engine Acura Integra 2001 Repair Manual

Jum
p Startin g
To jump start your car, follow these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 191 ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushy or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, the electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral orPark and set the parking brake. 3. Connect one jumper cable to the
positive (+) terminal on your
Acura's battery. Connect the other end to the positive (+) terminalon the booster battery. 4. Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative (—) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect theother end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of the engine.
5. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, have an assistant startthat vehicle and run it at a fast idle.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or spray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators. 2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.

NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page128). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have toadd coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator capcounterclockwise, without pushingdown, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off.
10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you

can.

11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in theradiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Removing the radiator cap

while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.

Always let the engine and radiator cool down before

removing the radiator cap.

Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r
This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it
indicates that the oil pressuredropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressureand serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely get
the car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the car sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil level(see page 127). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure during cornering and other driving

maneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 173). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes not go out within ten seconds,
turn off the engine. There is a
mechanical problem that needs to
be repaired before you can
continue driving. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 248.)
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LO
W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R
NOTIC
E

Chargin
g Syste m Indicato r
This indicator should come on when the ignition switch is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
defogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated controls such as the power windows.Keep the engine running and take
extra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly. By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.

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CHARGIN
G SYSTE M INDICATO R

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p
This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your car's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.
Continued operation may causeserious damage. If you have recently refueled your
car, the cause of this indicator
coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the cap and tighten it until it clicks several
times. Replace the fuel fill cap if it is missing. Tightening the cap will not
make the indicator turn off
immediately; it takes three driving
trips.
If the indicator remains on past threedriving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the car checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until thedealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed. You should also have the dealer
inspect your car if this indicator
comes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.

If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.

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MALFUNCTIO
N INDICATO R LAM P

NOTICE

Fuse
s

All the electrical circuits in your car have fuses to protect them from ashort circuit or overload. These
fuses are located in two or three fuse

boxes.

The interior fuse box is underneath the dashboard on the driver's side.Remove the fuse box lid by swinging
the lid down and pulling it straight out of its hinges.
UNDER-HOO
D

TAB

The under-hood fuse box is located in the engine compartment next to
the battery. To open it, push the tab
as shown.
AB
S FUS E BO X
Cars equipped with ABS have a third
fuse box for the ABS. It is in the
front of the engine compartment on the passenger's side.

CONTINUED

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INTERIO
R

Emergenc
y Towin g

If your car needs to be towed, call a
professional towing service or, if you
belong to one, an organization that
provides roadside assistance. Never
tow your car behind another vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.

There are three popular types of professional towing equipment.

Flat-bed Equipment — The operator

loads your car on the back of a truck.

Thi s is th e bes t wa y to transpor t

you r Acura .

Wheel-lift Equipment — The tow

truck uses two pivoting arms that go under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground. Thi s is

a n acceptabl e wa y to to w you r

Acura .
Sling-type Equipment — The tow

truck uses metal cables with hooks on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the car off
the ground. Your car's suspension and body can be seriously damaged.
Thi s metho d o f towin g is
unacceptable .
If your Acura cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed by
wheel-lift equipment with the front
wheels off the ground. If, due to damage, your car must be towed
with the front wheels on the ground, do the following.

5-speed Manual Transmission
Release the parking brake.
Shift the transmission to Neutral.
Automatic Transmission
Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine.

Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the engine (automatic transmission), your
car must be transported with the front
wheels off the ground.

With the front wheels on the ground, it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep thespeed below 35 mph (55 km/h).

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E

Identificatio
n Number s

Your car has several identifying numbers located in various places.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the 17-digit number your
Acura dealer uses to register your car for warranty purposes. It is also
necessary for licensing and insuring
your car. The easiest place to find the VIN is on a plate fastened to the
top of the dashboard. You can see itby looking through the windshield on the driver's side. It is also on theCertification label attached to the
driver's doorjamb, and is stamped on
the engine compartment bulkhead.
The VIN is also provided in bar code on the Certification label. VEHICL
E IDENTIFICATIO N NUMBE R
CERTIFICATIO N LABE L

Technica l Informatio n

Identificatio
n Number s

The Engine Number is stamped into the engine block.
The Transmission Number is on a label on top of the transmission.

Technical Informatio n

MANUA
L TRANSMISSIO N NUMBE RAUTOMATI
C TRANSMISSIO N NUMBE R
ENGIN E NUMBE R