2000 Acura Integra cooling

Maintenanc
e

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Acura, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 265 for information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Acura
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 158
Important Safety Precautions.. 159
Maintenance Schedule.................. 160
Maintenance Record..................... 167
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 169
Fluid Locations............................... 170

Engine Oil....................................... 171 Adding Oil................................... 171
Recommended Oil..................... 171

Synthetic Oil............................... 173

Additives..................................... 173
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 173
Cooling System.............................. 176
Adding Engine Coolant............. 176Replacing Engine Coolant........ 178
Windshield Washers..................... 181
Transmission Fluid........................ 182 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 182
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 183
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 183 Brake System............................. 184
Clutch System............................ 184
Power Steering............................... 185
Air Cleaner Element...................... 186
Hood Latch..................................... 187

Spark Plugs..................................... 187 Replacement............................... 187
Specifications............................. 189
Battery............................................ 189
Wiper Blades.................................. 192
Air Conditioning System............... 194
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Timing Belt..................................... 195
Tires................................................ 196 Inflation....................................... 196
Inspection................................... 197
Maintenance............................... 198
Tire Rotation.............................. 199
Tire Wear.................................... 199
Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 200
Wheels and Tires....................... 201
Winter Driving........................... 201

Snow Tires.............................. 202

Tire Chains............................. 202
Lights.............................................. 203 Headlight Aiming...................... 205
Replacing Bulbs......................... 207
Storing Your Car............................ 214
Maintenance

Coolin
g Syste m

Addin g Engin e Coolan t
If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50 percent antifreeze and50 percent water. Never add straight
antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda
Antifreeze/Coolant. If it is not
available, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporary replacement. Make sure it is a high-quality coolant
recommended for aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the coolingsystem to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and refilled with Honda antifreeze/
coolant as soon as possible. If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.

Maintenanc e
Removing the radiator cap

while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.

Always let the engine and radiator cool down before

removing the radiator cap.

MI
N
MAX
RESERV E TAN K

Coolin
g Syste m

1. Make sure the engine and
radiator are cool.

2. Turn the radiator cap counter-

clockwise, without pressing down on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.

3. Remove the radiator cap by

pushing down and turningcounterclockwise.

4. The coolant level should be up to

the base of the filler neck. Add
coolant if it is low.

5. Put the radiator cap back on.

Tighten it fully.

6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank.

Fill it to halfway between the MAXand MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
RESERV
E TAN K
RADIATO
R CA P

Coolin
g Syste m
Do not add any rust inhibitors or other additives to your car's cooling
system. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo-
nents.

Replacin g Engin e Coolan t
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda Antifreeze/Coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance done by a skilled mechanic. 1. Turn the ignition ON (II). Slidethe heater temperature control
lever to maximum heat. Turn the ignition off.
2. Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to the touch.
3. Remove the radiator cap. 4. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the splash guard. Remove the drainbolt and washer from the engine block.
Maintenanc e DRAI
N PLU G
DRAI
N
BOL T

Coolin
g Syste m
5. Remove the reserve tank from itsholder by pulling it straight up.
Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.
6. When the coolant stops draining,
tighten the drain plug at the
bottom of the radiator. Put a new
washer on the drain bolt, then reinstall the drain bolt in theengine block. Tighten it securely.
Tightening torque:
58 Ibf .
ft (78 N .
m , 8.0 kgf .
m)
7. Mix the recommended antifreeze
with an equal amount of purified
or distilled water in a clean
container. The cooling system
capacity is:

With 5-speed manual transmission:

(SE,
LS,
GS)

1.16 US gal (4.4 , 0.97 Imp gal)
(GS-R, Type-R)
1.24 US gal (4.7 , 1.03 Imp gal)
With automatic transmission:
1.24 US gal (4.7 , 1.03 Imp gal)
8. Pour coolant into the radiator up
to the base of the filler neck.
9. Start the engine and let it run for
about 30 seconds. Then turn off
the engine.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

HOLDE
R RESERV
E
TAN K CA P
RESERV
E TAN K
Fill u p t o her e
FILLE
R NEC K

Coolin
g Syste m

10.Fill the radiator with coolant up to
the base of the filler neck.

11.Fill the reserve tank to the MAX

mark. Install the reserve tank cap.

12.Install the radiator cap, and

tighten it to the first stop.

13.Start the engine and let it run until

the radiator cooling fan comes on at least twice. Then stop the
engine.

14.Remove the radiator cap. Fill the

radiator with coolant up to the
base of the filler neck.

15.Start the engine and hold it at

1,500 rpm until the radiator fan
comes on. Turn off the engine. Check the coolant level in the
radiator and add coolant if needed.

16.Install the radiator cap, and

tighten it fully.

17.If necessary, fill the reserve tank

to the MAX mark. Install thereserve tank cap.

Maintenanc e

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m

Optional for Type-R model

Your car's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualified mechanic. You can do a couple of things to make sure theair conditioning works efficiently. Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a). (See Specifications on page 250.)

Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenanc e

AI
R CONDITIONIN G

CONDENSE R
NOTIC
E NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should determine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or spray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators.

2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray,

leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.

4. If the temperature gauge stays at

the red mark, turn off the engine.

5. Wait until you see no more signs

of steam or spray, then open the
hood.

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.