ChargerFan17

I have a misfire on my 1991 HF with SOHC ZC. Distributor, spark plugs, spark plugs wires, and fuel injectors are all good. Just replaced the 02 Sensor because it failed smog and recently replace the Catalytic Converter. I'm having a really bad misfire at about 2000 RPM in every gear so I took it to a mechanic after checking everything listed above.

Before I took it in, however, I noticed that the timing was a little off and I adjusted it until it was in the middle of the red line. Once I did that, the popping out of the exhaust stopped and I though I had solved the problem. Once I drove the car, however, it started to misfire the same way it did before. When I got back and put the timing light on it, the marks were way behind the mark on the timing cover and it was popping out of the exhaust again. After I let it sit for about 5 minutes, the marks moved back into the place I set them and the popping stopped. Same thing happened when I started the car the next morning. The marks were way behind the mark on the cover and as the car warmed up they started to move back to where I set them. Then when I drove it it did the same thing it did the previous day.

The mechanic told me that it could be the harmonic balancer moving because it doesn't have the rubber part but from what I've already read on here, my pulley doesn't have the rubber on it anyways. That does make sence though, because when it starts to misfire at 2000 RPM, the whole front end shakes. I thought I could contribute that to my dead shocks but it would make sense that it could be a harmonic issue. He also says that he suspects that there is a 1.5 head on my 1.6 block, but form what I've also read that shouldn't be the problem. When I bought the car the problem didn't exist which is why I don't think it is that. He also said my timing belt is off half of a tooth, another thing I don't think is contributing to the problem.

So my question is does that sound right, could a harmonic issue cause a misfire? Or does a timing issue like that have something to do with the distributor? Any help will be appreciated as this is my only car and I need it to get to school and back. Thanks :D

whited

Does it really come with a harmonic balancer?

Bently_Coop

Is the distributor actually tight? When you timed it via timing light did you jump the service connector by the driver headlight? Where did the engine come from?

I would bet your timing belt is off a tooth. Did you replace it recently?

Stop driving it until you fix it.

4drEF

^^
I think the jumper is under the dash by the ECU for his 91, but that's a great point anyway.
The ECU will adjust timing for electronic ignition advance. The jumper disables that feature of the ECU so you can set base timing properly.

ChargerFan17

if you're talking about the three bolts that hold the distributor to the block yes they are tight. And yes i put a paper clip in the service connector to short it. the engine cam with the car and this is the first issue I've had with it. I did take the belt off when I was replacing the crank seal but I made sure that I put it back according to the marks. But that was more than 6 months ago, I would think if that is the problem it would have been made apparent when I put it back on.

ChargerFan17

Maybe the paperclip didn't short the system correctly and the marks moving as much as they do is just the computer trying to adjust it again? Should I just ask the shop to time the car and maybe they'll be able to disable to computer correctly and that will fix the problem?

Because I've never heard of a pulley causing a misfire.

If the head is a 1.5 and the block is a 1.6, would the type of timing belt being used affect this? But again, this problem has just recently developed and the timing belt currently on the car has never been changed by me. However I think it has been changed by the previous owner because it looks pretty fresh.

Ef4doorwagon

Make sure the belt is tensioned correctly. When i was messing with my b16's timing, i was using an obd1 gsr dizzy( ebay used) and it wouldnt let the timing.marks line up exactly on point. I then tried a b16 obd1 dizzy( also ebay but new) and i was able to adjust timing perfectly. Could be your distributor

Bently_Coop

Yes the belt length matters as there are different belts for different engines.

ChargerFan17

So which one should I use

Bently_Coop

You have a ZC, How did you come up with a 1.5 head and 1.6 block?

ZC AFAIK use a 1.6 belt.

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

Before you say that, I think the OP should clarify which ZC exactly he is using (post pics if possible). There are at least 3, maybe 4 different belts that would be considered "1.6" for a ZC.

ChargerFan17

It's a JDM SOHC ZC. The same engine as the D16A6.
But I do not think that the pulley or belt is the problem anymore.
I took the car to a Honda specialist and he hooked up his timing gun and said that the blue line should be at the mark at 16 degrees but he had to advance it to 22 to get it to the blue mark. He said he was sure that the problem was the tensioner and told me to replace that and the belt.

When I tore it apart last night both the tensioner and the belt were in perfect shape and both the cam and the crank were lined up to the correct marks. When I put it all back together I used the three tooth trick to tighten it a little bit, hoping that would fix the problem. When I started the car the timing was off and I had to adjust it form the distributor but that misfire was still there.

The only think left that has anything to do with timing is the distributor and I tried on a used one and it still did the same thing. I know the used distributor has the possibility of being bad too but that chance of that are very unlikely, the guy said it was on his car and it worked fine.

ChargerFan17

My question is there anything a timing issue like this other than the distributor? Or does this sound like something internal in the engine?

thesmogman

I had a rotor that the plastic had separated from the metal inside the rotor. I timed it and took it for a smog and it was then 7 degree's advanced. Drove it home and timed it again and it was 2 degree's off. So I started searching for the problem. The rotor.

ChargerFan17

Was there anything visually wrong with the rotor? Did you also replace the cap?

thesmogman

Yes, It was loose and wobbly.

ChargerFan17

The rotor currently on my distributor is oo and I even swapped the entire distributor with another one form a CRX and it still did the same thing. Now I didn't time it when I put the other one on, I just kinda eyeballed where the last one was.

ChargerFan17

I took it to two different mechanics. The first one said he couldn't fine the problem but when I went to check on the car a couple of days after I dropped it of, it hadn't been moved from the day I left it, so I don't think they really tried. The next one was a Honda mechanic and he said that it might be the timing belt tensioner loosening up the belt and allowing the timing to move. I checked the tensioner and belt that night and they were both in perfect condition. The timing marks were also in exactly the right place so that was not the issue either.

I then bought a brand new distributor from O'Reilly and installed it and it still did nit fix the problem. That was the last possible thing I could have done so I took it to Jason's Automotive Specialty Shop in Tujunga, CA (if you are close to the San Fernando Valley/La Canada area, I highly recommend them) and he did and diagnostic and said that the Fuel Pressure Regulator has the fuel pressure at idle about 20 PSI higher than it should be and that it was actually forcing fuel into the vacuum lines which also explains the fuel smell inside the cabin I was experiencing. He said that I wasn't experiencing a misfire but rather too much fuel being forcing into the engine that the computer didn't know what to do with causing it to run so horrible. He also said the the wire going to the O2 sensor was too long and it was messing with the ohms going to the wire harness. He said that would explain the CEL code 1 I got on the way there. He said replacing those two things should fix all of the problems I am experiencing.

However, a couple hours I got the car back from the shop I was involved in an accident and the car is now totaled and I will not be able to test out that hypothesis.

So I guess the point of this post is that if you are experiencing misfire-like symptoms and have a gas smell inside of the cabin, check the FPS. That was absolutely a part I did not think to check. Hopefully this will help someone.

Bently_Coop

Well that sucks. What is the plan for the shell and associated parts?

4drEF

What the hell kind of ending to the story is that?

cerazy!

Hope you are ok!

ChargerFan17

After everything is settled with the insurance adjuster I am going to completely part of the car. Whatever is left after I take everything off I am going to sell for scrap unless someone offers to buy the shell from me. So if you or anyone you know is looking for A1 CRX parts, check out the FS thread I'll make
I am okay but my girlfriend complained of chest and back pains after the impact and was taken to a local urgent care facility where she checked-out fine. The driver at fault sustained what looked to be a busted blood vessel in his eye from the impact form the airbag.

acmoc

lol, stupid airbags

ChargerFan17

I know right