Knocking Acura TL MDX 3.7L V6 J37A4 Complete Engine Teardown | What Failed Inside this J Engine?

In this episode, we team will be tearing down this 3.7L V6 J37A4 Engine and find out the failure. Watch us step-by-step to disassemble this entire engine. The findings is quite shocking.
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[@ahcgarage]

For AHC Garage Apparels and Merchandises: ​acurahondaclassic.com

[@Heylo7]

@ahcgarage do you have any videos which shows me how to just remove the 07 Acura MDX suv engine without the front wheels and axles and the bell housing from transmission? And are the 04 and 06 model MDX engines both compatible with the 07 model for a engine only swap ? Or are there any mods which prevents use? What are the compatible motors which can be used in place of the 07 model MDX..........04 and 06 model MDX engines ??? Thank you

[@elpuzzlo6800]

Next time, When someone thinks I’m dumb for putting premium in my mdx, I’ll show them this video

[@ahcgarage]

Cheers!!

[@cartere9981]

All you have to do is show them your compression ratio if that doesn’t convince them they aren’t worth talking to😂

[@richardrussell4065]

Should I put premium in honda odyssey? Same motor

[@jonathanwickett7028]

​@@richardrussell4065it's not turbocharged so no .

[@richardrussell4065]

@@jonathanwickett7028 roger

[@Veryrarevryan]

As a young Acura tech I live for these videos , learned so much . Great video 👍🏽

[@ahcgarage]

Glad it helps. Thanks for watching

[@dieandlife88]

@@ahcgarage hola amigo! Un gran favor. Tengo una mdx 2007 motor 3.7 V6. Se daño de las cabezas y ya las conseguí, por desgracia no encuentro el manual de taller y en ebay esta muy caro, podrías apoyarme con proporcionarme los torques de ese motor? Investigue y solo encontré el de los pernos de cabeza, dice 22 libras pie mas 90 mas 90 grados y si son nuevos serian otros 90 grados. Ahora tengo problema en los tornillos o pernos de los balancines, son de medida 12mm esos no se si van a 17 libras pie como me dijeron. Por último, el retén de los árboles de levas lleva un tornillo que sujeta el engrane de la banda de distribución, ese sabrás que torque lleva? Un saludo desde México

[@longsleevethong1457]

You think these engine require premium fuel?

[@jd646]

Would you consider using 5w30 in a VTEC engine?

[@madusmaxamus8670]

As to the cam failure I question the brand of oil that they were using. The coking of the oil rings I have seen before. I find the harder you wind up the engine the less coking you will see in the oil rings. I started working on Honda engines in the early 70's and continued till the first part of 2000. I was told that Honda engines love high rpm's. I often had to replace the rings and rod bearings around 1 hundred thousand miles or sooner. Those people that drove their engines harder did not seem to need it that early. I now own an 2020 MDZ all wheel drive with the 3.7L engine and I always use genuine Honda oil and parts on my cars. They seem to last longer that way. I am now in my 80's and will not be driving that much now, but I still take it out and give it a good work out to keep it happy. Love your show and good narration of the program.

[@adave771]

The oil burn has been well documented. Was due to poor oil drainage piston design. New pistons are updated, once I rebuilt mine, no issues.

[@HalferLandPerformance]

Yup, ring issue also related to piston design...also VCM issues but that's not the 3.7

[@chasesimmons1418]

Hey, anything I can do to my 01 mdx engine to make it more fuel efficient? And where did you get the updated piston?

[@larrybland007]

Wonder how much to rebuild?

[@scottycaley8996]

Where did you get the pistons from? Part number?

[@adave771]

I ordered the pistons from “Acura parts warehouse” all one parts. All parts total came to about $2,100 give or take.

[@MrSamPhoenix]

The J-series V6 is one of my favorite engines of all time. Such an elegant & beautiful design.

[@ahcgarage]

Couldn't agree more!

[@Scoot7827]

Dunno about elegant. The rollers are probably made by the same supplier, i.e., for Mopar. Stinking 3.6L rockers... cheers!

[@kingmarz3635]

@@Scoot7827 Same rocker supplier as Mopar? Hahaahahah yeah right That’s not Honda

[@cartere9981]

@@Scoot7827 you are seriously delusional if you think HONDA would EVER and I mean EVER use a part off a fucking mopar lmao I swear fucking brain dead they don’t even use other companies transmissions and have always made their own shit and you think they’d use a part off a fucking glorified fiat

[@cartere9981]

@@Scoot7827 cheers low iq dingus

[@wavesofkatrina]

Now we wanna see you rebuild it with new parts :)

[@thepowerofyourvoicepodcast]

same, step by step :)

[@111000100101001]

Excellent video with top notch Techncian that knows his stuff and has the delivery of a great teacher! Thank you for all your hard work creating this video and sharing with the KZbin community.

