[tdabel]

Good day all…

Have/had a 95 Legend L (150k in mileage). While heading up the eastern seaboard (I95) the car just shut down on me. Had it towed to a HONDA dealer to have them evaluate it. Well before I provide you the information that they provided here is the scenario of the failure.

1. Engine check light came on as I pulled up to a toll booth on I95
2. Car with to idle for about 5 seconds then quit
3. Tried to restart but just the heard the starter spinning

Now I had a 90 Legend LS that I ran for 300k miles with VERY minor problems. I have used this forum since owning my 90. I went to some of the treads about a G2 not starting and thought I had an electrical problem (had problems with the factory install alarm) prior to my trip up North (live in NC).

Now here is the kicker. The dealer where I had her towed to has informed me that the radiator had a melt down (the core) and the engine is now fried. Well just my LITTLE knowledge of mechanics (had a 73 right hand drive twin overhead cam that I and only I worked on) known that if a vehicle has overheating problems that it will give you the tell-tell sign of stream. Saw no signs of overheating when she shut down and after trying to fire her back up. Since this place is 400 miles from me I have to accept the information that they have provided me.

So now I am trying to make a decision of the following:

1. Junk her and start again (I do not want to purchase nothing less than a 95 Acura 4 door model)

2. Provide a chance for one of my fellow Legend lovers to meet me at this dealer and give her to you for a VERY fair price for parts (Overall in looks, she is in very excellent shape, in and out)

3. Tow her home and get a second opinion

And if anyone on the forum has experience something similar, I would sure love to hear about it.

Everyone have a great Xmas and happy New year and if you are out for a long trip in your Acura good driving to you!

Tony

 

[Shaylord]

that sucks man i am sorry to hear that, where were u on the eastern seacoast?

 

[morbo]

Get a second opinion. They probabl;y knew you were on a trip and figured they'd give you a worst case scenerio and try to squeeze some holiday bucks from you.

I highly doubt the entire radiator core could meltdown that quickly and cause the type of damage they described with no evidence, especiallya burning smell of oil or coolant.

If it won't turn over it could be dozens of things-I'd get it evaluated by someone else before you do anything rash....


These engines are almost indestructable-aside from the head gaskets....

 

[frantinez63]

Get a 2nd opinion. All mechanics are rip-offs. Pay the $$ and have it towed to someone you know and trust.

They could tell you the car is junk just to try and get a few dollars from you. Don't trust them.

-Eric

 

[bl420]

i say its BS....

theres no way a radiator is going to melt down and not even leak where steam would be coming out of the engine bay everywhere....

 

[tdabel]

She went down in Maryland...

 

[stevieray]

Got AAA? Get it towed to a reputable mechanic. These guys are full of it.

 

[1_Hot_Legend_LS]

It actually sounds like a timing belt to me. The fact that it sounds like it's cranking too easy and the check engine light came on 5 sec before it died. See, when a timing belt goes the first thing it does is stretch causeing the timing to go out of wack and trip the CEL. Then shortly after that it snaps and causes the motor to shut down. Then when you try to crank it, it will have no compression and crank real easy.

If the timing belt is the problem and you were at idle or low RPM you have a 90% chance that the motor is fine and a new belt/waterpump is all it will need.

Let us know when the car is back at your place and I'll walk you through grabbing the code off the computer and I bet it will say either crank sensor, TDC sensor or CYL sensor.

Just my $.02

Later!
Lenny

 

[ntujyug]

"You kept this car clean with proper maintenance? Radiator cord melted down and engine fried." The engine will run w/o a radiator. Sounds like a complete rip off. Rent a U-Haul and tow her back home. I am so f*king sick of crooked auto repair shops. They are right next to layers and used car salesmen.

 

[Ken]

second opinion because "your radiator core melted with the radiator not leaking" sounds like BS to me

 

[blah]

ya im with hot legend, it sounds like the T/B not your engine siezed from a complete meltdown. take it home or to a reputable mechanic

 

[hotlavaflow]

Hell naw, take it for a second opinion. Legends don't die like that.

 

[GSteg]

I have never, ever, heard of a legend engine die simply because. You got guys here well over 200k miles and some with 300k+. My legend had 150k miles and at that time, the engine was smooth as butter. The only thing that really happens on our engine is the headgasket and heating issue, but thats mainly maintainance issue.

Getting a second opinion is cheaper than junking the car and doing all that mess. Saves you time from being kicked around by some mechanic that you hardly know.

 

[Uncle Stinky]

Radiators don't melt. They don't have "cores" either. I call BS. It could be simple and cheap, it could be a broken timing belt.

 

[LegendLuxury205]

I was telling someone that a lot of mechanics were faulty, i think the Acura dealership down the street is even a rip off, trying to charge $80 for the code to my headunit, i could just buy an aftermarket one for $40 more.. Thank god i pulled the serial code myself, (in 2 minutes) and saved myself $80...

 

[hotlavaflow]

i think the Acura dealership down the street is even a rip off...

Speaking of dealers I called today to get a clutch master cylinder reservoir and the guy says "oh yeah we have them in stock, it's $254"
:eek2:
I can get it on Ebay for $10

 

[jno2968326]

it sounds like the timing belt broke to me also.good luck but take it to some one you know and trust.it's worth the tow.

 

[Rumnarv]

Yeah, We mechanics are full of sh/t. Take it to a reputable shop so you can get some advice from someone else that is full of sh/t.

Did your temp gauge ever go above the half way mark?

Sounds like a timing belt to me. I have never heard of a Legend engine just die and not start back up. If this is the case there is a 5% chance you did not bend the valves. Most likely you will need a new engine. You can get a JDM Type 1 for around $600. Thats what I would do especially if the car is clean.

 

[tdabel]

Towing her back!!! (hoping timing belt is the problem)

I would like to thank everyone for his or her input to my issue. My first thought also was the timing belt (just so hard to troubleshoot these high tech vehicles now). I believe the problem that I have will help someone in the future once they read the results of this thread.

I have decided to have it towed (thanks to everyone that responded to this problem) back to NC. I believe once they know that I am local (here at home), I will have a better chance of a thorough look at her.

Again thanks for assisting me in making a sound decision as opposed to a quick un-rational decision.

I will provide a final thread in this matter once I come to a solution or conclusion with the finding here in NC…

Tony

 

[LegendLuxury205]

If, for some reason your engine is in fact damaged, i suggest you buy a type II not type I, off Ebay for $700-$800, they come fairly new (80K miles or around that area), have a mechanic that you trust, not one of these rip off's and have him drop it in, and you dont lose 30 HP to tow your 3,500 lb car.. Oh wait if you got a sedan were talking like 4,200 lb.. something like that