Well...heres the quick run down. I have a 89 civic si. I took a running MINT motor out of 1990 acura integra and threw it into my civic. Before i threw it in, i changed the head gasket, added a brand newclutch kit, and also a MINT tranny. I've tried majority all things so far...basic tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, sea foam, and injector cleaner), made a test pipe to eliminate a "plugged" cat, and a brand new pace setter cat back exhaust system. I'm current using the pr4 ecu that came out of the integra and there are no cel lights. I've also checked all of my sensors (map & tps) and they were still within specs. Timings is also on the money and compression is 180 across the board.

As of right now, i have no idea what could be the cause of this. The only major thing i've done is just changing out the headgasket, tranny and competition clutch kit. Everything else is still the same when it was in the integra when i pulled it out (once again, the motor was running PERFECT when it was still in the integra). Now i know that if it was a bad head gasket, i would be having heating issues. The only thing i am uncertain about is the transmission. I was told from mike (rsx-knight) that it was a mint tranny (doesn't grind) with only 20k miles and well...i don't know how much of a roll does a tranny play but if it was to be the tranny problem, i would hear a lot of noises coming out of the engine compartment.

I'm totally lost on this and would greatly appreciate any help that will be given. Please, i've done everything in my power to see what could be the problem....and maybe...i might of looked over certain things. So as of right now, i'm pretty desperate to do what other people have to suggest. Let me know. Thanks in advance.



Modified by richi3seg6 at 10:11 PM 5/12/2008

 

sounds like something happened when you changed the head gasket. maybe timing belt is off a tooth or 2? the crank could be in the right spot but the cam gears may be off. if that's not it, then probably an electrical issue. even with no CEL, there could be a broken/loose wire or bad component. can you describe how the engine runs besides poor acceleration?

 

X2, thats exactly what it sounds like to me. check mechanical timing, then electrical timing.

get the map sensor voltage, if its is above 1.0v at idle at operatin temp, then the cam timing might be off.

dual cam motors are sometimes tricky to get lined up.

 

Top @ TDC



Bottom of the block at TDC



Sorry for the huge image. But its so clear that all of you can see that my timing is correct. Anyone else wants to say its timing?

 

I may be wrong:



Let me know

 

your wrong, lol

the timing mark to the right of the 3 marks is the one you use...static timing is 16 deg. btdc, hence the line off to the right

 

your CEL light works when you start it, yes? can you describe what happens as you drive it? is it running like before but with no power? any hesitation? was the civic running before the swap?

 

ah-ha! Stupid book from autozone! the diagram that the book I have shows it that way, I'm glad I chimed in! Thanks hope you get the help your looking for

 

For those who said my timing was off

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=2018433

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=551237

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1536612

http://g2ic.com/forums/showthr...marks

 

If you say everything seems perfectly normal and there is absolutely nothing you can see wrong I can definately say from personal experience that it could be your tranny but don't take my word for it. I have an INTEGRA TYPE-R that i ran a GS-R tranny on because i messed up the original tranny, but for the time i had the GS-R tranny on my car it ran like ****. I would have my foot on the throttle all the way and it wouldn't even run half as strong as when i had the type-r tranny. It would just lag to pick up and when vtec engaged it still didn't really go anywhere. But now that i put the type-r tranny back on after getting it fixed it runs like it came out of hell. Note the person that sold me the GS-R tranny also told me it was in good working condition. But good luck with that, hope u figure it out.

 

ok, so its not mechanical timing. the compression numbers tell me its nothing to do with volumetric efficiency. i'd say it must me elecrical.

lets get a better idea of what you are dealing with. name off everything you can think of that is still stock vs what is from the integra. which harness are you using. are you using a resistor box. distributor. carburator....jk

to me is sounds like you arent getting enough fuel. does it backfire at all when this happens?

 

sounds like timing to me. you just have to [freak] with it, sometimes even with the marks, it wont line up, and it will never line up. if everything is the same from the "mint" motor...what could have went so wrong? why is it [freak]ed up now? il bet if you mess with the timing enough it will be ok. ive been through this a few times. and eventually you get it, its a pain in the ***, but it will get there...but just think backwards, if it was fine when you got it, what could have made it mess up? eliminate what couldnt have then work from what might have....and a couple brews never hurts
oh and another thing. why do people say other people are wrong for their opinions but THEY arnt fixing your problem? i will give my opinion, listen to me or not, but i wont say someones wrong if i dont know the correct answer...

 

stock parts:
head
block
intake manifold
throttle body
si harness (no cut harness)
fpr
fuel pump
injectors
dizzy
flywheel

change before the "drop in":
head gasket
transmission (because the old tranny didn't have a 5th gear) from 92-93 integra w/20k miles
plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter


as far as backfires: i didn't notice any but when my buddy drove it, he said it did under low rpms and in 5th gear (going 40mph)

 

If you are saying that you can still get in gear and have poor/no acceleration where it "shakes" a bit like from the wheels or whatever with no CEL or anything and not getting to speed..no knock or anything yet it could just be bad cylinder...bad luck/timing of dropping/swapping it in and something just went out on you...so engine went bad then I guess or cylinder if it's like what I said..because that's what happen to me on my stock HF and swaped it out to whole newer sohc engine(y8) with SI tranny&ecu FTW and before this happen car ran good/decent with no problem cuz it just passed emissions like 2-3 days and then BAAAM all the sudden I just couldn't get to speed/no accerlation much of any kind so yeah.............................................. .........................?

 

clicked on the thread thinking you had an HF which i now own one and damn same story, but sweet gas mileage!

 

yeah sweet gas milage on my stock HF when I HAD it...a full tank lasted me two weeks and I beat on it (average I say maybe like 27+? or something leaking and all) BUT getting onto the highway sucked ***! but now that I have a newer sohc in it gas is still good but love the newer motor probably won't go back to the HF motor unless gas price was like $6+???

p.s. plus I couldn't hit 100+mph on my HF before now I can

 

need to check fuel pressure, under accleration if possible.

also, try this... pinch off you fuel return line and see if it run any better.