tthumma10

This has been an issue for two years now, and I'm ready to finally get it solved. Here are the details...
OBD2 GSR engine and ecu swapped into a 98 civic dx, no check engine lights at all. Engine idles great all the time. On cold startup, engine runs great as I would have expected it to. After running for awhile or after a warm startup, engine hesitates/bogs down at low rpms under load. It is a significant loss in power and a deeper tone. It surges in power right at about 3000 rpm every time, and maintains this power throughout the rest of the rpm range. It does seem to have slightly less power than normal at all rpms, but not as noticable as the bogging at low rpms. It does this in every gear, not only from a start, and with or without A/C on. The problem seems to get worse as temperatures outside get hotter and on long highway trips when the engine is running for a long time. When I did the swap I replaced the intake and filter, spark plugs, header and cat, clutch and flywheel, timing belt and water pump. I have read about some people fixing a similar problem by replacing the knock sensor, but I hesitate to do this because of the price of a new sensor and the fact that there is no CEL for the knock sensor. A honda mechanic suggested checking the timing belt to make sure a gear isn't a tooth off, but I would like to exhaust all other easy solutions before taking the time to get the timing belt cover and underdrive pulley off. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, so thanks in advance!


Modified by tthumma10 at 2:51 PM 6/25/2007

tthumma10

sorry for writing a book by the way

tthumma10

fabe85

i have same problem in with my h22 hatch. I check ur o2, if not you might wanna try a obd1 switch and a tune on crome.

tthumma10

did either of those fix your problem?

tthumma10

bump for some good advice...

tthumma10

93egsir

sorry to say but it sounds alot like the cam timing isnt right. I would check that asap. you wouldnt want bent valves, but if you have had it on the freeway then it may be to late. is the valve cover cut or original. if original just remove the valve cover rotate the engine to tdc and make sure the dashes on the cam gear line all the way accross

tthumma10

Pulled off the valve cover tonight (it isn't cut) and checked the cam gears. They line up perfectly with each other...the notches line up when both gears point UP and also checked the holes in the cams with a small screwdriver and both lined up perfectly. So I know the cams are perfect with each other, but while they were at TDC I checked the crank pully and noticed a potential problem. The notch on the pulley (aftermarket, don't know what brand) was significantly off from the mark on the lower timing belt cover. It seemed like it would have been about a tooth off in the couterclockwise direction (if the notch on the pulley is reliable). So my question now is...can I move the timing belt on the cam gears one tooth without removing the engine mount, accessory belts, crank pulley and lower timing belt cover? How reliable are the notches on crank pulleys and the marks on the timing belt covers?

tthumma10

morning bump

tthumma10

ef_hatchback

i dont think the notches are always on. i would pull spark plug wires out of 1 and 4. Then take the spark plugs out of 1 and 4. You can take the timing belt off without taking the motor mount off. but you dont have to take it all the way off,just take it off your cam or cams on your head,then take it off the pulley on the bottom. then turn the pulley on the bottom and then keep checking in valve 1 and 4 and when there at the top you got it timed. try to get them as close to the top as you can,its really easy.


Modified by ef_hatchback at 10:02 AM 6/26/2007

tthumma10

Never thought of finding TDC that way...thanks

tthumma10

FIXED...So just for future reference if anyone has a similar hesitation issue, my problem was incorrect ignition timing from the distributor. Cams and crank were perfectly aligned with each other but the distributor was not adjusted correctly after I did the swap. Make sure when checking/adjusting ignition timing you jumper the 2-pin plug by the ecu so the ecu doesn't compensate for changes you make.

marksae

Bump.

So did fixing your ignition problem make this bogging/hesitation problem really go away? I'm having the same issues w/ 99 hatch. I recently swapped in a B16A2.

bryan_hartley

im having the EXACT SAME PROBLEM! just changed the engine, BUT! i brought it to a garage and they did the timing and it didnt fix it, i wonder if they didnt do it right?