[@ahcgarage]

Thank you very much

[@supersabrosinho]

This is top tier content. Now I can replace my TLs pistons + rings. THANK YOU!!

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for the support

[@robertrivera6752]

Did you ever replace the piston rings? What would you rate the difficulty of doing so?

[@mohanc2010]

This video deserves more views! And some people doesn’t understand cheap gas on their performance engine will cost them more at the end, in this case, engine swap! Looking at those carbon built up almost made me cry!!

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for the support

[@nickr5658]

The carbon buildup is due to the piston rings being the wrong ones for this engine. Also, apparently system design had something to do with the oil burn and carbon buildup as well. Virtually all of the 3.7 L engines are oil burners. This is well documented.

[@thepowerofyourvoicepodcast]

@@nickr5658 exactly this, besides, almost all V6 engines made by Honda since 2003 have extreme oil burning issues. There are thousands of complaints online regarding this, where every 1k miles driven, requires 1Qt of oil added. Not adding oil before the 5k means not having oil in the engine and completely destroying the engine, as these take 4.5QT.

[@Ambience88]

As someone who's torndown my own j32 & j35 I will say you made this look super easy haha and these J series motors are beast.

[@longsleevethong1457]

You think these j37 Acura engines require premium fuel?

[@HalferLandPerformance]

Nice video. Our Turbo 06 Accord J35A7 Swap makes 550whp on just 8psi. We (HalferLand Performance) specialize in everything Honda Jseries Performance related 🤙

[@egeg-nr4qs]

FYI: The EGR T-pipe bolted down inside the intake manifold distributes the exhaust directly into the two intake plenums on either side. It does not route exhaust to the 6 holes in the top of the intake manifold. Instead those 6 holes and it's channel are the vacuum path for the PCV system. The blue PCV valve on the on the front valve cover regulates the vacuum while the chambers across the top of the valve cover separate oil from crankcase vapor. The vacuum hose on the passengers side then connects the valve cover to the 6 ports in the intake manifold. As soon as you removed the intake manifold cover I could tell the owner was not changing the oil on time. The channel with it's 6 ports should have been cleanest nearer that vacuum hose.

[@KardiFan2000]

Great video! Fun fact about the J37...it actually weighs less than the J35, because it uses aluminum cylinder liners.

[@ahcgarage]

Good to know

[@strokedformula1977]

Under abuse ..wear far faster than ductile iron sleeves..J35A1

[@billyjoejimbob56]

Excellent vid... thanks! I have four Honda/Acura vehicles with J35 V6 engines... oldest is 2013 Accord at 126K miles, and all run like new. 🤞 I have heard that the J37 Aluminum bores are the achilles heal of that engine as the miles add up... they score and burning oil is the usual failure mode. Surprised to see cam lobe wear... could that happen to any J series engine?

[@unfilteredjamaican3478]

On a cold start of my 08 TL Type S, I won’t drive off until my NAV Display automatically turns off (maybe 30 seconds or so). Another technique I use on very cold starts is to watch my RPM drop from approx 1100 to 700 (idle RPM warm).

[@vectorracer]

I do exactly same thing on my 07 TL type s. I wait for minimum 1k rpm drop. Usually 30 seconds or a min. And also synthetic oil. 350k miles on mine. Still running good

[@Justvn4thGenTL]

@@vectorracersame with my TL wait until 1k-7 RPM and go about my day. we care about our cars and it shows

[@cartere9981]

I let my Acura drop to at least 1100 so it doesn’t jerk so hard when you put it in gear engines aren’t meant to have load put on them that early no matter what people say

[@DiyQ]

I’ve always put premium in my Acura MDX 2004, it’s one year older than me 19 years old, been using it for that long too😂❤

[@ahcgarage]

Keep it up

[@thejake8099]

I've also found out not all premium gas is the same..from now on I'll go directly to one of the oil/gas companies, rather than Cuz'n Jed's or some grocery store gas station. My engine used to make a ticking sound, then my dealer said change where you get your gas. I had already had a valve adjustment earlier in the year. No more ticking noise

[@kingofuseddurablecars.ls6040]

That's not a 3.7 so why are you here???

[@jd646]

​@@thejake8099 use shell v power nitro

[@thomastaylor4856]

This is most likely do to a bad owner or owners. These engines must have premium fuel not regular. Yes itll run on regular but itll make your engine look like this one. Also not changing the oil and filters on time. They probley never even done the timing or adjust the valves. My fiance has an 08 acura mdx 3.7l and it runs like the day it ran off the line bc it was taken care of. Synthetic oil, doing timing kit jobs, plugs etc. The whole nine yards. This is why most cars go out is bc of the owner not wanting to spend the money on maintenance or just not mechanicaly inclined . Hers also has 240k miles and gets the same fuel mileage it did in 08. I work at the Honda anna engine plant in Anna Ohio and I've worked in engine rebuild department since day one and these are honestly great engines

[@supersabrosinho]

No, that's just not true. 3.7s all will eventually consume oil at some point. I replaced my oil religiously every 3K, and used nothing but shell and BP's top tier 93 octane. Still started burning oil. Acura has had to replace many 3.7 out of warranty cause of this issue. There's also an ongoing lawsuit. And if that wasn't enough, Acura released new designs for pistons and rings so yes they admitted it was a design flaw on their part.

