Acura TL CDM headlight

Make sure you get the HID gasket covers from a 2003 TL instead of using tape and silicon like I did. You will also need to notch out the blinker sockets a bit larger to fit.

I got the turn signals from Honda Accord and the running light from Toyota Prius.Part numbers are 33302-SR3-A01 Honda Part Number,90075-60004 Toyota plug. 

I created my own wire harness covered it in heat shrink tubing over the soldered wires,then siliconed any exposed areas. When installing the bulbs I covered them in silicon to keep out any leaks. I suggest going over the entire headlight with silicon.I've had these fill up with moisture too many times before I got sorb-it absorbers packets and put them in the headlight.





Minor condensation to prove it was happening.It has been covered entirely with moisture,depends on the temperature.


Some installed pictures.


Blue LED bulb 


So far I have replaced the passenger side headlight due to condensation and these headlights have been nothing but a PAIN. Luckily now I have them clean and how I like.Hopefully they will stay that way. Other than that they look pretty sweet. That's my 

Acura TL coolant bypass

This was done on my 2006 TL base Automatic while I was doing a IM spacer.





Your throttle body should look like this now with the hoses removed.

TL valve adjustment,gasket replacement and paint.

Noticed I have some oil on a bolt attached to the front of the valve covers so had to get a gasket kit. Figured while the valves are off I'll paint them too. The spark plug gaskets were a nightmare without special tools. Had 
to pry them out. Then forgot how I the new ones go in,like which side is up. My first set of gaskets was off Ebay (same brand they had on rockauto) and I literally had to hammer the plug gaskets into place. While reseaching which way I started thinking "why not do a valve adjustment". Bad idea that caused a 2 week nightmare. 

LETTING PAINT DRY further after Baking the valves



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BEFORE touching the valves




While waiting for something to load on the computer I pulled up Eric The Car guy's video 

Honda J Series V6 Valve Adjustment (Part 2) -EricTheCarGuy - YouTube

. 

How to adjust valve clearence on a 2003 Honda Accord v6 - YouTube

"How to adjust valve clearance on a 2003 Honda Accord v6 " was helpful too for the adjustment from a different guy who seems less professional.

I was very weary of doing it incase of a mess up but my wonderful girlfriend said it looked easy. We went out,got a feeler gauge and had at it. She took the tools and pretty much pushed me out of the way.lol. 



Left the spark plugs in which was a mistake because it made it much harder to turn the crank to TDC. It got late so we called it a day with the valve covers off. Cylinder 1 is hard to see so had to take a pic to see it.



Next day put it all back together and BAM... loud ticking and CEL came on with in 2 minutes of driving. My heart dropped with racing thoughts of how much it will cost to fix. Pulled the front valve cover off and adjusted it
myself and the loudest ticket went away but the rears were chattering and CEL still on. Tore everything down again only to find one spark plug gasket tore so had to spend $36 at Autozone to get a kit a day later just for one gasket. Decided to get Lucas Oil additive too which I feel helped quite it down. I did clean the valve covers and manifold with carb cleaner.

REINSTALLING PARTS













Now with gaskets in hand I pulled the spark plugs and began turning the crank to TDC. Went much smoother turning. The autozone gaskets seemed flymsier but went in without having to hammer. They should go in as pictured below with the ridged part that has a weak inner ring goes down facing the valves. Triple checked all the lash settings and made the intakes a hair tigher that what I did last time and the exhaust a hair looser. Cranked the engine over about twice, checking the lash each time.





Next day put it all together. Let the spark plugs disconnected and turned the igntion to turn the engine over,listening to any funny sounds before spark plug ignition. Over all it sounds just alittle quieter than before I even started this project. So vavles are fixed but CEL remains. P0138 bank 1 sensor 2 oxygen sensor faulty. 

Did days of research finding which one that is,getting part numbers,and tutorials on how to replace it. Was calling around and found Orielys had it on sale so jumped the gun and ordered it. Courious on how to remove it I checked under the car,found it and looked ok. Wanted to see where the cable went to checked under the hood. Looking at the plug it was sitting where it should have been but not clipped in. I started kicking myself because that was the one thing I forgot that I unplugged thinking it'll give me more space to work with. CEL fixed.

I plan on taking a video of how it sounds because I had a odd noise starting after I did the timing belt about a year ago and seems to have cleared up by now. Can't wait for spring so I can take pictures outside and not freeze.


FINISHED







Whole thing took about 2 weeks between letting paint dry,getting parts,and researching. I learned lots about how combustion,valves and how oxygen sensors worked. If you plan on trying this take your time and do it right the first round so you don't end up like me. Once you the get hang of adjusting it's really easy.

Acura TL adding mesh grill

Here is a quick write up on how I made my grille / front bumper. 
Remove the front bumper,remove the factory grille,cut a mesh grille out from gutter guard(lowes or home depot will have). Insert the grill and cut notches where the factory grille would insert, so it pushes against your mesh grill holding it in place. With the factory grill I cut out the top and bottom lines oput leaving the center only.Quickest way to do this is with a dremel.I drilled a few holes in the center bar to ziptie the mesh to this factory insert. Next I sanded and painted the insert silver. During this time I mounted white CCFLs behind the lower grille.


*Trim the mesh where the plastic straight grill pushes in at. 




*Lining up the mesh cut outs
 

*Notice the grey tabs where the mesh needs to be trimmed.

 

*Place the factory plastic line grill on top of the mesh.



*Push until it snaps in.



*Optional* Mount some blue cold cathodes (ccfl)



*Cover any wires and reinstall bumper.




*update*
Some of the pictures weren't showing up so I switched to photo bucket, so let's see if they work better on their server.

Here is with the Aspec front lip installed


**********LIGHTS ON**********








NIGHT TIME



















I will have more to come as my projects progress.