GARBhatch.

Just did a Valve adjustment to the specs in Helm's without any problems. I put valve cover back on, and tried to start her up... I get the crank to turn over, but the motor does not start. Timing belt moves just fine. Any suggestions on where to go from here? I have had no other issues with my motor other than valve clearance lately. Spark plugs are new, even though I'm not sure if I'm getting spark. How would you guys tell that?? One of the spark plug wires seems to have the connector for the plug a bit loose inside of it. But besides that, I can't think of anything else. And I don't think it's valve clearance because I think it would have to be pretty far off of spec in order to not start. PLEEZ Help!! Need to start car tomorrow morning... TIA.

jlacoy82

Ghetto way of checking for spark is pulling spart plug, plugging wire onto it, laying spark plug threads across something metal in the engine bay, usually your valve cover, and seeing if you have spark across the gap.

Kamin

if you just adjusted the valves and it wont start, its something you did wrong. hate to be blunt but the odds of something else breaking while you are doing that are slim to none.

GARBhatch.

ok, getting spark... And I am aware that it very well could be something I did wrong. But, it's a fairly simple procedure. BTW, I moved all cylinders to TDC by manually moving the crankshaft bolt. cylinder #1 was adjusted when camshaft pulley was at "top". Then 3, then 4, then 2. Can anybody think of anything else to check for?? I'm also getting fuel because the plug had fuel on it when I took it out. Any suggestions?


Modified by GARBhatch. at 6:42 PM 1/9/2005

GARBhatch.

Still thinking of what it could be here... Just a late night bump for stuff to look at tomorrow.

icucnme

Redo your valve job! I know you say it's easy and all that jazz but I said the same thing on like my 40th one when I was doing my friends B16. Low and behold car won't start. It had fuel,spark,timing was dead on ect ect. Well I redo the valve job b/c it seems I had them a tad bit to tight and the car started on the 1st try when I was done.

2lua

this might be nothing, what about fuel? are those plug wire plug in order?

GARBhatch.

Yes, plugs are definetely in order, and I am getting fuel. I will re-do it tonight, and hopefully it will change things. I would think that it would at least start, even if the gap was too large. I could see it having a nasty idle... Anyways, thanks for the replies guys.

alotawatts

Did you cycle the crank /valves a couple of times to double check your adjustments before you tried to start it ?

GARBhatch.

yeah, and everything seemed fine. I just got home from work, and I'm about to do everything again. The only thing I'm thinking is my feeler gauge has really small increments. My gauge has .026-.011mm with .001 increments. So I have to use a whole hell of a lot of them in a row to make my adjustments. This could have varied the actual gap. My helms says .18-.22 mm.'s for intake valves, and .2-.24 for exhaust valves. Can somebody verify just to make sure I'm not an idiot? It's a lousy 98 Y7 BTW. Damn cold *** PA weather... GRRrr...

07

Ive seen it happen before. and DONT stack feeler guages together.

GARBhatch.

I think you misunderstood me. I'm not stacking multiple feeler gauges together. I'm stacking a whole lot of "feelers" together from one individual gauge. This time after taking the valve cover and upper timing belt cover off, rotating the crankshaft seems a lot easier... And when I first started turning the crank, I heard the alternator buzz. I feel Both things are bad due to the fact that they didn't happen originally. This time I'm doing the rod down the spark plug holes to feel when pistons are actually at TDC before I make my adjustment, rather than doing the 180' guessing game. wish me luck...

07

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GARBhatch. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think you misunderstood me. I'm not stacking multiple feeler gauges together. I'm stacking a whole lot of "feelers" together from one individual gauge. This time after taking the valve cover and upper timing belt cover off, rotating the crankshaft seems a lot easier... And when I first started turning the crank, I heard the alternator buzz. I feel Both things are bad due to the fact that they didn't happen originally. This time I'm doing the rod down the spark plug holes to feel when pistons are actually at TDC before I make my adjustment, rather than doing the 180' guessing game. wish me luck...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Here is what I do, and many others. EASIEST method.

on a SOHC engine.

Take off the valve cover

Look at the marks at the engine side of the camshaft.

Have the marks straight up and down, OR across with the motor.