[@thomastaylor4856]

@@supersabrosinho yes you're right. The setup for the pistons and rings was wack. They used lighter weight oil rings which have been changed since then and you can change to resolve it. But they fail mostly bc of how they're driven and taken care of. But this video wasn't the case. I've built more engines than all your local shops put together. This video is a case of bad oil and mostly using regular gas, hence the yellow. Oil would make it dark gas would make it yellow. They do have these issues im not saying they don't but this was caused by the owners is what I'm saying. Not that the setup was wack. I've owned 3 that made it passed 500k miles. They do have issues tho so you're right but I also am on what I said. We're both right on what we said but again in this video it was caused by owners. Also just because yours or others messed up doesn't mean they way they was driven or taken care of didnt play a role. I have the stock pistons and rings from 08. They used a lighter weight but now they use a heavier duty which is a darker ring which they use in hotter climates. Honda fault and owner fault. Still amazing engines if ran right. We build thousands of engines a day at the honda anna engine plant in ohio. I've worked here 9 years, and I've re-worked a lot of those due to line workers or robots. I know all honda engines like the back of my hand ✋ so in honesty I just know what messes them up or their flaws. Which typically is owners. They think they just run. Some oil here and there and some plugs etc. No it's like a baby you have yo be on top of everything. You don't just buy it for 33k you put thousands into it also. They all nickle and dime you at some point. Yours probably messed up due to the last owner. Yes it can still mess up even of brand new. All cars can bc workers do mess up. It's also the oil holes in the conrods. Trust this, it was bad gas and oil in this video not the engine but yes they fuck up bc of old design but can be prevented. And at the point of those rings it would have misfired b4 the bearings went out unless it got ran on low oil often bc of not checking it, again thinking it just runs. It could burn, leak, use oil for many reasons. Engines are science which we at Honda take pride in which is why we're a popular car. A lot of people think they know about cars and problem due but theirs always that guy that knows more and usually he's the one who specifically works on just that brand for the most psrt. There all really similar, every engine. Also I forgot to mention. Bc the fact we use pando to seal most stuff this engine tends to leak near the VT sylonoid fucking things up to but that's closer to 150k miles

[@baldskits]

My '03 Odyssey has a 6 cylinder 127k miles and doesn't burn a drop. Please explain why?

[@directmentality3531]

I'm planning on rebuilding my SH-AWD TL in the future, this was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

[@ahcgarage]

Glad it helped!

[@IsaiahSchmitmeyer]

Those motors are also notorious for scouring the cylinder bores due to the sleeve material and lack of proper oil changes also lack of proper octane fuel usage

[@joshuayammer1994]

Y’all didn’t mention that these 3.7 have vtec on both intake and exhaust valves, when all single cam Honda engines only have vtec lift on the intake valves. If you ever have taken a vtec d series or J3.0-3.5 valve cover off you’d see it’s a lot more simple then the 3.7 engine. I was hoping y’all explained how the rocker arm assembly worked on that engine with a little more detail. It somehow locks both intake and exhaust rocker arms together on a bigger lobe.

[@MrSamPhoenix]

Yeah, I’ve always wondered how Acura/Honda pulled this trick off. While other manufacturers put two cams per cylinder bank on their V6 engine designs for a version of dual VVT. Acura employs an elegant trick to achieve the same thing with a SOHC design. No one has taken these engines apart & explained exactly how certain versions of the J-series work in detail. Many videos on this engine treat all J-series designs as the same… when in fact Honda/Acura have been improving their V6 engine non-stop since day one.

[@joshuayammer1994]

@@MrSamPhoenix I love vtec

[@MrSamPhoenix]

@@joshuayammer1994 indeed!

[@billyjoejimbob56]

Interesting point... I thought it looked a little different than the J35s I have seen in other videos.

[@Jedi_Luke]

I'll take port injection over direct injection ANYday. It might be less efficient, but since the injectors are spraying over the valves, you won't have worry about that carbon buildup that GDI engines have.

[@IND4GR0V3]

facts

[@codycrawford2385]

Why are Honda V6s so beautiful, the sounds is amazing too, my 03 Honda Pilot has 206k miles and still counting, dealer maintenance since new

[@ahcgarage]

That's great to hear!

[@rickcrispell1405]

One of the best engine teardown video on KZbin. Very interesting!

[@ahcgarage]

Thank you!!

[@flemichjrpartsinc178]

The intake manifold 😭💎👏🏾👏🏾. Need it !! thanks in advance 🙏🏾

[@VirtualGuth]

Thanks for going to the effort to make this video. I subscribed after recently discovering your channel late last year. Even though I don't have a J37 myself, this is some fantastic content that is much appreciated.

