Timing belt on 2008 Acura TL

[mark lavrack]

Hello- I have a 2008 Acura Tl 3.2 base. I’m getting conflict of information on when the timing belt needs replacing. I have 60,000 miles on the current one. Some say you can go 100,000 miles. Can anyone suggest the correct information?

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[Rahul Jones]

If your car never had a timing belt replacement before I would suggest it is better you do it. The life of a timing belt is not just the Miles but the age is considered too. I drive an Alfa Romeo 155 V6, a car which is known for cam belts breaking and destroying the whole engine and suggested timing belt change interval is 5 Years/60,000Miles or 100,000KMs.

[Todd Smith]

60,000 miles t-belt changes are so 90’s. Nobody does that anymore. As for an Alfa Romeo 155, that was the book’s recommendation at the time. Take a look at anything produced after 2000 when the EPA mandated 100,000 mile tune-up free intervals. Oh wow! They are all 100,000 mile t-belt intervals now. Hmm, probably because manufacturers improved belt design along with Coil on plug (to eliminate plug wires and distributor caps) and went to iridium plugs (because expensive rare asteroid metal is about the only kind of plug that will last 100,000 miles).
Sure, a 90’s Alfa Romeo has a 60,000 mile interval. They didn’t have the EPA breathing down their necks when that car rolled off the assembly line back then. They were able to pump out a lot of cars with cheaper timing belts knowing full good and well you’ll be paying their dealer mechanics more often.
Truth is, your car is relatively young and the belt was only done 60,000 miles ago. Your service manual states 100,000 miles because all of Honda’s J series engines came out after the Tier 2 EPA regulations went into effect. Get with the times and keep some money in your pocket.
Heck, my 1990 Toyota Cressida has a 20 year old t-belt with 60,000 miles on it and it isn’t cracked and felt great when I changed the head gasket last week. That’s the kind of extreme circumstances where you want to change a belt due to age.

[Rahul Jones]

Don’t know about other Hondas and Acuras but on my friend’s 2014 Honda Pilot the recommended Timing belt replacement is 100,000KMs/60,000Miles. Unless I have a non-interference engine I wouldn’t risk postponing the timing belt change.

[Todd Smith]

Rahuljones, the service manual for your Pilot says to change the belt every 60,000 miles under extreme conditions. The normal maintenance interval is 90,000 miles.
“Replace timing belt and inspect water pump

If the vehicle is regularly driven in very high temperatures over 110 °F (43 °C), or in very low temperatures under －20 °F(－29 °C), or towing a trailer, replace every 60,000 miles (USA models)/100,000 km (Canada models) .”
That is from Honda’s website

[Rahul Jones]

It is possible that in my friend’s Pilot they have only mentioned for the extreme conditions as we are in the middle east and every country in this region exceeds the extreme conditions.

[Todd Smith]

Good point! I never really thought about what service is like in hot countries.

[Rahul Jones]

Even the transmission fluid change here is at 40,000KMs for most vehicles but in the US it says change only if driven in extreme conditions.

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