2001 Acura RL 3.5 Owner's Manual

Cooling System

2. Turn the radiator rap 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 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 MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.

Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your car's coolingsystem. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo- nents.
Maintenance RADIATOR CAP

RESERVE TANK

Cooling System
Replacing Engine Coolant
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 Honda All Season Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2. Use of any non-
Honda coolant or plain water can
result in corrosion and deposits in
the cooling system.
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). Turn
the heater temperature control
dial to maximum heat (climate
control to 90°F/32°C). Turn off
the ignition. Open the hood. Make
sure the engine and radiator are
cool to the touch.

2. Remove the radiator cap.
3. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will come out through the
hole in the splash cover.

CONTINUED

Maintenance
DRAIN PLUG

Cooling System

4. On the right side of the engine
block, remove the clip with a plier, and then remove the drain cap.

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 the drain cap back in place
tightly, then reinstall the clip on
the drain cap securely.

Maintenance

CLIP

DRAIN CAP RESERVE TANK CAP
RESERVE TANK
HOLDER

Cooling System

7. Remove the two bolts and the
three nuts with a 7/16 in (10 mm)
wrench, then remove the engine
cover.

8. Loosen the bleeder bolt on top of

the engine.

9. Pour Honda All Season

Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2 into the radiator up to the base of the
filler neck. This coolant is a
mixture of 50 percent antifreeze
and 50 percent water. Pre-mixing
is not required.
The cooling system capacity is:
1.61 US gal (6.1 , 1.34 Imp gal)

10.Tighten the bleeder bolt when

coolant comes out in a steady
stream with no bubbles.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

BOLTS
NUTS


BLEEDER BOLT

Cooling System

11.Fill the reserve tank to the MAX
mark. Install the reserve tank cap.

12.Check the level in the radiator,

add coolant if needed.

13.Install the engine cover. First

tighten the 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)

14.Install the radiator cap, and

tighten it to the first stop.

15.Start the engine and let it run until

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

16.Remove the radiator cap. Pour

coolant into the. radiator up to the base of the filler neck and into the
reserve tank up to the MAX mark.

17.Start the engine and hold it at

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

18.Install the radiator cap, and

tighten it fully.

19.If necessary, fill the reserve tank

to the MAX mark. Install the
reserve tank cap.

Maintenance

Fill up to here
FILLER NECK
RESERVE TANK

Windshield Washers

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.

The windshield washer reservoir is located behind the driver's side

headlight.

Check the reservoir's fluid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
float. It should be up to the top of the neck. If the float is at the bottom of
the neck, the reservoir is nearly
empty.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather.

Do not use engine antifreeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antifreeze can damage your ear's paint, while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer fluid.

When you refill the reservoir, clean the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer fluidon a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.

Maintenance

FLOAT

NOTICE

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Check the fluid level with the engine
at normal operating temperature.
1. Park the car on level ground. Shut
off the engine.

2. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)

from the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.

3. Insert the dipstick into the

transmission. Make sure the notch
in the rubber cap fits in thedipstick guide and that you push
the dipstick in all the way.

4. Remove the dipstick and check

the fluid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.

5. If the level is below the lower

mark, add fluid into the tube to
bring it to the upper mark. Always
use Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid). If it is not available, you may use a
DEXRON
® III automatic
transmission fluid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued
use can affect shift quality. Have
the transmission flushed and refilled with Honda ATF-Z1 assoon as it is convenient.

To thoroughly flush the
transmission, the technician should drain and refill it with
Honda ATF-Z1 (Automatic
Transmission Fluid), then drive the vehicle a short distance. Do
this three times. Then drain and
refill the transmission a final time.
Maintenance

DIPSTICK GUIDE

DIPSTICK

UPPER MARKLOWER MARK

Automatic Transmission Fluid, Differential Oil
6. Insert the dipstick back in thetransmission. Make sure the notch
fits in the dipstick guide and the dipstick is down all the way.
The transmission should be drained
and refilled with new fluid according
to the time and distance recommen- dations in the maintenance schedule.
Differential Oil

Check the oil in the differential with
the car sitting level. Remove the oil
filler plug and check that the oil level is up to the edge of the hole.
If it is not, slowly add oil until it
starts to run out of the hole. Reinstall
the filler plug and tighten it securely. Use a SAE 90 or SAE 80W-90
viscosity hypoid gear oil, API service classified GL4 or GL5 only, in the

differential.

Viscosity

SAE 90: above0°F(— 18°C)
SAE 80W-90: below 0°F ( — 8°C)
The differential oil should be drained
and refilled with new oil according to
the time and distance recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

DRAIN PLUG

FILLER PLUG

Correct
level