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks so much for the support

[@Bmath50]

I'm From Grandville Michigan. I've had Acurate engines rebuild my motors and they are top notch.

[@ahcgarage]

That’s great to know

[@nicholasanderson1132]

I'm really glad I stumbled across this video as I own a 2009 TL that I enjoy working on. This really taught me a lot more about the engine in my car and helped a lot with knowing just what I'm working with!

[@ahcgarage]

Glad to hear it!

[@supersabrosinho]

The oil burning only affects 3.7 TL

[@AMPTechGrade]

I’ve JUST done the timing belt on my 4th gen TL, knew EXACTLY the car when I saw the top lol. Really cool to see the inner workings inside the engine, even MORE so glad I went with the FWD. absolutely LOVE the 4th gen TLs

[@mathieucossette9019]

I like this engine doctor! Great motor health analysis!

[@ericcindycrowder7482]

Based on the carbon buildup on the pistons, this engine needed a good old-fashioned “Italian Tune-up”. Of course the cams were a different matter.

[@MrJvelazquez77]

So satisfying to watch this teardown and not to mention the hypnotizing music

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@FPSWordle]

Def a Ford/domestic guy but I love this channel. Keep up the great work and merry Christmas.

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks a ton!!

[@Mnorbert25]

Notorious failing of this engine it was because the improper use of the engine, low octane gas and late oil change intervals seeing the carbonized oil rings. To summarize this the quality and construction of this engine doesn't appear to be cheap at all.

[@ahcgarage]

Some folks ignored the obvious and blamed others for their own failures.

[@danielmelendez9943]

Most people should know, high octane IS a requirement for the J35-J37 engines and it certainly would benefit from synthetic oil. I can attest to no burning oil and smooth Use if my engine on my 2011 MDX with 100k miles. Although I getting ready for the water pump, belts and tune up

[@pushhrodd01]

@@danielmelendez9943 J32 as well

[@JulianRangel13]

@@danielmelendez9943 well it might start burning oil soon after 100k but you’re lucky. My 11 MDX always had synthetic oil changes done every 3k. Burns about 1.2 qts every 1k miles

[@danielmelendez9943]

@@JulianRangel13 i took it to the dealership and i had it checked and i was totally lucky..i hope i can do another 50 to 60k miles with minimal maintenance b4 trading in

[@JulianRangel13]

Finally someone does a 3.7 tear down

[@scottmoola2311]

Damn. You made it look hella easy. Anyway thanks for the entire teardown video. It helps alot. 👍 👍

[@ahcgarage]

Cheers!!

[@adamlivelife2608]

My 2014 Acura TL rare manual still running strong . fun little car I love it 😎

[@ahcgarage]

Great!!!

[@Shane-zx4ps]

Wow, I can’t believe the amount of carbon on the pistons, I’d get pleasure in the cleaning process.

[@ahcgarage]

Cheers!!

[@NolanTanner]

Excellent video, our 2011 MDX had terrible oil burning issues but ran exceptionally well otherwise. We bought it at the 100k mike mark so who knows how it was cared for prior. Between the oil use and terrible gas mileage (16mpg) we traded it for a 2016 MDX that gets 25mpg.

[@thepowerofyourvoicepodcast]

Sadly, the MDXs and the majority of all V6 engines are extremely well known for burning oil. It is considered normal for them to burn 1L every 1k miles.

[@JohnWD40TC02]

Very interesting video guys, man these modern(ish) engines are so complex with all those parts and so much to go wrong, when I was into rebuilding engines they were so simple anyone could do it and I'm talking about the 80's and the old Ford Pinto engines, I don't know if you folks had them across the pond but they were in most fords back then, they were very reliable and also very tuneable 👍 John UK.

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for watching as always John. Happy new year!!

[@alexwhite176]

I also think these motors would heavily benefit from a catch can pcv system overly frequent oil changes with premium detergent oil has seemed to help with the carbon too

[@ahcgarage]

Agreed!

[@Dansfunkinnice]

I had a j32 in my 08 TL that had severe rod knock. I was meticulous with maintenance and still baffled on how it happened.... Ended up replacing it with a junkyard motor and 40,000 mi later Same thing happened to that motor. Got rid of the car but I do miss it

[@j.t.5826]

At first when you look at the engine its seems crazy. But I actually worked on my Jv6 engine and everything he says makes total sense. I ended up putting back my engine with easy. It did take alot of youtube watching but I was able to fix my engine after half my valves bent. A word of advice, if you are not a do it yourself, its cheaper to have a mechanic work on it. It takes alot of time to learn, to buy the right tools, and to disensemble and assemble.

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks very much for your insight and totally agreed with you.

