So here it is. I just replaced my head after getting a new one and I was dumb enough to listen to someone else about timing and all and didn't check here first. My question is...........

I put the head on, the timing belt and bolted everything up. Tried to start my car, of course it wouldn't start. I didn't know about the timing and top dead center and all. I cranked the car about 5 times and stopped.

What did I do?
Did I bend all my valves?
Did I damage the motor?

I am going to try and set the timing right today. Cam gear top dead center and #1 cylinder top dead center. That should take care of my timing, but what am I looking at when it starts ?????

 

Well, short of having an air compressor and a fitting where you can presurize the cylinders (one at a time), and check for leakage; you're on the right track.
Depending on what year we're talking about,

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2kaccord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So here it is. I just replaced my head after getting a new one and I was dumb enough to listen to someone else about timing and all and didn't check here first. My question is...........

I put the head on, the timing belt and bolted everything up. Tried to start my car, of course it wouldn't start. I didn't know about the timing and top dead center and all. I cranked the car about 5 times and stopped.

I am going to try and set the timing right today. Cam gear top dead center and #1 cylinder top dead center. That should take care of my timing, but what am I looking at when it starts ?????
</TD></TR></TABLE>

You just might luck out. But first you've got to get the cam phased (co-ordinated) correctly. See if it trys to fire off. Any damage will be apparent by one or more dead cylinders. A compression test would follow.

P

 

Its a 2000 Accord. I don't think I really damaged the motor, but possibly the valves.

Is there a way to set the valves by the way? Some are a little loose and I didn't know if there was a way to set them on my own. Can I just tighten them to a snug ?

 

dude you need to do a valve adjustment after installing the head, no, you can't "just tighten them to a snug".

no offence but it sounds like you might want to enlist some skilled help with this job.

you could have already bent all your valves depending how off the timing was when you cranked it over.

 

Intake Valves have to be set to .010" (0.26mm) clearance and Exhaust Valves have to be set to .012" (0.30mm) clearance (Valve Lash). It is set at the valve end of the Cam Follower (Rocker); measured between the tip of the Valve stem and the adjuster screw.
Do NOT set them snug. Once the engine heats up, the valves will be held open and you will rapidly burn them.

P

 

yeah, interferance motor + unadjusted timing = bent valves. Adams is right though, you could've got lucky. Look under your hood at your emissions label, it should give you your valve lash, then all you need is a phillips screwdriver, like a 10 mm wrench, and some feeler gauges that are the same as your valve lash.