Timing belt job fixed off-the-line lag

[mclasser]

Background: Beginning last summer, my 2013 Pilot would randomly lag when accelerating from a stop. It would happen on warmer days (80+) and not in the winter. As possible remedies and because some of these items were due anyway, I did the following last summer:

• Spark plugs
• S-VCM disabler
• PCV valve
• ATF, VTM-4 and transfer case fluids
• Oil change
• Air filter and cleaned MAF sensor
• Bottle of fuel system cleaner

While I noticed a smoother idle and slightly improved MPG after doing the above items, the lag was still present until the start of this summer.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago: The timing belt was due (well, overdue). I had my indy mechanic replace the t-belt, water pump, tensioner and drive belt using all genuine Honda parts.

Since the t-belt job, I've driven on many 80+ degree days and the lag is now gone. The acceleration feels tight again like when the car was new (that smooth J-series power ).

The only explanation I can think of is possible slack in the old t-belt. My mechanic returned the old parts and the tensioner was leaking a little. Perhaps it wasn't keeping enough tension on the belt and this would manifest itself on warmer days....? I guess the tensioner was just starting to fail because there wasn't any cold startup rattle yet, which is a telltale sign of tensioner bye-bye on these engines. The old belt still looked good, however.

So I guess the lesson is don't wait 10.5 yrs / 90k miles to do the t-belt job. The belt itself can last a long time but the tensioner is the Achilles Heel of this ensemble.

I will continue monitoring during the really hot and muggy days later this summer but I'm confident the issue is fixed.

 

[I<3oil]

Background: Beginning last summer, my 2013 Pilot would randomly lag when accelerating from a stop. It would happen on warmer days (80+) and not in the winter. As possible remedies and because some of these items were due anyway, I did the following last summer:

• Spark plugs
• S-VCM disabler
• PCV valve
• ATF, VTM-4 and transfer case fluids
• Oil change
• Air filter and cleaned MAF sensor
• Bottle of fuel system cleaner

While I noticed a smoother idle and slightly improved MPG after doing the above items, the lag was still present until the start of this summer.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago: The timing belt was due (well, overdue). I had my indy mechanic replace the t-belt, water pump, tensioner and drive belt using all genuine Honda parts.

Since the t-belt job, I've driven on many 80+ degree days and the lag is now gone. The acceleration feels tight again like when the car was new (that smooth J-series power ).

The only explanation I can think of is possible slack in the old t-belt. My mechanic returned the old parts and the tensioner was leaking a little. Perhaps it wasn't keeping enough tension on the belt and this would manifest itself on warmer days....? I guess the tensioner was just starting to fail because there wasn't any cold startup rattle yet, which is a telltale sign of tensioner bye-bye on these engines. The old belt still looked good, however.

So I guess the lesson is don't wait 10.5 yrs / 90k miles to do the t-belt job. The belt itself can last a long time but the tensioner is the Achilles Heel.

I will continue monitoring during the really hot and muggy days later this summer but I'm confident the issue is fixed.

Most places generally recommend 90-100k or 7 years on a t-belt setup so yeah, 10.5 years it was definitely over on time.

 

[ls1mike]

That is good news. I remember my old 80's-90's Turbo Dodges were not interference heads, you could run them WAY out but lag was horrible, picked one up(86 fully loaded 2.2 turbo Lancer) at auction that was abandoned due to that. Swapped the T belt, that little 2.2 turbo scooted along and gave me 80,000 trouble free miles. I paid 125 dollars for it. That was 1998 I daily drove it so I didn't have to drive my 1998 Z28 daily. Never underestimate the value of proper maintenance on a timing belt.

 

[benjy]

a VERY important + often neglected part as some owners dont even know ANYTHING about the chains or more importantly timing belts until !!!! $$$$ on an interference fit engine as most are these days!

 

[willbur]

Background: Beginning last summer, my 2013 Pilot would randomly lag when accelerating from a stop. It would happen on warmer days (80+) and not in the winter. As possible remedies and because some of these items were due anyway, I did the following last summer:

• Spark plugs
• S-VCM disabler
• PCV valve
• ATF, VTM-4 and transfer case fluids
• Oil change
• Air filter and cleaned MAF sensor
• Bottle of fuel system cleaner

While I noticed a smoother idle and slightly improved MPG after doing the above items, the lag was still present until the start of this summer.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago: The timing belt was due (well, overdue). I had my indy mechanic replace the t-belt, water pump, tensioner and drive belt using all genuine Honda parts.

Since the t-belt job, I've driven on many 80+ degree days and the lag is now gone. The acceleration feels tight again like when the car was new (that smooth J-series power ).

The only explanation I can think of is possible slack in the old t-belt. My mechanic returned the old parts and the tensioner was leaking a little. Perhaps it wasn't keeping enough tension on the belt and this would manifest itself on warmer days....? I guess the tensioner was just starting to fail because there wasn't any cold startup rattle yet, which is a telltale sign of tensioner bye-bye on these engines. The old belt still looked good, however.

So I guess the lesson is don't wait 10.5 yrs / 90k miles to do the t-belt job. The belt itself can last a long time but the tensioner is the Achilles Heel of this ensemble.

I will continue monitoring during the really hot and muggy days later this summer but I'm confident the issue is fixed.

I noticed the same thing on mine. Did the TB replacement. Car definetly felt like it had more power. The original TB was like new and TBs do not stretch Did notice the tensioner had a little leak. Perhaps, as you say, it left a little slack in the TB

 

[JHZR2]

a VERY important + often neglected part as some owners dont even know ANYTHING about the chains or more importantly timing belts until !!!! $$$$ on an interference fit engine as most are these days!

Or worse, they ignore the fact that chains too wear, and offset timing.

 

[meep]

Awesome post. I had a slight miss at idle in a Subaru 2.2 years ago along with a misfire light on cyl 4, mostly, but the others would show errors as well, just not as often. The TB had 36k on it. The water pump failed, so I installed a new TB while I was in there. The whole engine straightened out. Haven’t used anything but oem belts since then.