[@skidcraft1998]

Cams definitely contributed to the tick. Did one one with a tick complaint and replace the cam and lifters. Tick gone motor ran like a top. Didn’t stop the oil consumption tho. Good thing a warranty company paid the tab

[@driverslineocsz4418]

Awesome video. Funny that I’m looked at weird at times because I let my car warm up (‘12 CU2) before I drive. I do it to ensure that everything warms up effectively before I head out.

[@ahcgarage]

Good for you. That's a great practice. Wish we all do it.

[@driverslineocsz4418]

@@ahcgarage prior owners didn’t really take care of it so I am babying her. I’m staying tuned for more content 🙌🙌🙌

[@JonathanWhoever]

Different but the same. My 02 Odyssey I bought in 08. Now has just over 340,000 miles. Today pulled the pan to do a oil pump, while doing the timing set. I've never been in this engine, only timing stuff and one set of valve cover gaskets. Not a single bit of sludge, or any other materal on the pan. The only oil and filter I have ever ran are Walmart Supertech synthetic. Lets not talk about two trans I've put in it though. With 6000 mile oil changes it uses about .5 a quart. I baby it. I make'm last.

[@lotfif.7112]

These J37a1 engines are notorious for having bad piston rings, which will later in the life of the vehicle, after around 120k to start clogging the piston rings and push oil to be burnt. Honda/Acura extended the warranty to 8yrs vs 6yrs and up to 125k instead of 70k, which ever came first. I own a 2013 MDX with this mess (My 2006 MdX has 210k and doesnt run as bad as my 2013 with 185k !) I have been looking for a J37 for my 2013 with lesser miles...over 3k and everything has 140k or more. I can't g find a J37 with less than 100k or 90k. At this point, I think I will proceed with an engine rebuild. Great video ! Thank you,

[@darealgeemattey7010]

Act like 185k miles is not a shit ton

[@lornestein7248]

My 2013 TL 3.7l has 62K miles @ almost 11 years old now. You got your money's worth based on mileage.. If you didn't rebuild this engine I hope you spent another 40-50k on a comparable newer vehicle. Boo Hoo for you!

[@jptrainor]

Such a shame that it's not economic to repair these things. The economics of installing "junk" is better than the economics of repairing junk. Which is weird and makes me wonder about the sustainability of our service based economy.

[@dillonrio7330]

This channel has really great music. I have a dedicated Spotify playlist of the episode songs that I play when I'm cruising. Hands down, best Honda content and channel available. Love you guys. 🔰💯👌🏻

[@dillonrio7330]

@N Diesal So what I do is use the app Shazam to hear the music while I'm playing the video on KZbin and it identifies it for me. Then I go to Spotify to look it up, add it to my playlist and I'm set. It works really well.

[@chrisrogerson]

Very interesting viewing. In the UK 🇬🇧 we don’t have any J35 - J37 equipped cars. It’s a shame as Honda seem to be sending us very dull powertrains these days, probably as a result of strict emissions regulations?

[@danielmelendez9943]

Indeed it has to do with European regulations, J37 engine is a gas guzzler. I own a Acura MDX 2011 and best mileage on highway is about 20mpg, in the city 14mpg, but when you push down the gas pedal is a blast to drive! Never mind the SH-AWD, legendary power and prowess on inclement weather and getting you out of trouble in snow. Awesome engine but does require maintenance. My engine is now due for new water pump, belts and tuneup.. but my MDX is a keeper!

[@joshuayammer1994]

I have a 2000 Honda Accord v6 automatic. Put some Acura engine parts on the intake and I actually make terrible gas mileage. I get around 24-30mpg (30 usually highway). I have a little obd2 computer thingy

[@RetardsOfPaloAlto]

The engines meet California CARB regulations, stricter than Federal US restrictions. Taking into account J35 was introduced before 2000’s, and Dodge/Ford are still able to sell their giant engine models, kind of doubt it’s emissions related. More market “research”, same way barely any cars are offered in diesel and estates are often only offered with lowest trim packages in the US. It’s probably more Honda Japan choosing to make Type R’s available in Europe to fill the performance category. Meanwhile in the US there we’re several models designed and built here. Acura TL/Accord for example two common V6 cars. They are a full size up from the Euro Accord would which here is the Acura version of a Civic. But the USDM market requires more cars since Honda/Acura split the entire Honda product line.

[@EricTheGreat508]

My J35Y1 gets 32-33 mpg hwy.

[@marqueeviveiros8412]

Great job on the video. No matter what keep up the great work I learn a lot by watching your videos. One day when it’s time to work on my own car I’ll for sure use some of your videos as references 😅

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks so much for watching and support!!

[@craig9575]

The closest I've seen to such mastery of (dis) assembly other than this is a watchmaker video I once saw on youtube of a guy taking apart a complex automatic movement. Great video, very informative and I only wish I had John's skillset. Now what did you do with that engine??? Where's the video of this engine being rebuilt??? That would make a great follow up!

