2001 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. Seepage 271 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Acura

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 160
Important Safety Precautions.. 161
Maintenance Schedule.................. 162
Maintenance Record..................... 169
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 171
Fluid Locations............................... 172

Engine Oil....................................... 173 Adding Oil................................... 173
Recommended Oil..................... 173
Synthetic Oil............................... 175

Additives..................................... 175
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 175
Cooling System.............................. 178
Adding Engine Coolant............. 178Replacing Engine Coolant........ 180
Windshield Washers..................... 182
Transmission Fluid........................ 183 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 183
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 185
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 185 Brake System............................. 186Clutch System............................ 186
Power Steering............................... 187
Air Cleaner Element...................... 188
Hood Latch..................................... 189

Spark Plugs..................................... 189

Replacement............................... 189

Specifications............................. 191

Battery............................................ 191

Wiper Blades.................................. 194
Air Conditioning System............... 196
Drive Belts...................................... 197

Timing Belt..................................... 197

Tires................................................ 198
Inflation....................................... 198
Inspection................................... 199 Maintenance............................... 200
Tire Rotation.............................. 201

Tire Wear.................................... 201
Replacing Tires and Wheels.... 202

Wheels and Tires....................... 203
Winter Driving........................... 203
Snow Tires.............................. 204

Tire Chains............................. 204
Lights.............................................. 205 Headlight Aiming...................... 207
Replacing Bulbs......................... 209

Storing Your Car............................ 216

Maintenance

Coolin
g Syste m

Addin g Engin e Coolan t
RESERV E TAN K
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 Honda All Season
Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2. This coolant is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antifreeze and 50 percent water. Itdoes not require any additional
mixing. 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 incorrosion, 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
MI
N MAX 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.

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 turning
counterclockwise.

4. The coolant level should be up tothe base of the filler neck. Addcoolant 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 MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap backon 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 timeand distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Honda All Season Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2.
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). Slide
the heater temperature control
lever to maximum heat. Turn theignition 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 thesplash guard. Remove the drain
bolt 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 its holder 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, thenreinstall the drain bolt in the engine block. Tighten it securely.
Tightening torque:
58 Ibf.ft (78 N.m , 8.0 kgf.m)

7. Pou
r Honda All Season
Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2 into the radiator up to the base of the
filler neck. This coolant is amixture of 50 percent antifreeze
and 50 percent water. Pre-mixing
is not required. 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)
Maintenanc
e

CONTINUED

Fil
l u p
t
o her e

RESERV
E

TAN K CA P

HOLDE R

RESERV
E TAN K
FILLE
R NEC K

Coolin
g System , Windshiel d Washer s

8. Start the engine and let it run for about 30 seconds. Then turn off
the engine.
9. Fill the radiator with coolant up to the base of the filler neck.
10. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
11. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it to the first stop.
12. Start the engine and let it run until the radiator cooling fan comes on
at least twice. Then stop the

engine.

13. Remove the radiator cap. Fill the radiator with coolant up to thebase of the filler neck. 14. 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.
15. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it fully.
16. If necessary, fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the
reserve tank cap. Windshiel
d Washer s
Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers often, check the level every time you stop
for fuel. This reservoir supplies the
windshield and rear window washers.
Maintenanc e

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m

Optional for Canadian 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 the
air 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 asteady 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 254.)

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
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E

AI
R CONDITIONIN G
CONDENSE R

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, turnoff 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.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.

NOTIC
E