I was wondering if you guys can help me out...
I need to get a valve adjustment, it's tapping louder under normal driving conditons. I got close to 40k Miles on it. Is there any other thing I should get check out?
Local dealer quoted me $90 for the valve adjustment. Is that a reasonable price?
I got a 4 door Integra and want to replace the stock exhaust for a cat-back one. Planning on probably go for a Greddy SP, Apex WS, or DC sports. I don't need to have it loud plus it's the daily family driver. Just want to replace the better than stock unit. Any suggestions is apprecitaed.
Thanks

 

yeah, $90 sounds really good. I've been quoted $135 but when I took it to the dealer (Hopkins Acura), they did not want to do it since they said it is NOT necessary at the time (30k miles, no tapping sound).

 

Wow, a dealer turning down business? They're either honest or really stupid.

I was planning to do the job myself. It honestly doesn't look that hard, I just need to get the tools (famous last words).




[Modified by mattymatt, 7:42 PM 6/27/2001]

 

Its really easy to do.

As always, just take your time and follow the directions.

 

$90 is a good price, just make sure that dealer is realiable and does good work. Out of all three exhausts you mentioned, I would say the Apex WS is the "quietest". You might want to check out the Comp-tech one too.

 

Get the Comptech one! Stainless steel! I LOVE MINE! It's not obnoxiously loud and it's made great! You can actually buy it directly from your acura dealer and have them install it. Won't void any warranty. you can also buy it from http://www.autocarparts.com, that's where I got mine... real great people down in florida... i think that url is right, i can check if it's wrong. Let us know what you chose.

 

forreals ur comptech catbacks are quiet? when i put one on my car 95 4dr sedan LS it was loud as hell. The guy at the muffler shop looked at me funny cause i told him it was a quiet exhaust and when they started my car up it was like "VROOOOOOMMMMM" we were like wtf. and i do not have a hallow cat. but i was dissapointed at the sound i had to pay 75 $ for a glasspack to be installed and now it sounds nice. freaking got a headache from driving with the exhuast without the glasspack.

 

Thanks alot for your guys input. Normally, I would take the time to do the valve adjustment on my own, problem is since I live in a apartment it's strictly forbidded to work on your car in the parking lot. My neighbors would rat me out in heartbeat! Got some nosy Seniors living here...As far as the exhaust goes looks like I might go with the Apex WS. any other suggestions would be nice. Thanks Again.

 

Not only is your dealer high if they want to charge that price, but I get mine done every 15k miles, no matter what. If they don't want to do it, just tell them you'll take it to someone who will.

My valve ajustment costs me about $70 every time, and I do it at the manual specified interval, noise or not. It's good preventative maintenance.

 

Yeah, the dealer I go to is very honest too (service mgr) and turn people away all the time. They 're also way too busy and in an upscale area where they sell a lot of Acuras. They charge around $100 for a valve adjustment. Every dealership is different.

 

Wow you Americans should come Canada's Acura Dealers

In Canada, they charge $80 for valve adjustment + $20 for new valve cover gasket. Thats $100 CDN = around $67 - $70 USD

:D

 

According to them, it is NOT really necessary unless I "hear tapping" noise. The manual says INSPECT at 30k and NOT 15k miles. If you think the manual is bible, do you change your oil at 7500k miles? Probably not even at the "severe" 3750?
Anyway, once I went there to buy new plugs, they told me again to come back at 60k miles, and when I asked for a coolant, they told me to get it at 45k miles. I bought the plugs anyway. I think they are just being honest, not high. But yeah, $135 seems on way high side. Plus, I have to leave my car there for almost the whole day for the engine to cool.

 

the engine (specifically the valve train) has to be cold to correctly adjust valve lash. I paid about $100, a few months ago to have it done (98 GSR had about 45K miles on it). the loud tapping stopped after that. the mechanic, who happens to be my girlfriend's dad, taught me how to do it. pretty easy, just make sure you've got the valve adjustment tool to do it (it's a LOT easier and faster with it)