[@ВиталийГрапчев-ъ9и]

Useful video, thanks. Nice things to see also the condition of the bearing shells and cylinders surface.

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks very much for watching

[@JaredEubank]

Almost wonder if this is a recall type situation but the volume was just not high enough to make it really obvious that it needed a recall. I've seen people with a very similar ticking noise as mine (YT videos) who also had the exact same issue on the cams, similar wear pattern it looks like as well. I suspect the root cause is some minor engineering error/lack of optimization. Hard to know. I will probably just keep on trucking unless the noise gets worse, its not terribly loud. 2013 acura TL SH-AWD same 3.7 liter motor manual trans.

[@MoAlbani]

Amazing video, Acura/ Honda should’ve made these engines better since they have been using the j series for a very long time and discovered the issues with the cams and the pistons. If i wanna fix both issues in the dealership it would cost me around $6-8k Canadian

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for watching!!

[@real_ultrajoe]

Best engine to daily and to beat on

[@acuraracing5205]

The J35 engine 3.5 is the most reliable engine Honda Made! I have over 260,000 miles on my 4G TL, and no oil burn issues. But the 3.7 burns oil bad!

[@danielmelendez9943]

Not all J37 engines have trouble, it has been an erratic issue with specific years. O am lucky that my 2011 MDX has been trouble free for the first 100 k miles

[@pushhrodd01]

i have a 3G TL with the J32 with 415,000 miles

[@robertjackson7590]

Change the PCV Valve, make sure the circuit is clear and functioning properly. Don't blow air into an engine without pulling the oil filler cap. You could blow a lip seal out and create a problem. You might've already tried this by your name. Play safe 2010 MDX 3.7/282K no oil consumption problems.

[@BryanW916]

I have a '09 TL SH-AWD with the J37. Unfortunately i think i'm having this exact same issue. There's a lot of valve train noise especially when the engine is cold and i've researched it. Most of the time it's the cams :(

[@marko6394]

Could also be time to change the timing belt. The tensioner can make noise when it's cold.

[@mag23x]

These engines have crazy valve clearances also. The added mechanism for VTEC on exhaust throws them out of spec in 30k. Almost not one does the valve adjustment on these engines.

[@humblerojo6300]

Even with the worn cam lobes, I’d love to have seen a valve adjustment done and hear it run.

[@almakapidzic9366]

Great job very informative. Keep up the good work. ✅✅✅

[@ahcgarage]

Much appreciated it. Thanks

[@dhw1764]

Had, have one. Piston failure number 4 low oil. Consumption problems. Found out the hard way. No low oil indicator except engine failure. Also engine overheats at incline in hot weather.

[@brogren802]

Great video. I think this is one of the best motors Honda makes and will continue to own and run them. With regular maintenance and knowing what to pay attention to these can go for 200k plus even with a regular beating.

[@ahcgarage]

Very very true. Thanks for tuning in

[@marko6394]

Totally false. The J37 sucks and was discontinued for a reason. No way you'll get 200k out of a modern day Acura without the torque converter or tranny going out first.

[@philspaghet]

@@marko6394 get a manual then lol

[@usnchief1339]

Such a pleasure to work on outside of the engine bay :). Not so much while in the car.

[@allenanthony9798]

Fine job my man 😎👍🏾

[@IsaiahSchmitmeyer]

I also always tell people don't do ten thousand Mile oil changes on any car let alone any of the newer cars do the oil change the old-school service interval way.

[@ahcgarage]

Agreed!!

[@chrisdoe6890]

Acura Honda have recall on MDX knocking now with camshaft badly milled causes rod knock . 3.5 engine. That carbon build up I’d say had more to do with cam failure on that lobe. Lined up with those valves on that piston .

[@dimitargueorguiev9088]

nice teardown. this is a good channel, thank you for it.

[@acuraledgend9648]

Excellent video , gotta do rod bearings on my j35, have a j32x2 and my j37 now excellent video

[@ahcgarage]

Good luck!

[@timothyforce1949]

I'm really lucky my J35Y1 in my '15 Accord has none of these issues. They got that engine dialed in by the 9th Gen Accords.

[@ahcgarage]

Cheers!!

[@ericklp5658]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for watching

[@fliphalee]

Great video, had to replace cam lobe due to knocking noise and rocker arms in bank 1 mind you I’ve done the timing belt Prior.

[@Gibbopotam]

Thank you for the video. From it and what I've seen on several similar videos, also combined with from my own experience, the right-hand side head (front one, farther from the firewall) is always dirtier than the other one. This engine is pretty clean here, but just compare the valve covers: one of them is pretty dirty. Why does it happen? I this a Honda J-series design flaw? If one googles, one can find many complaints on the knocking sound of a J-series engine (other than the one due to a dead t-belt tensioner). Mine also does this, just like a diesel, on Acura MDX 2004 with 220k km. I believe the heads experience oil starving. BTW, I didn't see the sludge difference in the heads on 1MZ-FE in my Toyota Avalon, and with 300k km on it the engine just whispers.

