2000 Acura RL 3.5 Owner's Manual

Ai
r Cleane r Elemen t
Replacement
The air cleaner element is inside the air cleaner housing on the passenger'sside of the engine compartment.
To replace it:
1. Unsnap the four clamps holding the air cleaner housing cover. 2. Remove the air cleaner housing
cover. Do not disconnect the air
intake tube from the air cleaner
housing cover.
3. Remove the old air cleaner
element.

4. Carefully clean the inside of the air cleaner housing with a damp

rag.
5. Place the new air cleaner element
in the air cleaner housing.
6. Reinstall the air cleaner housing cover, snap the four hold-downclamps back into place.
Maintenanc eCLAMP
S AIR CLEANE R
ELEMEN T

Spar
k Plug s
The spark plugs in your car are a special platinum-tipped design for
longer life. The spark plugs should
be replaced according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Replacemen
t
1. Remove the two bolts and the three nuts with a 7/16 inch (10mm) wrench, then remove the
engine cover. 2. Remove the two bolts and the four
nuts with a wrench and remove
the tower bar. Then remove the
A/C tube from the three clips.
3. Clean up any dirt and oil that have collected around the ignition coils.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

NUT
S

BOLT S
NUT
S

BOLTS

NUTS

Spar
k Plug s
4. Disconnect the wire connector from the ignition coil by pushingon the lock tab and pulling on the
connector. Pull on the plastic
connector, not the wires. 5. Use a wrench to remove the two
bolts holding the ignition coil.Remove the ignition coil by pulling
it straight out.
6. Remove the spark plug with a five-eighths inch (16 mm) spark
plug socket. 7. Put the new spark plug into the
socket; then screw it into the hole.
Screw it in by hand so you do not
crossthread it.
Maintenanc e
IGNITIO
N COI L CONNECTO
R
LOC K TA B
BOLT
S

IGNITIO N COI L

Spar
k Plug s

8. Torque th e spark plug . (If you do
not hav
e a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:

13 lbf .
ft (18 N .
m , 1.8 kgf.m)

Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can overheat and damage the engine. Overtightening can cause damage to

the threads in the cylinder head.

9. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall the two hold-down bolts.
10.Push the wire connector onto the ignition coil. Make sure it locks in

place.

11.Repeat this procedure for the other five spark plugs.
12.Put the A/C tube back in place.
13.Install the tower bar and tighten the two bolts and the four nuts.

Tightening torque:

16 lbf .
ft (22 N .
m , 2.2 kgf .
m)

14. Install the engine cover. First
tighten th e two bolts on the front
of the engine cover, then tighten
the three nuts on the engine cover.
Tightening torque:

7 lbf .
ft (10 N .
m , 1.0 kgf .
m)

CONTINUED
Maintenanc e

NOTIC
E

Spar
k Plugs , Batter y

Specifications :

NGK:

DENSO:
PFR5L-1 1

PK16PR-L1 1

Spark Plug Gap:
0.043 in (1.1 mm )
Batter
y
Check the condition of your car's
battery monthly. You should check
the color of the test indicator window, and for corrosion on the terminals.
Check the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window on the battery.
The label on the battery explains the test indicator's colors.
Maintenanc e TES
T INDICATO R WINDO W

Batter
y
Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder). To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water. It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it
off with plain water. Dry off the

battery with a cloth or paper towel. Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent future corrosion.
If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda
and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables from the terminals. Always disconnect the
negative (
—) cable first and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten
the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the car's
electrical system.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled mechanic do the battery
maintenance.

Batter
y

If your car's battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the engine's computer
needs to "relearn" the idle control.
After replacing or recharging the battery:
1. Make sure the climate control sys- tem is off.
2. Start the engine and let it run until it warms up (the radiator cooling
fan comes on at least twice), and
let it idle for five more minutes.
Your audio system will also disable it-

self when the battery is disconnected

or goes dead. The next time you turn

on the radio you will see "Code" in

the frequency display. Use the Pre-
set buttons to enter the five-digit

code (see page 162 ).
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables before connecting the

battey' to a charger.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

Wipe
r Blade s

Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months. Look for signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you find
these signs, or they leave streaks and unwiped areas when used.
To replace the blade:
1. Turn the ignition ON (II), switch the wipers to INT or — (lowposition), then turn the ignitionOFF when the wiper arm is
approximately midway in its travel. 2. Disconnect the blade assembly
from the wiper arm by pushing inthe lock tab. Hold it in while you
push the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e
WIPE
R ARM S

LOCK
TA B