2001 Acura RL oil

Engine Oil
Adding Oil
To add oil, unscrew and remove the engine oil fill cap on top of the left
valve cover. Pour in the oil, and replace the engine oil fill cap.
Tighten it securely. Wait a few minutes and recheck the oil level. Do
not fill above the upper mark; you
could damage the engine. Recommended Oil
Oil is major contributor to your
engine's performance and longevity.
Always use a premium-grade detergent oil displaying the API
Certification Seal. This seal indicates
the oil is energy conserving, and that
it meets the American Petroleum
Institute's latest requirements. It is
highly recommended that you use Honda Motor Oil in your vehicle for
as long as you own it. Make sure the API Certification Seal
says "For Gasoline Engines."
API CERTIFICATION SEAL
CONTINUED

Maintenance

ENGINE OIL FILL CAP

Engine Oil
The numbers on the container's label tell you the oil's viscosity or weight.Select the oil for your car according
to this chart.

An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 is
preferred for optimum fuel economy

and year-round protection in your

Acura. You may use a 10W-30 oil if
the temperature in your area never

goes below 20°F(—7°C).
Synthetic Oil
You may use a synthetic motor oil if it meets the same requirements
given for conventional motor oil: it displays the API Certification Seal,
and it is the proper weight as shown
on the chart. When using synthetic
oil, you must follow the oil and filter
change intervals given in the
maintenance schedule. Additives
Your Acura does not need any oiladditives. Purchasing additives for
the engine or transmission will not increase your car's performance or
longevity. It only increases the cost of operating your car.
Maintenance
Ambient Temperature

Engine Oil

Changing the Oil and Filter
Always change the oil and filter according to the time and distance (miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and filter collect contami- nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly.
Changing the oil and filter requires
special tools and access from
underneath the car. The car should
be raised on a service station-type
hydraulic lift for this service. Unless
you have the knowledge and proper equipment, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled

mechanic.
1. Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.

2. Open the hood and remove the

engine oil fill cap. Remove the oil
drain bolt and washer from the
bottom of the engine. Drain the oil
into an appropriate container.

3. Remove the oil filter and let the

remaining oil drain. A special
wrench (available from your Acura
dealer) is required to remove the
filter.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

OIL DRAIN BOLT

WASHER
OIL FILTER

Engine Oil

4. Install a new oil filter according to
instructions that come with it.

5. Put a new washer on the drain bolt,

then reinstall the drain bolt.
Tighten it to:
33 lbf.ft (44 N.m , 4.5 kgf.m)

6. Refill the engine with the recom-

mended oil.
Engine oil change capacity
(including filter):
4.9 US qt (4.6 , 4.0 Imp qt)

7. Replace the engine oil fill cap.

Start the engine. The oil pressure
indicator light should go out within
five seconds. If it does not, turn off
the engine and reinspect your
work.

8. Let the engine run for several

minutes and check the drain bolt
and oil filter for leaks.

9. Turn off the engine, let it sit for

several minutes, then check the oil
level. If necessary, add oil to bring the level to the upper mark on the
dipstick.

Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmful to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose ofthe used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
Maintenance
NOTICE

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

Spark Plugs
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. Replacement
1. Remove the two bolts and thethree nuts with a 7/16 inch (10
mm) wrench, then remove theengine 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

Maintenance

BOLTS

NUTS

NUTS
BOLTS

NUTS

Spark Plugs
4. Disconnect the wire connector
from the ignition coil by pushing on 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.

Maintenance

IGNITION COIL
CONNECTOR
LOCK TAB BOLTS
IGNITION COIL

Spark Plugs

8. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have 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 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)

CONTINUED

Maintenance

NOTICE