My car runs great, and I love the power. However, it seems that as I roll my foot a little too hard, the engine changes sounds and almost sound like it's starving but I'm not sure what for...the power is still there, though, it seems, but I've not ridden in any other LS-in-EF swaps... Any guesses? Here's what I've got and what I think the problems could be...

GSR Injectors
LS Fuel Hose (filter to fuel rail)
Original D15 STD fuel-filter-bolt (if that makes sense)**
Knock sensor in rear not hooked up, yet**
Oil Pressure Sensor in rear not hookd up, yet**
Original STD fuel pump**
LS Air Hose
Original STD Air box + Autozone-Fram air filter; old, but clean
Original STD Fuel Filter; old, but cleaned it not too long ago
Timing belt is one-notch off** (I could see this accounting for no low-end torque, but would it make my engine sound like it's starving?)

** indicates what I think the problem could be

What's your best guess? I'm debating pulling out the old civic fuel filter banjo bolt and dremelling the hole a little bigger. I've heard the civic had a WEE-BIT smaller of a bolt...

 

ok theres no need for knock sensor anyway so rule that out..


my vote goes for the fuel filter,,i know you said it was cleaned but you can't really clean something like that...go pick a new one up or order cheap from rockauto....bad fuel filters will make it act like its running lean

 

Could be...

Snap, I forgot to mention that the timing belt was put one noth too advanced. The guy that had the engine before me did it...I just haven't got to fix it yet. I'll list that, now...

 

that could be it also...advanced will make the car feel fast down low but feel laggy at top...and retarded is reverse..do new fuel filter and re-align the timing belt

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bag &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ok theres no need for knock sensor anyway</TD></TR></TABLE>

Should I just cap the sensor off...?

 

you can leave it hanging,,or do whatever you want..why is it even there?

 

Just leave the sensor in unpluged

 

dont worry about the knock sensor thats not causing your problem, change the fuel filter and fix the belt first then go from there

 

You have many problems. Fix them and it should be ok.

 

GSR Injectors- not a problem
LS Fuel Hose (filter to fuel rail)- not a problem
Original D15 STD fuel-filter-bolt - not a problem
Knock sensor in rear not hooked up, yet- a LS motor shouldnt have one
Oil Pressure Sensor in rear not hooked- I would fix but not a problem
Original STD fuel pump- not a problem
LS Air Hose- not a problem
Original STD Air box + Autozone-Fram air filter- not a problem
Original STD Fuel Filter; old- just get a new one
Timing belt is one-notch off, damn you knew about it and didnt fix before you installed the motor when installing any motor you should always change the belt, since its like 10X easier when the motor is out, I would fix this immediately I wouldnt even drive it like this

 

Maybe it's retarded then...

Correct me if wrong...if you're looking at the pulley (from driver's side) the three alignment teeth are to the clockwise of the timing mark on the timing cover when the timing light flashes. This means it's advanced, correct?

I feel as if there's no low end, but there's alot of top end...

 

I apparently missed some posts...

I didn't change the belt because upon inspection the belt looked very healthy. No marks, cuts, or evidence of the belt being dried out (or old). I didn't know it was off at the time of installation because the guy said the engine had never been apart. Well...I'm seeing now that by "never been apart" he didn't mean "Hadn't been touched"

 

turn the lower pulley till the motors at TDC, then look at where the cams are. there should be marks that point straight up or point to each other depending on your motor, if either cam isnt straight you know there is a problem

 

Oh, and lastly...I don't know why it has a knock sensor, but I checked in the helms manual and that's what it claims to be...

Engine is B18A1, but Id on't think that'll matter.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Crx Jimmy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">turn the lower pulley till the motors at TDC, then look at where the cams are. there should be marks that point straight up or point to each other depending on your motor, if either cam isnt straight you know there is a problem</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tomorrow I'll probably take the pulley off the cam gears and set timing all around. I'll post the results of this change being done tomorrow evening...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bag &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">advanced will make the car feel fast down low but feel laggy at top...and retarded is reverse</TD></TR></TABLE>
You've got that backwards. Advanced timing shifts power higher in the rev range. Retarded timing shifts it lower.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You've got that backwards. Advanced timing shifts power higher in the rev range. Retarded timing shifts it lower.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thought so! Thanks!

 

that sensor on the back of the B18a1 you claim is a Knock sensor is acctually the fan switch plug that in so you rad fan will come on or you are going to over heat that sitting at a light/stop sign....


I also picked up you might be confused about cam timing and dizzy timing...using a timing light will tell you if you dizzy is advanced or retarded but before you do that you need to make sure your cam and crank shafts are in line...

 

Definately sounds like the timing is off a little. Set the engine to TDC and make sure that the marks are correct on the gears(pr4 gears should have marks that point straight up and ones that should line up in the middle). Also make sure that you get the marks perfectly lever with the head...the engine leans forward a **** hair so they wont be perfectly level with the ground. Youll see what im talking about when you take off the VC and look at the gears. Good luck man.

BTW-The BIGGEST mistake that people make when setting cam timing is that they just put the #1cyl to TDC and go from there. Well this isnt always TDC. Remember that this is a 4 stroke engine...so that cyl will reach the top twice in one combustion cycle. You HAVE to make sure that its at true TDC or else youre digging yourself into a hole. To do this you simply take off the distributer cap and make sure that the rotor is pointing at the #1cyl point in the distro while #1cyl is at TDC. If its 180deg off then simply turn the engine until it all lines up.

 

the crank gear and pulley also have marks on them. if you have the timing belt cover on then you can read it with the pulley. if you have the pulley off, the crank gear must be ligned up with a mark on the oil pumnp

 

Set the timing, but now the belt appears to be loose. I tightened the belt-tensioner bolt as tight as I could get it, but there's still like...an inch of play...

 

upgrade fuel pump also! .... if your reving hard you aren't providing nearly enough fuel !

 

what you need to do is loosen the tensioner. spin the crank countclockwise to remove the slack then tighten the tensioner.

also you dont need a fuel pump. my ls swap fuels my motor fine, actually im running too rich

 

Not having the best of luck with this swap? good luck though.

 

S10cky, not at all...but I've got more pride saying that I'm having problems then I would if I'd said "Yeah, I had Mainstream (really popular local shop for all kinds of work) do it!"

I tried that with the tensioner. Maybe that spring came loose? I'll try again tomorrow. I'm in Auburn, Al tonight... I can DEFINITLY feel it being loose, though, in my driving.

Fuel pump will stay stock until it burns out. Then I'll upgrade. For now it'll work fine...