onmyownaccord

This is my first Honda. I bought it off Craigslist for very cheap from a young man who blew a radiator hose and drove the car about 50 miles home anyway. Its the ULEV 2.3l VTEC F23A 4 cylinder with automatic transmission.

I have done the head gaskets on cars 4 times in the past and enjoy the work. My plan is to fix the car and give it to our retired Pastor who has had a few strokes and can no longer climb into his 4x4 pickup truck.

I replaced the timing belt(s), water pump, oil pan gasket, spark plugs, spark plug wires, head gasket and bolts.

The car cranks and acts like its trying to start but does not start.

I have taken the valve cover off back off and confirmed that Distributor and cam gear are both aligned at TDC #1.

I have taken the timing cover back off and confirmed the balance shaft, oilpump and crank timing are all aligned with the cam gear.

All 4 cylinders have near as makes no difference 150psi on a compression test.

I have confirmed that I have spark by pulling wires and testing with voltmeter while the engine is being cranked.

I sprayed some carb cleaner into #1 and quickly put the plug/wire back in and tried to start it am thinking to get some starting fluid.

What else should I be checking for??

I have a scan tool and there are zero codes.

onmyownaccord

Couple photos of the timing points on bottom end






The car in question

onmyownaccord

Motor cleaned up



Head cleaned up valves/seats looked good no significant warpage per feeler gauge and straight edge

onmyownaccord

One thing I should add.

I broke a temp sensor on the head, forgot to disconnect it when I pulled the head. The wire loop is intack I fed it back into the sensor body and glued it together. I figured it would not make a difference but what do you think.

doc500

Have you checked the valve lash? Also, have you tried opening the throttle slightly while starting the vehicle. Sometimes, it will sputter to life. Be careful not to drown the cylinders with fuel, by trying to repetitively start the vehicle.

hatchdrvr

Did you check all of your grounds?

jerodli

I have the same problem. The mechanic told me the coolant is leaking in the head gasket, but my radiator is leaking. You can smell the coolant is burning when you start. They told me I have to replace the radiator and do the compression test on the cooling system.

I have few questions:
Is the 150psi cylinder pressure enough?
If I want to test the head gasket leaking, do I have to test the cooling system? or does it matter if the radiator is leaking?
What is the normal cooling system pressure? If it is lower than normal, does is mean the head gasket is leaking the coolant?

onmyownaccord

I replaced the coolant sensor that I killed and I replaced the main relay. When I got under the dash to do the relay I discovered a partially installed KARR alarm system. I completely removed it but it appear that some of the main harness under the dash has been unplugged and replaced with parts from the alarm system. A co worker has a 99 4 cylinder accord that I can look at tomorrow for reference but it still didn't start even with starting fluid squirted into #1 and/or sprayed into the throttle body while cranking and pumping the gas pedal.

Thank you all for the feedback!

onmyownaccord

It is within the acceptable range of minimum 135 psi and normal of 178 psi. The motor has not had an easy life (overheated) and it has 140,000 miles on it so 150 psi is pretty good IMO.

The coolant system is pressurized somewhat when its hot, think about what happens if you open the radiator cap on a hot motor. But the coolant system leaking or not would not keep the car from starting. I replaced the head gasket and used new bolts. I read your posts I think your issue is bad/blown head gasket have you compression tested your motor?

onmyownaccord

I will check the grounds tomorrow, I did glance at them today but need to chase down each one.

Valve lash was not checked, do you you think that could prevent starting? I would imagine you could hear them clatter while trying to start if they were that out of adjustment? At TDC #1 they just barely can be rocked.

I had another thought, I don't know how old the fuel is. I have had the car about a month and who knows how long the kid had it sitting broken before he put it on Craigslist. I might add a couple gallons of 91 with fuel stabalizer tomorrow. The car is on E what if its out of gas LOL

jerodli

when you say compression test, do you mean the cylinder compression test?