[@joesepherion319]

This is because only the valve cover closer to the front of the vehicle has the PCV Valve. Only one of the heads is doing the dirty work, venting all the grime and soot that inherently comes from PCV. With mileage, age and poorly followed oil change intervals, only the front valve cover builds up all that grime hence the difference in colour. If you use high quality synthetic oils + regular oil change intervals it's really not an issue of concern.

[@Gibbopotam]

@@joesepherion319 The proposed explanation doesn't work for 1MZFE (didn't have experience with other Toyota V6) - it also has only one PCV valve. I've yet to see an equally clean or equally dirty valve covers on a J-series engine.

[@mathieucossette9019]

Just one note for your doctor... Glove protection ! Glove protection! Hahaha

[@robertstovall7195]

The 16-20 MDX is being recalled for crankshaft journals! OMG

[@GilFavor101]

Skipped the hardest part, getting the wiring and trans off, lmao!!! For real though, the wiring on this engine... Not the worst, but man there's a lot of it.

[@mrhyde0705]

I thought this was the issue with the mdx my wife brought home. Until i popped the hood, and looked under it. Take less time for me to list places NOT covered in oil 🤣 ima scrap it when she isnt lookin.

[@Ap2joe]

Very informative video!

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for watching

[@21111009198573]

Do a TL 3rd gen engine breakdown please! Maybe film the removal of the engine from the car too

[@mindaugasg9892]

Nice video! thanks. I drive honda legend 3,5. Similar engine.

[@SS-ci9ow]

Excellent detailed video. Great job.

[@Camj27]

Me and other techs at my shop buy a lot of the MDXs with oil consumption issues from the customer for cheap. Clean the pistons and new rings and they’re good as new

[@CJ-nk1ls]

How do you clean them?

[@Camj27]

@@CJ-nk1ls a lot of brake/carb cleaner and scraping with a razor blade to remove the carbon from the top of the piston. Use an old piston ring to clean the grooves. Honda didn’t have us replace the pistons for the recall. Only Acura had us replace them.

[@CJ-nk1ls]

@@Camj27 I have an MDX that's burning about a quart every 600 miles. How often do you see damaged cylinder walls vs the piston rings coked up? Thanks

[@Camj27]

@@CJ-nk1ls I’ve only seen one mdx where the cylinder walls were damaged and needed a new block.

[@robbym3542]

I’ve seen a lot more j37s eat up cams than the other j series. Overall I’m not a huge fan of the 3.7. It doesn’t make enough power to justify its unreliability over the j35

[@jl3567]

Look at all that garage space! Do it in a driveway with kids playing and moving your tools.

[@ahcgarage]

Ha!!

[@RanLaGrand]

J37’s are notorious for piston ring bypass and oil leaks in many seals. The most annoying one of all J series man.

[@jonathancordova9688]

You guys are awesome for doing these videos

[@DeltaMike7773]

Good video guys. I wonder, how many miles on this engine?. My 06 tl has 236.000 on it and running like new. I don’t abuse it though. Good tip on using higher octane fuel. How can I clean the piston carbon from my engine without taking out the heads?.

[@chihirogustafson8557]

Your generation tl doesn't have issues like this unless you really abuse maintenance. Drive fast in my unprofessional opinion to prevent build up 😂. But seriously regular maintenance is important use OEM filters and the right oil.

[@DeltaMike7773]

@@chihirogustafson8557 thanks , I am super strict with maintenance, specially with oil changes.

[@ahcgarage]

150k miles on this engine. Cycle your rpm range at times can burn out some of the carbon build up

[@DeltaMike7773]

@@ahcgarage thanks Happy Hollidays.

[@Charkatak]

Was interesting to watch disassembly and explanation! I wonder what was that knocking noise you mentioned in the video. Is there a way you can point to a video/audio of the similar noise?

[@ahcgarage]

Unfortunately we don't have that audio clip

[@Charkatak]

@@ahcgarage I see. What if I provide you with a couple of links with similar sound/noise from other Acuras, would you be able to compare?

[@shawno9267]

I have a 2012 TL SHAWD with 160k and have religiously had oil changes (synthetic) always run 93 mobile gas in it…I bought the car in 2014 with 12k on it..car ran awesome until at 100k it developed a ticking noise in the top end. Took it to my mechanic he recommended the timing belt be changed which is recommended also that they would diagnose ticking noise.Ended up being the primary cam lobes we’re deteriorating. Burns about a quart of oil every 1k miles. Had mech do the timing belt and they showed me where the lobes were boogered up. Had the motor flushed and oil changed of course. Ticking noise is still there. Car is in excellent shape and super fun to drive but the slight ticking pisses me off. So I guess my question is should I just get the cams replaced or should I just go for a complete rebuild.

