Well, I just finished putting on a new head on my wife's Integra and I started it up. It started up, but it was very rough. I retarded the timing all the way, but the engine still acts as though the timing is advanced a little. It idles at 2500 rpm and then will drop to 700 rpm and then bounce back to 2500 until it eventually dies. Here are my questions.

I noticed, after the fact, in the service manual that there is something called a SCS Short Connector that you connect to the Data Link Connector in order to time the engine properly. Is there are work around for this? If not, can I buy the part from Acura?

I also think that maybe the timing is off one tooth on the timing belt. If it was off one tooth, would the engine even run on these cars. I know every car is different, that is why I ask.

Thanks in advance. I am so close to getting my wife's car back on the road, it is always one more thing. If I have not made myself clear on some things, feel free to ask me to clarify.

 

not sure about the first part but the car will run/start if a tooth is off...it will just run really sluggish and do weird things.

 

Having changed the timing belt AND missplaced the belt a tooth on the cam gears, I would suggest you first re-check the crankshaft marking relative to markings on both cam gears to eliminate that possibility.

My sysmpton was a bit different, the car would start and idle OK, but it would not rev under load past 4,000 RPM, but it depends on which cam gear is out and if it's advanced or retarded. Had to pretty much re-do the work all over again to get it right.

Suffice to say I paid a lot of attention when I changed the timing belt again on the next car.