doubledeucehatch

Normally I would just search for brainstorming ideas but I've already done that and my problem is more specific than what you can really search for...here goes.

D16y7:

Was overheating and there was a slight noise in the head, I have a parts car with a known good engine it ran and drove until last week when I started disassembly (had a low comp cylinder). So I pull the head completely off clean both surfaces and replace the head gasket, torque to the correct sequence and everything.

I'm throwing a code 10 immediately before starting the car (intake air temp sensor) no biggie it still should start.

Here's what I've checked so far:
Mechanical timing is good
Spark plugs smell of fuel and the fuel rail is getting good pressure.
Dizzy is new but I swapped it with another known good
Double checked wire routing and everything is plugged in correctly.

Im thinking I may have broken the cam gear bolt adjusting it to tdc(just the head) but the cam is still turning on the dizzy side. So i don't know if it's just enough out of time to not start.

I currently have 7 civics right now and this probably my 10-15th headgasket replacement just on D series alone. This one really has me stumped though. Throw out some things you've run into before would be a huge help! Thanks in advance.

mk378

You are saying then that it cranks but won't start?
Check the wire colors you probably have the wrong plug on the IAT (and the IAT plug on something else). This can be a big deal.
Check ground wires on the thermostat that is likely the #1 reason for not starting after swapping engine.
TDC the engine pull distributor, the slot in the camshaft should be straight up and down (relative to the head) with the groove facing the exhaust side. Put distributor on remove cap and confirm the rotor points at wire #1. Check the order of the other wires.
Make sure valves are not too tight that will cause loss of compression and difficult / no starting. A compression test can be done cold on an engine that doesn't run.

doubledeucehatch

Yes it turns over but never hits.
Unfortunately the compression test revealed the number three cylinder still had low compression about 50, which was the same cylinder that was have issues before pulling it from the parts car. I'll cross that bridge later though, there's really only one route the IAT harness can take and the other plug that would fit it won't even reach to that side of the air box.

AIT harness wire colors are green/black stripe and red/yellow stripe.

I had already switched out the cam and cam caps but the dizzy slot is in the correct position you referenced. I'm putting it back in time now to see if that made a difference.

I always have to mess mess with time to get it perfect though, how do you do it? Do you line it up with enough room to turn the crank enough to put tension on the belt and still be perfectly timed or just line up the bottom turn it a little and go? I've been leaving enough room so when you put tension on the belt all the markers still line up perfectly. It's never failed me in the past can just be a pain sometimes to get the amount of room right.

doubledeucehatch

Also valve adjustments are the one thing I've never learned to do so maybe I'll look into that today. I've heard it isn't complicated though

doubledeucehatch

Also I don't have a obd2 scanner here but I have the trip harness which I believe the codes are still the same correct? It's one long blink followed by a longer pause. I've read several codes before and I'm reading it as a 10 and that's the only one that comes up just 10 pause repeat 10 again( the pause is longer than the usual so I'm sure it just one blink.)

mk378

I set the cam to TDC, then bring the crank to TDC, and put timing belt on. Then tension it, lock down the tensioner, finally turn crank two full turns counterclockwise to bring engine again to TDC1, and re-check the marks.

You can turn the engine until all the valves on cylinder 3 are up, then grab the rocker arms and try to wiggle them up and down, they should have a little slack. If the valves are too tight, the rocker arms will never go slack. This is all you need to do to make a basic check on a non-working engine.