If it is the cylinder compression test, I did not do the cylinder compression test myself. The second mechanic did and told me it is the head gasket leaking. Because the first mechanic gave me one year warranty, and he does not want to admit they did bad job. They just push me to replace the radiator, which I think they broke it since at first it is good (There is a big crack in the radiator). I am really upset. Now I will replace the radiator anyway.

My car just run 93k, and got overheated. I am thinking the 150 psi is low. and I am not sure if the pressure among the cylinder is within 10% difference.

Any suggestions how to deal with the first mechanic?

onmyownaccord

Yes I have compression gauge you remove a spark plug thread it in and crank the motor I'm getting + or - 150 PSI on all 4 cylinders. No advise on how to deal with the first mechanic. per the manual 135 psi is the minimum 178psi is the normal. If you have above 150 psi the car will run just fine.

Head gasket on this motor is cake, replace it yourself plenty of youtube videos to walk you through it.

I took a few photos of the underside of the dash on my coworkers car and think I see what is disconnected on mine. Its easy to fix a car that was running when you broke it harder to try to guess what went wrong.

jerodli

I don't have all the tools to replace the head gasket myself. I really want to learn and try once.

Is anyone in Boston area willing to help me?

holmesnmanny

Are you getting fuel or not ?

onmyownaccord

I am not sure I am getting fuel what is the best way to check? pull an injector and crank the motor?

onmyownaccord

10,12,13,14,17,19 mm box wrenches
10,12,13,14,17,19 mm sockets in 1/4 & 1/2 in drive corresponding drivers
1/4 & 1/2 extensions
1/4 & 1/2 in breaker bars
Torque wrench
spark plug socket
plyers

Should be all you need to change the head gasket... probably could disassemble the entire car with this collection of tools

jerodli

Thank you. I can start purchase these tools and work on it.

Lost Again

OP - be sure to re-check the main ground for the ECU (G101). See the "inset" #16 for the location.

holmesnmanny

is there really a such thing as a 1/4 inch breaker bar or u mean 3/8 ? lol

onmyownaccord

Thank you!!

I will check this tomorrow AM will be pitch black by the time I get home today.

Didn't have anytime to look at it this weekend.

onmyownaccord

LOL nice 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch drive sorry.

You will need 10mm deep and standard sockets and wrenches for some of the intake manifold bolts on the underside of the engine.

I think I could do a timing belt & head on a accord in less then 4 hours now. I applaud Honda on the simplicity of design.

onmyownaccord

Lost Again, GOOD Advise! Those grounds were not loose but I backed the bolts cleaned em up and re torqued. Then I discovered the connection that would be #18 in your diagram the bolt was very loose. I tightened it back down and the car started for a second then sputtered and died. I am 99% sure that it has bad gas fortuneatly it is also on E. I ran to the gas station and put in 2 gallons of 91 octane with the same fuel stabilizer I use in my lawn mower gas.

The battery was very low at this point and cranking slow so I pulled it and put it on my battery charger for discharge and balancing just peeked in the garage and its at 75% so tomorrow I will get back to you on if it starts.

onmyownaccord

Well it still doesn't start unless you prime it with starting fluid so I suppose I am not getting fuel. It only runs a few revs then stalls once the starting fluid is consumed

Turning the car to ACC you can hear the fuel pump cycle once. What would prevent the fuel injectors from firing??

Here is a video of it trying to start.

onmyownaccord

Did some more research on line thinking fuel pressure regulator could be bad as a result of getting overheated? Will check vacuum lines going into it for fuel tonight when I get home.

onmyownaccord

Replaced fuel pressure regulator no change. Tried to get NOID lights to test injectors but no Honda specific ones at parts store just GM and Ford.

When I removed the old regulator from the rail fuel came out of the rail so it is getting fuel. I hear the pump cycle on when I turn the key too.

I guess I can test the injectors with my voltmeter.