Dgrep

Hey, just signed up to the forum because i cant get around to whats going on with the setup im running. I have a Honda Civic 1990 Si Hatch, obd0, running a chipped pm6, with a d15b7 block and d16y8 head.

A few days ago I swapped a d16y8 head onto my d15 block. Did all the right things, head work cleaned all, valves lapped, port and polish, the head had been milled before i got it so i had no choice and the mill is 0.040 in. Put the head in, ordered oem honda head gasket for y8, ordered timing for y8, ordered one head stud from honda for a y8 for the vtec side, all great torqued, also new seals etc.

Now, i knew i have to run the 88-95 cam gear because of the different index to bring the timing close to 0 again, but since the head was milled when i put the cam gear on and the timing on DEAD on Center cam and crank, it ran great, literally afrs great, no pinging etc. all good.. but i knew i had to get a adj cam gear to compensate alittle for the head milling. So i decided to do a compression test COLD and the numbers shocked me. 275 psi on every piston. never did a hot compression test. With the calculations im running 12:1 or close to it compression ratio. Now this all being said the car ran GREAT, still does... now what got me here today is the fact that once i put the timing light on the crank to check ignition timing, i mean all this absolutely literally speaking, the light would hit alittle after the TDC mark for the crank and the 3 lone marks to set timing where WAY up there, visible but definitely shocked me because it made no sense, because i assumed the milling would only bring the timing a couple degrees if any retarded, and yes the dizzy i have it set eye balled at the middle just so i could get a base instead of it being off advanced or retarded. SO, i decided to not think about it much and bought an adj cam gear. When i received it, i installed it.. so i started advancing the timing.. FOR ME to reach those 3 lones marks to 16 degrees just because i wanted to see what it would take and it was a total of 16 Degrees advanced! at the crank! advanced by the cam gear to get it to the 16 degrees mark on the crank pulley with the light and the pointer, also light is fine with the stock head the ign timing was dead on . obviously took the car for a ride rode great until any load after 2,000 rpm lol.. extreme loud detonation being heard or pre ignition, i knew it since the second i heard it. so i started backing timing and backing timing on the cam gear, each degree i backed out the pinging got better, please know that all i did was safe never past a certain rpm, i have af gauge, measuring all temps, and 93 octane, also checked plugs multiple times, all good. so I ended up at only +2 degrees advanced on the cam gear, which is indexed like the 88-95s, for it not to ping, detonate, or pre-ignite at all in any rpm. ive added fuel in the maps correctly just a small amount, and backed only degrees on ignition timing maps at higher and mid end rpm. yes i have a chip burner. so the car runs great! no pinging.. can feel the torque. does not feel like any of the timing is jacked up at all!.. but obviously once you put the timing light on it, the marks are WAYY ahead and the light hits around the TDC mark thats alone by itself for the crank.. Now i have done everything! car will never run that advanced at the cam, so i have no choice to run how everyone is really saying about mini me's.. run 88-91 cam gear and since i milled my head i advanced only acouple to compensate for milling but not to the perfect spec so that i can give the detonation a chance because you know how high comp on small cams go. yes oem stock d16y8 cam. NOW, sorry for all the words, its just i dont understand how the timing light is so off, and the car runs great. literally. afrs great. 13 to 14.7 idle and crusing have only lightly floored it and afrs go to 11 to 12s on low cam, havent gotten far up to vtec. wh is not a worry. my concern is that base timing is showing like its super jacked up.. is this normal? i know that y8s run 12 degrees timing but it definitely not at that because it would be close to the 14 mark at least, and i did try setting it to 12 and still pinged like crazy. what im starting to think is that the "marks" are no longer useful, or that the pulley shifted itself somehow, or that its completely normal and youll never be able to set timing by a light with the stock pulley from a d15b7/b1/b2, with the stock three marks. no idea guys.. really hope one of you out there knows what im missing here. please help out really interested in knowing. this is my first time doing this.

SPL KID

I have the same issue running a stock d16y7 on stock ECU. The computer is just pointing to where the marks would be on Crank pulley if the head gear and Crank were on stock ECU equipment. Go back to your original settings with the best compression. Then use a digital adjustable timing light and add/remove the timing degree difference +/- degrees. + the added mill degrees. The set desired timing from there.