Could my TB really be bad already?

[95nsxtc]

As some of you may know, im not the fondest of my dealer here but anyway, i took it in yesterday to investigate what i thought may be a bad wheel bearing since my coilovers have gone on but it was jus the tire

during the test drive, the tech tells me that he feels my timing slipping through almost every gear at low RPM... i admit, if i am going a very low speed and i use second, the engine sounds like its churning a lil weird until around 1500 rpm, but i dont notice it in anything else, ever, and i only attribute that it sounded weird because A) not much torque in our cars, especially low rpms and B) its never really at a low rpm for long so i may not be used to what the engine sounds like.

but as for my TB, it was last changed Aug 2010 about ~25000 mi ago

any one think it could really be bad already?

 

[DocL]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I've never heard of a timing belt slipping on these cars. Can they be off by a tooth or two, sure.

Some of the more technically inclined people will chime in and give their opinion also.

 

[DragonBallZ.]

I'm no expert but if your tb was slipping I can't imagine your car being drivable.

 

[JohnWayne]

This is at the Acura dealer in Charlotte?

 

[Old Guy]

Was your tech referring to the valve timing or the ignition timing? The valve timing cannot be continuously slipping. If the tensioner is bad or you have an over rev on a bad down shift it can hop belt notches. Hop more than one notch and you are probably approaching non operable or bent valve territory. The belt definitely cannot skip a notch and then go back to normal operation.

It would be possible for the ECU to retard the ignition timing and then allow the timing to return to normal before inducing some retard / slipping again. If your engine has some carbon build up, the elevated compression ratio and potential hot spots may be enhancing the conditions for detonation. Hammering the throttle open at low RPM may be inducing detonation which is casing the ECU to retard the ignition timing.

You need to confirm what the tech said. Did he say that the belt had skipped a notch?. If he said that the belt was continuously slipping, you need to ask him how the engine could still be operating and why the valves are not bent if the belt has been slipping (and maybe look for a new service tech). If the problem is ignition timing, the potential solutions are likely different that a valve timing problem.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Whatever he is referencing, it has "0" to do with the timing belt.......

 

[95nsxtc]

I'm no expert but if your tb was slipping I can't imagine your car being drivable.

this was my first thot to the statement, which apparently was pretty read-able by my face when he said it because it was followed by thats what he said...

- - - Updated - - -

This is at the Acura dealer in Charlotte?

yep, Hendrick

- - - Updated - - -

Was your tech referring to the valve timing or the ignition timing? The valve timing cannot be continuously slipping. If the tensioner is bad or you have an over rev on a bad down shift it can hop belt notches. Hop more than one notch and you are probably approaching non operable or bent valve territory. The belt definitely cannot skip a notch and then go back to normal operation.

It would be possible for the ECU to retard the ignition timing and then allow the timing to return to normal before inducing some retard / slipping again. If your engine has some carbon build up, the elevated compression ratio and potential hot spots may be enhancing the conditions for detonation. Hammering the throttle open at low RPM may be inducing detonation which is casing the ECU to retard the ignition timing.

You need to confirm what the tech said. Did he say that the belt had skipped a notch?. If he said that the belt was continuously slipping, you need to ask him how the engine could still be operating and why the valves are not bent if the belt has been slipping (and maybe look for a new service tech). If the problem is ignition timing, the potential solutions are likely different that a valve timing problem.

yea i was going to ask again tomorrow when i go in to pick it up because most everything you said makes sense to me and were similar thoughts that i had. but just to respond to what you said, i have literally only probably launched or hit put the pedal down from a near stop twice in ownership, im always rolling into it. i would love to look for a new service tech but every other place near me (hour or so) wont work on it. i do most the work on my car myself for this reason but every now and then i get worried about a job i maybe cant handle, like when i let them do my clutch and they destroyed my front lip

and to everyone else i appreciate the responses greatly

 

[nsxtasy]

Whatever he is referencing, it has "0" to do with the timing belt.......

I wonder whether what was actually "slipping" was the clutch, rather than the engine timing.

 

[95nsxtc]

I wonder whether what was actually "slipping" was the clutch, rather than the engine timing.

it better not be the clutch or they get to have fun wih that... less than 7k miles on the current clutch

 

[DragonBallZ.]

When was your last tune up? Was it hesitation maybe? Bad plugs or bad o2 sensors? Just throwing that out

 

[95nsxtc]

When was your last tune up? Was it hesitation maybe? Bad plugs or bad o2 sensors? Just throwing that out

not hesitation, more like bogging down, not by much but i personally notice it in secons. but for reference i did the throttle body, coils and plugs less than 5k ago and my car is a drive by wire

 

[warrenw]

Get the work that needs to be done in a formal written quote. This is for your benefit.
It sounds like the tech was talking about your clutch... not your timing belt.

 

[jwmelvin]

A slipping clutch would hardly be characterized as bogging.

 

[95nsxtc]

Get the work that needs to be done in a formal written quote. This is for your benefit.
It sounds like the tech was talking about your clutch... not your timing belt.

i agree to the first part of ur statement very much.

however i am very familiar with the clutch slipping feel on this car as i bought mine with a bad master cylinder and drove it 700 mi with it and then put a new clutch and master in.

again thx for the help so far. i will update tomorrow on what they tell me when i pick up the car

 

[Jinks]

Sounds like typical coil pack issues. Though one member here Elijiahcole had these issues and it was his timing was way off at the cam gears.

- - - Updated - - -

When my clutch started slipping, the motor itself would still run fine, but it just sounded weird until the clutch finally grabbed and it had a huge lack of power through gear 1&2.

 

[95nsxtc]

so i pick up the car and im pissed off as hell. NO ONE GO TO THIS DEALER. Idk if theyre just the best at fucking people over or what

Of course i ask them about the TB bs and they were like o, idk what ur talking about. But the problem i left the car there for was because my brake pedal was fading while sitting still and they claimed it was fixed after a brake fluid flush!!!!!!
and they claim the drove the thing and didnt experience it when it did it as soon as i turned it on sitting still, this is ridiculous

if anyone on here is friends with anyone at that dealership, have them call me to fix it asap.

on another note does anyone have any experience with brake master cylinders/where i should buy?

 

[DocL]

That sucks. Get your money back for the brake flush and order a master cylinder from one of the dealers who is a vendor here. It's not a difficult DIY, as long as you bench bleed the new MC first.