So, was merging into traffic today, shifted at 6K first to 2nd and when I let the clutch back out I heard what was either a pop or clap sound and then the engine sat at 2000 rpm and and would not rev, it came out of gear without issue and then would not restart. When I try to start the engine it turns over and if I let it keep turning it sputters and pops occasionally but does not start.

I'm thinking the timing belt slipped if that's even possible which would explain why it won't start back up...any other thoughts on what it could be? This is a little over my head technically so I'm having it flat-bedded to the shop tomorrow to have them do some looking so I'll probably know tomorrow, but I'm trying to just prepare myself if this means total catastrophic engine failure or if it's just going to be a valve or valve spring or something...

 

Wel,, it might be the timing belt, but usually the engine starts and runs even after this happens, just the revs can't be lifted higher than ~3000rpm. If it doesn't start at all, I'd say that it is something more serious or the valves have been cranked, if it's possible for that engine (as I do not know what you are running).

 

Turn your crank over TDC By hand and that'll tell you if your timing marks re off then your belt slipped. But I think you may have floated a valve. If you have a bore scope you don't have to pull the head.

You may also have a burnt valve or two!!! Pull the head and post some pics.

BTW what motor are we talkin about?

 

It's a D15b2

I don't have a bore scope. I probably won't get any pics either because this kind of work is a little over my head (the only thing I know how to do below the head is replace the head gasket, everything else is beyond what I'm comfortable/have the time to fool with) so I'm having it done at a local shop here. Calling them to flat truck it over to the shop and investigate while I'm at work...having to use my parent's car for a few days booo camry...

 

If you can change the head gasket then you can pull the head. Sohc's are easy to do (20 min's) and you can save yourself big money now buy pullin it before you take it to a shop. Cause if its a burnt or bent valve you can drop a whole motor in ther for what that shop is gonna charge you!

and I don't know what atlanta laws are but if they're lax like MD then save yourslf the $ and drop a DOHC in there

 

Thanks for the advice jmr90si, I might just do that...I would just hate to have to pay for two tows rather than just one to the shop, you know?

Atlanta laws are pretty lax, I know I could easily do a DOHC swap no sweat legally, but money is another issue and frankly the DOHC setup is kinda low on the list, I need new seats, alignment, balance and tires first LOL.

 

Well look, I bought my SI in 08' and I burnt two valves pullin out on to a highway on ramp. $800 later I had a stock D16a6 that had a good head(fresh out the shop) and she had bad rings. Yes the word OUCH came to mind. So after that I did a DOHC ZC swap but wanted more power so now I got a poormans type r in their( gsr block/CTR piston/ PR3 head) I still kick myself for spending that $800.If i only knew then what I know now!

 

D15B2 doesn't affect valves if timing belt slips or brakes, so either your timing belt slipped so much that you can't start it or your engine came to an end. if the engine is turning and doesnt start - probably no compression...

 

yeah it does. pretty much all over head cam honda engines are interference engines, ie if the timing belt snaps or jumps you run the chance of pistons hitting valves. and even if some aren't, you should still act as if they are to avoid the chance of broken and bent valves.

o/p, have you checked your cap and rotor to make sure that the screw did not fall out of the rotor?

 

Well, in most of D-series EDM engines they do not bend valves, as I have experienced it twice myself and a lot of friends driving d-series who also just replaced the timing belt and are driving till now. There are holes on the upper side of the pistons to avoid hitting the valves if the timing belt breakes. The only D-series engines which do not have these holes here are my D16Z5 DOHC and other two DOHC's - D16A8 and D16A9, and still even these engines sometimes do no damage.

 

Hate to break it to you bud, but they do. If you remove the timing belt and try and spin the cam gear, the valves will make contact with the pistons preventing a full revolution of the cam.

All the EDM D series engines i can think of are interference engines, ofcourse there's always a chance that the valves kept out of the pistons way after the belt broke, but it'll be hit and miss (no pun intended).

 

That was actually the first place I looked. I've been trying to diagnose some emissions issues recently and was thinking that maybe the distributer was messed up somehow. I took it apart and checked all the contacts, etc and everything looked fine in the cap. I'm no mechanic though and did not unbolt the cap adjustment bolt for fear of knocking the timing out of wack a little. But no, the cap does not move and the adjustment bolt is still in place.