I just changed the headgasket in my '94 CX and it idles fine, and revs up alittle fine but once i get on it it skips and pops, also its running VERY lean. The plugs and pink/whiteish. the thermostat is opening and closing but the car is overheating with full colant in the car. I did not take the crank pulley off the car for this, just loosened the tensioner and pulled the belt over the side of the timing cover and zip tied it to a bolt so I could save some time, I marked the cam pulley with a notch on the head, This may have not been the best thing to do. I just left the garage because I was tired so i had no time to check the timing, do you guys think the timing might be off?

Footnotes:
Car running lean after headgasket replacement- could be timing?
-car overheating
-plugs white/pink
-overheating with full coolant.

Also when taking the head off I accidently ripped the wires out of the plug that plugs into the back of the IACV (I think) little log deal on the back of the I.M., I plugged them back in shrugging off the fact that if the car was idling weird or wasn't running, that i would just switch those wires around..could that be why its running lean either?

 

bump i need help

 

could be timing or those wires you ripped out.

did you install new spark plugs at or near the time of the gasket replacement??

 

yes, new plugs but I dont see how plugs could make it overheat

 

If it is overheating, you have a head/headgasket problem. Did you install the correct headgasket? Did you have the head pressure tested? Did you torque the bolts down properly? It could be a timing issue, but that doesnt not explain the overheating issue.

 

I finally bit the bullet, and just retarded the cam pulley back one tooth, car runs flawless now. Thats for the help, anyway though guys.