Guys, have 96 clunker that I have been getting road worthy. After fixing several oil leaks, main one was VTec solenoid to head,gasket leak, coming home yesterday I noticed a loud noise coming from under valve cover. Sounded like rocker arms coming loose. Pulled cover and poking and pulling rocker arms I found nothing that appears loose or broken. Attemped to spin motor over at crankshaft with a socket and can watch/ hear each set of exhaust and intake valves "pop" as motor is turned over.....in either direction. My only thoughts are , did something happen when I removed and replaced VTec solenoid? I am pretty sure this popping of the valves in manually rotating engine is the loud noise I here while engine is running. Any clues as to what is happening and may be the cause......thanks.....

 

Did you actually remove the rocker arm assembly ? Can you make a video ?

 

No, nothing was removed except the solenoid on the outside of the head for gasket replacement. I am not exactly sure what takes place inside the valve cover when the oil is rerouted by the solenoid. I was wondering if maybe a bit of pressured oil could be trapped and trying to lift something. Plan today is to ensure valve adjustment is correct. Engine has 230 K miles on it. Not sure how to post a video, but I see that could be helpful for others to see.......

 

If you did a valve adjustment, obviously that would be the first thing to reverify.

I sure hope nothing actually fell inside the head somehow.

 

Yeah what he said.

 

Ok, so as I was manually spinning over the motor checking the valve lash, popping noise still being made as motor spins over, suddenly everything stops moving. All movement of valve train stops. I checked the timing belt and timing belt gear, and all of that is intact and working perfectly. Checked dizzy and it also is not moving. In studying the manual, it seems engine oil , sent by vtec solenoid, causes a second camshaft to engage and moves a mid intake valve. I think that is what is causing the popping noise. Somehow the second camshaft is fully or partially engaged at idle. Manual states to check mid valves for movement at cylinder TDC. Now, mid valve on cyl. 2 is locked engaged. It appears that complete removal of valve train and cleaning may be required. Since I removed solenoid for gasket replacement, did some trash get in and is somehow holding oil pressure to engage the secondary camshaft. If I remove the top of the solenoid and ensure the valve there is movable, would i know for sure the currant dis engagement is purly a mechanical misalignment. I took a rubber mallet and tapped the rocker arm mounts hoping something would re engage. In studying the manual, seems pistons A and B lock and unlock causing vtec engagement. Looks like a royal pain in belt removal to pull valve train if I do not need to. Anybody here have any experience messing with this.....thanks.....

 

Ok, race fans, the smoking gun has been found. After removing the upper timing belt guard for belt removal, I found the cam gear bolt had backed out almost all the way and key stock was pretty chewed up. Put everything back as required and everything work fine.....except for now a new, CEL code P 1253......great....seems one thing right after another with this new "treasure"......

 

It'd be nice if you could take pics. I have never heard of this happening and for someone in the future it might be of some help.

 

It appeared some PO had changed the timing belt and either did not tighten the gear bolt enough , or , because of no locktite, backed out. I used a little red loctite and torqued the bolt to spec. Not real good a posting pixs , Manny, but will attemp to gear up and give it a shot.