TB DIY 26.3.-29.3.2008 (56k warning!)

[goldNSX]

As promissed in an earlier thread we did the TB and the cam plugs on Deylo's car. We did the gearbox some months ago and couldn't resist doing more adventures with the NSX. We've planned on taking the engine out. I know it's not necessary for the TB alone but we felt it was much more easier to work on the engine while out. Both of us were preparing the steps by the SM and thank this way to all contributions here on Prime. Deylo was working, I was documenting and checking.

Work on the car to be done:

-TB/waterpump/TB guide
-cam plugs (leaking)
-water hoses around the engine
-one axle boot
-several small gaskets
-Speed Bleeders

Time planned: 3 days at most

 

[goldNSX]

Pic 1+2: This car is well known, still with the engine installed. Where is it? There must have been an engine in it in the past as it wouldn't growl by stepping on the throttle. :wink: BUT where is it? Ok, time to get it out.
Pic 3-5: But first, time to remove some stuff like electric cables, air filter box, coolant...quite easy task I have to admit. Of some crititcal areas it was good to take some pics just as a reminder (and not installing the water bottle in the place of the air filter )

 

[goldNSX]

BTW: Nice interior.

 

[goldNSX]

All went quite easily we thought till the next step: Taking off the famous pulley. I've thought of it several times during the preparation and read about it several times here on prime and knew that air tools won't do it, that you must have the special Honda tool, that there have been 45mm and 50mm and LONG wrench to take it off. How could we forget and assume that the dealer had this tool?! He didn't, our fault! This was earlier in the morning, so we went to a local Honda dealer and he only had the 50 mm one (we need 45mm). Next try: Calling another Honda dealer farer away: 'Do you have the 45 mm tool?' 'Yes, we do'. Ok, driving half an hour, getting it, not measuring the size, driving half an hour back, first try, CRAP! didn't fit, 50 mm!
Two problems: Driving the wrong tool back (1 hour lost again) and getting the right one. By the time: What is the chance of getting the tool at another (farer!) Honda dealer than making one by ourself! That's the decision! We thought the probability of doing one ourself is much bigger. So we went to a rail station (BLS) and asked for a 45 mm nut, a long steel arm, welding them together and boring a hole. Bingo! We had big luck and 1.5 hours and a fraction of the costs of the Honda tool (!) later we released the pulley. Downside: Half a day lost. Ok, next time we have it. :wink:
BIG thanks for Mr. Schorer at BLS for being this cooperative! BIG thumbs up for BLS! http://www.bls.ch/d/werkstaetten/werkstaetten.php

Our tool is the rusty, long one.

 

[goldNSX]

Time to get the engine out: DIVORCE! (as the mounting of it is called 'marriage') Slowly lifting the car over the engine, always checking if something needs to be removed: the A/C compressor had to be removed at halfway as we didn't uninstall the beam.

 

[goldNSX]

Out!

 

[goldNSX]

Quite impressive and 'heart'beating view for office workers like us! :wink: Now I believe that my love to the NSX is getting to another level than just pushing the throttle.

Disassembling the head cover, timing belt, water pump...

Why is the water pump rusty???

 

[goldNSX]

Poor engine bay...snief!

 

[goldNSX]

New gasket and headwork...


Last pic: We didn't feel comfortable that the TB is held that stiff over the camshafts, waterpump etc. as we were anxious that it might tear apart. So THIS is our final attempt (I'd call it the Homer Simpson version :tongue:)! Mounted this way it won't tear the TB apart we were sure. Ok, just joking. DON'T install it this way!

Sorry, no pictures of the cam removal and plug replacement. We've installed custom ones.

 

[RON98]

nice pictures.

love the view of the complete rear end coming out :biggrin:

btw a chain wrench would have made easy work of the TB. nice contraption tho.

going to do a tb in a couple of hrs, i'll post pics on how the chain wrench works. :wink:

happy motoring and keep the pics coming

Rob:smile:

 

[goldNSX]

We've trible checked every bolt for torque specs and checked the TB adjustment and position several times. the same day, the engine was ready for install.

 

[goldNSX]

Old love, marriage again...
Aligning the engine to the chassis took about 1-2 hours.

 

[goldNSX]

Installed!
Final check if we've installed it correctly and not turned by 180 degrees around. This would result in 5 reverse gears and one forward gear. Ok, a test drive should show this.

Final step: Everything double checked, first try of starting the engine. Everything worked fine, timing check, no error codes, no leakes, no wonders, no whatever. :wink: It just sounded like it has never been removed.

BIG thanks goes to Mr. Amacher at http://www.amsportcars.ch/ and Mr. Schorer at BLS for making this happen and help us with the critical steps.

Warning: This is no guide or seduction to DIY on the engine. It took us more time than planned and on a scale between 'easy' and 'hard' I'd call it 'hardcore', ok? It's no way for beginners. Now I understand that people get quoted several $k for this and I still believe that these are not the true costs of the dealer.