[@mikeyeyes7]

What oil are you using 0W-20? If you are I would suggest going to 5W-20 it will put a thicker film on the cam lobe to help it not deteriorate as fast until u figure out the route to take on fixing the issue

[@shawno9267]

@@mikeyeyes7 not sure what weight they are putting in but I will find out and start using 5w 20 if they haven’t, but what I have been doing is after about 1500 miles and it burns about a quart I put Lucas high mileage oil stabilizer(stuffs like syrup)in and it quiets up somewhat but the slight ticking is still there.. It’s a great car(super clean)and I take very good care of it(son works at Ziebart) and really don’t wanna let it go cause it’s payed off and don’t wanna car payment..Like you said I just have to deal with it. I’m definitely leaning towards a complete rebuild. I’ve seen other videos where the same problem has occurred and literally the same primary lobe that deteriorated. Thank you for replying I really appreciate it…

[@mikeyeyes7]

@@shawno9267 no problem at all I’m sure there putting 0W-20 I believe starting 2012 is when they went to 0w-20 I have a 14 TL and on my oil cap it says 0W-20 Acura switched over to 0W-20 to help with gas mileage & cold starts since it’s thinner in the cold winter mornings Our cars were built to be used with 5W 20 I still believe & others it’s too thin for our cars that’s why I believe a lot of these Cams are getting chewed up Even if they are putting 0w-20 in your car it’s perfectly safe to go to with 5W-20 with no issues or problems

[@shawno9267]

@@mikeyeyes7 again thank you for your knowledge I really appreciate it…👍

[@BryanW916]

@@shawno9267 The 3.7 in the AWD TL is known for oil burning due to the piston ring design. They have updated piston and rings that solve the oil burning. I'd get the pistons/rings replaced with the updated ones and also have the camshafts and rocker arms replaced. That will solve all of your engine noises and oil burning.

[@GS-sm3jo]

Merry Christmas🎄

[@ahcgarage]

🎄🎄

[@frank.l181]

As soon as oil life reaches 20% change the oil and filter. This engine are good for 250,000 mile plus.

[@sherinazmy8]

Excellent video, thank you

[@ahcgarage]

Cheers!!

[@jaxketchum]

Thinking of running these heads on my jdm j35a from a Honda legend. As well as the intake manifolds just think imma need an after market ecu even though they do bolt directly up.

[@antoniolovell667]

Love J Series content 👌🏾👌🏾

[@ahcgarage]

Thanks for watching

[@trevoragranger]

This video was great but also terrifying because our 2013 MDX recently developed a knocking sound I don't love. We bought it with 100,000 already on it and I am wondering if the previous owner kept up with maintenance and burned the right octane. Where we lived in Texas, 91 was kinda hard to find, it was either 89 or 93. Either way, loved the breakdown and hearing your observations!

[@curlytops7]

Did you find that knocking where its coming?

[@humblerojo6300]

Either your timing belt tensioner is failed and is flipping around or the valve lash has gotten very loose. Look up “MDX Pilot timing belt tensioner fail” and listen to see if that’s the noise. I have a 2013 Pilot with 270K on 2nd belt. Similar engines. I just did a valve adjustment last weekend for pretty much the cost of gaskets and am soon to do a timing belt kit with water pump, tensioner and pulleys. I highly recommend you get a complete timing belt kit put on even if it isn’t a bad tensioner because going far past 105K is rolling the dice on timing belts. 115-130K isn’t scary if the car wasn’t old but a ten year old timing belt with 105K could be cracking by now. To motivate you, my 2002 MDX had the belt break which ran a few valves into the pistons requiring a complete rebuild or used engine. That’s why I now have a 2013 and am doing the work before fail.

[@marko6394]

Sell the MDX now and steer clear of Acura. Trust me.

[@alljerseysmatter.]

What happened with the knock???????

[@brixtion]

outstanding job bro

[@ahcgarage]

Thank you

[@kseries20-24only]

Dope video @AHC Garage ! Whatever happened to the TL type S? I always see Brian driving a TLX

[@ahcgarage]

That's Brian's baby. It gets driven a few times a month. Ha!

[@elimccully8018]

So this motor needed 6 hours of labor a two new cams and some rocker arms . I just did this on my mdx on the back head because I saw the cam was damaged from high mileage the broken timing belt was 4 intake valves

[@Stuffuniverse-]

Thank you for educating me

[@christiansincich7226]

I got a 2012 3.5L TL but have been tempted to invest in swapping it with a 3.7L and making necessary changes to the engine bay needed. Any other tips if I go forth with this?

[@blownaway4371]

I used to be "into" Honda's pretty heavy back in the 70's-90's, and when kids started coming I slowed way down. But now kinda looking back at maybe swapping in a 3.7 into my IS300, and really piss off the kids.. It would be nice to have you give all the dimensions since you said that they are a sought after engine to swap. I know Bill Hincher already makes a GM trans adapter. So are there any changes in the bell housing mounting? Thanks.