engine. OP is correct on this.

truonghthe

the nut that holding the crank pulley locate on the passenger side, you must remove partial of the fender liner to gain access to the nut.

yes you turn the pulley not use an impact gun to shoot that nut out, turning wont produce strip tiny shinning metal, meanwhile if you remove the crank pulley then you will have to force that nut out.

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

I am wondering the same thing ?
I bought an 07 Type-S with 53,800 miles. I forgot how many years verses mileage ?

truonghthe

^^^ 7 years/105k miles which ever come first.


OP it is obvious that if you bring to the dealer they would charge you for $125 after that the classic line will follow "Sir! we found that your TB is due for service, if you wait any time soon it may damage your engine". Even if the previous owner replaced the TB. This is one thing I like about knowing working on car, Honda dealer try to pull that sh*t on me once with my Accord knowing that the TB already being replaced twice at 110k miles (first time by previous owner using crap part and the 2nd time by my mechanic replace with OEM parts) they still trying to pull that sh*t. I look at the guy laugh and tell him GTFO.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

There is no years and no mileage figure, just the MID that comes on with the service @ 105k miles.

ep3kid914

oh ok thansk will check later when i get home i recently took it to the dealer to get some codes and they didnt tell me anything about my timing belt so i would assume its good?

nfnsquared

$125 to pull those covers off is certainly not out of line, ask anyone who has been there, done that.

But I really don't know that an inspection can determine if the belt has been changed or not. Most people who did the TB change at around 100K say the belt was in pristine condition visually.

truonghthe

So you trying to tell me if some people keep their (lets say 04 TL) in the garage collecting dust which has 10k miles on the clock and they sell the car to someone else in 2018 and you tell me that you don't have to change TB? then what happened when earlier model TL like 3rd gen or other like the Legend didn't have MID then I guess the TB is good forever since there is no display. In the past I was actually witness a 95 Acura legend LS coupe with 28k miles on the clock getting the TB service done back in 2006. I hope you know that rubber does break down over time if not use regularly right? so the next time before you throw out something please do a little bit of research before throw it out there.


Here is the question always asked by other member

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-1999-2003-98/acura-tl-timing-belt-change-no-794313/
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/2004-tl-51k-miles-change-timing-belt-845645/

nfnsquared

He's telling you exactly what the owner's manual and service manual both tell you: The timing belt change is due when you get a "4" on the MID and the message changes to "service due now".

ghettocrxsi

You can remove the upper covers by removing the "10" 10mm bolts and take the cam covers off to look at the timing belt.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the response, great backup as usual!

lummer23

So I'm looking to get my timing belt changed as well and my dealer told me that they do it at 60K. I also live in Arizona and they used the heat as their reasoning. Any thoughts?

nfnsquared

60K for extreme conditions, which is driving regularly in temperatures over 110F. It's in your owner's manual.

maseace

Here's the timing belt inspection from the service manual.

Dynamic-uzed-auto

My rule of dumb is any car I acquire with 90k or above miles I factor in I will do the timing belt, it's piece of mind minus the guessing games. Also you start ownership with a clean bill of health.

Adobeman

So my '05 has about 52Kmi on it and one local dealer's telling me 7 years and the other is saying "go another year" so I decided to call Acura Client relations directly directly at (800) 382-2238. They said go by the maintenance minder. When it shows a 4 it's time. Old school me feels a bit at odds with that but they are convinced the MID knows all and has more "smarts" to it than just time/miles calculations.

I do recall seeing something about if you change your oil early it could mess up the MIDs showing messages. Since I do so little mileage I tend to change my oil at 6mos intervals. That's typically 50% on the MID. Truth is I don't ever recall seeing much else than a "B" or a "1" when I've reset oil to 100%. I've kept up with filters, brake fluid flush, coolant, etc. DIY on my own admittedly old school time/mileage schedule. That stuff's relatively small dollar-wise. Timing belt's beyond my DIY (stinkin' crank pulley) and a chunk of change so I'd rather not "over maintain" in this case.

Will the MID still show a 4 on time/accurately? Or have I confused it?

dsmdc5

Thanks!

MEKO

iTrader: (1)

Dealer told me that if you havent't turned off the MID as in came to service everytime...you have to go with service number 4. It might pass 107...no problem.

Ifff you don't go to dealer and keep turning off the MID message. Then to make sure we replace it on 107 or 7 years.

This is what they said.
Mine just passed 101010 and my TL never been to a another place other than the dealer.

I really wondering when the 4 will light up...

Adobeman

I think your dealers confusing you. Resetting, what you call "turning off" the MID is SOP for when you have maintenance done.

I did a little more research on my earlier question (which I should have done before...I should know better) and found resetting the MID early doesn't seem to be a big deal. Seems like if you were "going to see a "4" at your next oil change and you do the oil a little early, you will still see the "4". If you do the oil a lot early it may defer it until the next change.

Excerpts from Acura Service News 9/2005

truonghthe

MID Electronic is good in a way but it can't tell everything, beside it can't even tell if you put full Synthetic oil in the car anyway. Same goes for your TB, MID doesn't know how much degrade of rubber is. MID information only display what the car manufacture programs it to be other than that they can't tell you everything. For me if my car is 52k miles and it past 7 years mark, I would do it and get it done and over with. Why people don't want to spend $1200 for a TB job? then later we gona heard a post saying that "my TB snap at 60k miles and it cost $2500 for and engine replacement". I just don't get that logic.

erdoc48

Here's my take, and I'm sure some folks will disagree:
-I have a Honda motorcycle, an ST1100 (2000 MY) so now it's 12 years old with the original TB. It has only 22000 miles on it. The service manual specifies an inspection of the belt at 60,000 miles and a replacement at 90,000 miles with no time interval specified. As my bike is 12 years old, I got a little concerned about the TB replacement, so I PM'd one of the gurus on the ST owners website. He had done quite a few TB replacements on these bikes for himself and others, and in each case, even with bikes as old as 20 years (bike had been in production from 1991-2002), there had never been a case of a belt breaking and when removed, the TB all looked as new (in fact, the only failure listed occurred when a water pump bearing seized and the belt was dragged over the seized pulley, causing it to break). Just for reference, these bikes each had > 100,000 miles when the belts were changed.

-My old TL (2000) is owned by my brother- he had the TB done at 140,000 miles, and got his old belt back after the swap- he inspected it carefully and indicated it looked like new (don't forget that the TB is a rubber compound, not pure rubber, and typically with a Kevlar core for strength).

-I sometimes worry about 'overmaintaining' a car, as it was machine assembled and generally, all cars coming from the factory have the same parts and torque specs applied. I have heard of problems secondary to maintenance, like an improperly installed TB with subsequent failure as well (also could fail due to use of 'less than OEM part') meaning that good intentions can sometimes go awry.

-As for me, I'll wait until the MID says '4' (for me, based on my current driving, another 2-3 years). Honda has been building pretty decent engines all these years and I'm sure engineers a 'failure interval' into a lot of what they do (in other words, the motor isn't going to destroy itself promptly at 105K if the TB isn't done right at that moment). Is it smart to do it when the MID indicates? Yes, but doing it early when the car isn't subject to extremes of environment likely isn't needed either.

Just my opinion/$0.02.

MEKO

iTrader: (1)

My dad's friend had a 2000 TL also and did the TB service around 140K too.