peetie87

Hey guys. I recently picked up a 1990 DX hatch with a engine (not in car). This is my first Honda engine swap and everything has been going well. I also own a 1991 CRX HF.

I have a timing issue that I believe is the fault of the timing belt.
I dropped the engine in, hooked up everything, tried to start the car, there was mad backfire and exhaust was coming out of the intake! It just turned over and wouldn't start. Researched and obviously learned it is a timing issue. There is no knocking or interference when turning over the engine manually and I suspect the head is good.

SOOO I followed both my shop manuals (Haynes and Chilton) to time the engine. After tightening the belt tension pulley and manually cranking the engine over twice the engine is not aligned! The crank shaft pulley mark is an inch to the left of the correct position when the cam gear mark is inline. I suspect the wrong timing belt is on my engine.

I have a D15B7 block, a PM9-1 head and a Honda 14400-PM3-004 timing belt.
Is this correct? Do i need a different water pump?

Someone please provide the correct information so I can get my car running.

Pic links below:
Head
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Block
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Belt
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Crank shaft mark is off by about an inch to the left
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Cam gear aligned
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

peetie87

Noon bump

peetie87

Bump anyone?

94EG8

You've got the right parts, its just not timed right.

Pro tip: You'll know if you have the wrong timing belt if its too tight (especially with tensioner loose) or too loose (tensioner just wont take up enough slack)

werteg

HELP! I swaped my old 8 valve head with a PM3-6 16 Valve head and I can't adjust timing properly.
My car came orignialy with the CX head but the right DX engine. I read on the internet that people do that to save gas milage but I think someone didn't know there heads hehe. I need my car to get to college and I am currently getting pour gas mileage.
My car specs are at bottom:
I can't advance my distributor any further and can't set my ignition timing because it needs like a quarter more advancement.
I have my valve timing set from what I can see by manualy turning crankshaft. The TDC for crankshaft is the alone white mark that is furthest clockwise right?
I have tryed retarding valve timing a tooth and can get my ignition timing but the valve timing looks off a tooth and engine has poor performance. It's frustrating.
The only thing I have not replaced on the engine is the spark plug wires, igniter, and coil.
CAR SPECS:
Vehicle = 1993 Honda Civic 3Door DX Automatic
Engine = D15B7
Head = eBay machined PM3-6 16 valve, just had to add my own camsprocket -took images of old 8 valve camshaft and new camshaft and they line up the same. no problem there.

My probable causes are :
A possible stretched timing belt all though I have tryed valve timing retarding with pour results. But I also have good valve timing just bad ignition timing.
A possible bad distributor igniter or coil or spark plug wires since those are the only things I have not changed with the engine rebuild.
A possible wrong head/camshaft. Any ideas on the correct head code for a 1993 Honda Civic DX Automatic 3 Door from Canada? I checked the camshaft ends and they look the same as the 8 valve head.

So what do you master techs think? hehe. Any ASE style challenge questions you want to ask me?
Please save me the $200 that I would spend at a local honda dealership to solve this problem. They might tell me it's the computer.

94EG8

Did you jump the service connector before you tried to set the timing?

werteg

Yeah but I don't remeber if I had the key off or if I had the engine on when I jumped the service connector. Twice I have gotten the timing set during a cold to warm start and after it heats up the timing goes way retarded. I almost think it's the O2 sensor. But does a sensor like the O2 change ignition timing?

94EG8

It has to remain jumped while you set the timing. Otherwise you'll never get it adjusted right, the ECU keeps trying to compensate.

werteg

I checked my timing again and did it correctly. The timing is still to late/retard. Soo what should I replace? The camshaft? The Distributor with spark plug wires? or The O2 Sensor? Those are the only things I have not replaced. The distributor needs like a quarter inch of movment to advance it and currently it is at it's limit.
Oh yea, and the PM3-6 head all lines up. The distributor marks are TDC with the camshaft witch is TDC and crankshaft lines up with camshaft at TDC. So I am stumped. That is why I don't think I should replace camshaft or head. Im still pointing at the distributor hehe.