Check for the cylinder with ALL of the rocker arms loose. Adjust on that cylinder, rotate the marks 90 degrees, and find the correct cylinder, and adjust, rotate 90 degrees, find, adjust. Until all 4 are done.

khmboostedeh2

did you reconnect the ground wire to the valve cover?

edit nvm... if it wasnt connected hte starter wouldnt even budge.

matt_in_sd

Check for compression. I'm guessing when you adjusted the valves you screwed up and now the valve cant close all the way. No compression- no start. When the lobe of the cam shaft is not pushing on a valve you should be able to feel a very very slight amount of play on the rocker. If there is no play then the valve is to tight and cant close.

GARBhatch.

OK... Found out what was wrong... But I wish I hadn't. If you look a couple posts above, you'll see that I said this...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GARBhatch. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only thing I'm thinking is my feeler gauge has really small increments. My gauge has .026-.011mm with .001 increments. So I have to use a whole hell of a lot of them in a row to make my adjustments. This could have varied the actual gap. My helms says .18-.22 mm.'s for intake valves, and .2-.24 for exhaust valves.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, after thinking about what I wrote in that post, I remembered that the gang of prongs from the feeler gauge I was using was about a half inch thick LOL. After actually thinking about it, I knew it was way more than a millimeter.

So I start breezing through the adjustments (having it make a lot more sense this time). Doing the rod down the spark plug holes (which I strongly suggest if you're feeling a little unsure that you're getting the cylinders to TDC

And then I get to cylinder #3 and a twist of the 10mm socket gets me this

That's right!! The F'n adjustment screw broke. I'm sure as a result of tightening the nuts too much (although, I'm not sure how it happened due to the fact I was using my torque wrench at 13lb-ft like it specs). Anyways, I am now stuck with this

Well, I guess I'll have to pay a visit to honda tomorrow. Hopefully, there are a lot of idiots like me and they have that screw in stock. Thanks for the suggestions everybody, and feel free to make fun. I'm ok with making mistakes on new things, but this one hurts the pride a bit. Just though I would provide a good laugh


Modified by GARBhatch. at 9:50 PM 1/10/2005

jlacoy82

Shitty. I think its called a tappet adjusting screw or something like that. Hope you can find one quick.

GARBhatch.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jlacoy82 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Shitty. I think its called a tappet adjusting screw or something like that. Hope you can find one quick.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep. A tappet adjusting screw. 3.19 for one from hondaautomotiveparts.com. A fairly cheap mistake. Anybody know if I'm gonna need any of the other parts on this page? http://www.hondaautomotivepart...R+ARM

jlacoy82

As long as they arent broken/worn, no. Might as well replace your spark plug tube gaskets, I think they are like 3 bucks a pop under the "Cylinder Head-Valve Cover" choice.

matt_in_sd

If it was only one cylinder that was screwed up the engine still should have started. Chek the rest of the valves before you button it up.

Falqon

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GARBhatch. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Damn cold *** PA weather... GRRrr...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Aren't you supposed to only adjust valves in warm weather?

jlacoy82

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Falqon &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Aren't you supposed to only adjust valves in warm weather?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why? Do the rocker arms get "shrinkage" or something?

Soccerking3000

yes because when the car heats up the metal expands and the clearances get smaller...

edit: u should do it on a cold engine but at like 70 degrees not 10 lol

GARBhatch.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by matt_in_sd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If it was only one cylinder that was screwed up the engine still should have started. Chek the rest of the valves before you button it up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually, I was adjusting all the cylinders using an inch reading rather than the mm. reading. I should've taken a pic of the feeler gauge readings. They were super confusing. That's the main reason that the car doesn't start I think. I'm still waiting on the little screws. I ordered four just in case any others are broken.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Falqon &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Aren't you supposed to only adjust valves in warm weather?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The only thing it said in helm's was to do it when head temp. is less than 100'F.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Soccerking3000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yes because when the car heats up the metal expands and the clearances get smaller...

edit: u should do it on a cold engine but at like 70 degrees not 10 lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

I probably should have done it when it was a little warmer, but it's been knocking for a few months, and was getting unbearable. And I would say head temperature was probably like 40' and maybe a little higher when I did it. It wasn't even 10' outside, and I had a crappy heater in my garage while I was doing it.

SO HOPEFULLY NO MORE SURPRISES FOR ME WHEN I CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND. (THUMBS CROSSED)