OK, here's the deal. I posted this thread in the 92-00 Civic Area on HT but I recieved very little response so I am reposting it here because I guess this is where the techies hang out...

My wife's EM1 had a code 4 (Crank Position Sensor) and was running normally aside from a slight jerking when removing your foot from the accellerator even at extremely low RPMs. So to fix the jerking and get rid of the code, I swapped distributors (as the CPS is located in the distributor sub-assembly) placing a B18 obd2 dizzy in with the wife's B16 obd2 igniter being swapped into the new dizzy (it had been raped of its igniter some time previous).

The code (4) went away for about a week but the engine's performance very quickly went downhill and the code came back. VTEC engages, you can hear it but there is no feeling of power gain. And it is so loud when it engages that it hurts my ears. I've never heard anything coming from a honda engine that is so friggin loud. The engine seems to operate somewhat normally until about 3000 RPMs. It begins to make a screeching sound at any RPM above this and there is almost complete torque loss from about 3000 RPMs on. Again... vtec sounds wayyyyyyy too ****** loud. The engine itself is sounding too deep and loud too from about 2000 RPMs. It idles and starts normally, so no problem there.

I tried swapping in my buddy's dizzy from his EM1. No change. I bought and installed new spark plug wires. No change. HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!

Could it be a blown ring? could the timing be totally off? I know 1 or 2 degrees from a slightly misaligned dizzy SHOULD NOT screw up this car's performance so horribly at it probably wouldn't idle or start normally if the timing were totally screwed.

My next step is a compression test, which I've never attempted.

If anyone knows any other steps I could take before trying a timing check please let me know!!!!

I have a feeling it might be electrical but have no idea what.

Sorry for the long post but I REALLY wanna get this thing running properly...

THANKS!

 

well your wifes em1 actually has a crank trigger located on the snout of the crankshaft behind the timing cover, alot of times a leaky front crank seal can soak the magetic pickup and cause issues and the reason for it not having power is it is going into "limp mode" basically a fail safe - hope this helps

 

That does help. At least it will once I get in there and actually look at the thing so i can figure out what you're talking about.

Before I take off the crank cover and start investigating the timing as being an issue, I am gonna try changing the fuel filter in one last ditch effort to troubleshoot this without messing with timing.

(As of yet I have no experience with timing adjustment or checking...aka I have to buy a timing gun and learn how to use the damn thing)

Thanks!

 

Figure I'd update this thread too.

I changed the fuel filter. Nothing...

I advanced and retarded the dizzy. No real change.

I talked to an ex-honda mechanic I know who opened his own shop and he said that it wouldn't be timing or MAP cuz then it wouldn't start, let alone idle smoothly. I'm taking it in for him to look at tomorrow. Your hypothesis is my last hope. If it isn't the crank seal then I'm just gonna send it over a cliff!!

Just wondering...could it possibly be injectors or the fuel pump? My only real technical experience is with suspension and transmission so I'm kinda just guessing now.

 

the biggest problem is not really the crank seal although it will probably need to be fixed, but its the oil soaking the sensor and not giving a good pickup between the magnetic pickup and crank trigger ring

 

Just to put an end to this thread too (and for anyone searching in the future) the problem was a clogged catalytic converter. I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious. Thanks for all of your help!

 

so im guessin that a hole was created in the exhaust before the cat and that was the loud noise noise being heard....it would sound almost like running with open headers....usually the cat will stop u at a certain mileage...but i guess it makes sense....good thing u figured it out...