Hi all. I am brand new to this forum (1st post). I am sorry to bust right in with my problems like this, but I am posting this kind of as a last resort. Also, note that I am not much of a mechanic or even "car guy", and what is described below is even a bit of a stretch for me...

I have a 2005 Civic EX coupe that, about a year and a half ago had overheating problems. Took it to a mechanic and they found indications of coolant in the exhaust. Said it was a bad head gasket. At that point I made the really bad decision (in retrospect) of trying to fix it myself.

Over the course of the last year (or more) the car has been in my garage. I have been tinkering with it on and off (off more than on) in my free time. FINALLY, after over a year of the car being out of commission, I completed the entire head gasket replacement process. The car cranked but wouldn't start. I second-guessed myself on whether or not I got the timing right, so I carefully went back through that process again - timing belt off, cam sprocket lined up, crank pulley lined up, belt on, turned the crank two full turns back to starting position while checking for compression in cylinder 1 and realignment with cam at TDC. Put it back together a second time.

Still cranked but didn't fire.

Believing that I got the timing right this time, I began some diagnostics. Here is what I know (or at least think I know)...

- Charged battery, seems to hold the charge. Engine cranks normally, just no start.
- CEL comes on when key is put in but then goes off after a while. Pocketscan reader detects no codes.
- Looked back over all of the connectors that I could visually see and don't see anything disconnected... think I got them all.
- Compression is there in all 4 cylinders (maybe ~140 psi when cranking)
- Used a spark plug indicator light thingy to check spark. Light didn't come on for cylinder 1. Saw clear signal for cylinders 2 and 3, and cylinder 4 was iffy (light might have flickered once over multiple attempts).
- Main woven ground wire that goes from left side of block area to frame in front was secure and shows electrical continuity with the rest of the frame.
- Pulled fuel line from intake and fuel pulses out everywhere when cranking (so I have fuel at least to there).

Some sketchy things (maybe)...

- Couldn't visually see sparks in any of the spark plugs when pulling out one at a time (but it was kind of daylight and I don't know how obvious it should be)
- Fuel dampness/wetness was not apparent visually or to my sense of smell when looking at the spark plugs after some cranking. Again not sure if it should be.
- Green immobilizer key-shaped indicator comes on when I put the key in, blinks, and then goes off (which I think is usual). However, when I crank the engine, the light flickers on along with the cranking (which I am not sure is usual).
- Neither banging my head against the wall and swearing nor asking my car very politely to start seem to help.

Basically I'm out of ideas. I am looking for any advice, things I can try, or something maybe that jumps out at you from my description above. Sorry the post is so long... But thanks to all in advance for any info you can provide!!

 

what did the plugs look like?
its hard to say, you have all the right things for it to start, if the timing IS right.

 

Sounds like your timing is way out of wack, even if that was the case it would at least pop and back fire. Could be the VATS system.

 

Did you check the cam and crank sensor plugs? Another common problem I have heard is plugging the MAP and TPS sensors in reversed. Meaning plugging the TPS wires into the MAP sensor and vice versa.