I could really use some help. I have a 96 Accord v6 and it is idling terribly. It is throwing an ob2 trouble code p1382, which I know is the Cylinder Position (CYP) Sensor. I don't think that is related to the terrible sound it makes at idle though. I have uploaded a video of it idling on youtube, you can see it here.

I'm not sure what to think, so I'll accept any thought or ideas. It isn't burning any oil or coolant, the exhaust looks fine. Also, I pulled the plugs, Bosch Platinums, and on 4 of the 6 plugs, the ceramic on the electrode was broken off.

So, that might be contributing to the weird sound.

I guess my question is, where do I go next? Is a connecting rod bearing going out? What is the test procedure for a CYP sensor on a 96 v6 accord?

 

The spark plugs were throwing me so I asked some friends. One said he'd seen that before due to detonation. Meaning the timing is off. Combined with that horrible (rhythmic) noise I would assume its the timing belt.

 

Damage to the insulator alone is from detonation. That is caused by too lean A/F ratio, incorrect timing, or excessive cabon buildup. Rather than combustion(controlled burn) you have detonation(uncontrolled explosion) which will destroy parts.

Get a long extension, broom handle, or bat, and place it against where you think the noise is coming from. Place the other end against your ear. You will be able to hear precisely where the noise is coming from.

 

sounds like the crank pulley or timing belt is hitting a timing belt cover SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for the input so far guys. I'll put the timing light on it later today. I just want to say, I recieved this car this way! But, the price was right (free).

I don't think it's the crank pulley because, as you can see in the video, it is running true. No wobble, play, ect. But I think you have made a very good point about the timing belt. It's very possible the timing belt is loose, skipped a tooth, hitting the cover, etc. This definitely gives me some things to investigate further.

 

there is also a Timing Balancer Belt that helps to reduce engine noise and vibration.

Did anyone notice how WIDE the gap is on those plugs?

 

That's not the gap, that is damage from the electrode being damaged and the ceramic being broken from pre-ignition/detonation.

Plugs could be replaced, and the engine would run better, but the cause of the original problem of detonation needs to be resolved first to prevent damage to another set of plugs. But the plugs do need to be replaced.

Being OBDII the distributor probably has no adjustment. It should be verified that the cap/rotor/distributor housing have not been modified to change base timing. A lazy or ignorant person might have tried to adjust timing to 'fix' the CYP problem.

 

Alright, I put the timing light on it tonight and, sure enough, the timing is way off. Like, 50-60 degrees BTDC off. (Is it even possible to be that far off, and still run?) But the car is also throwing a p1382 trouble code, cylinder position sensor (CYP). The CYP sensor is in tandem with the crank position sensor, and I think those two sensors help determine the ignition timing. Is this correct?

So it is a chicken-and-the-egg problem. Is the car throwing the p1382 code because the ignition timing is off? Or, is the ignition timing off because something is wrong with the CYP sensor? So, where to start?

I think NerfGunner was on the right track, noting that it sounded like the timing belt was rubbing on the timing cover. Also, the previous owner told me the timing belt was changed at 90,000 miles and they were pretty sure that was the only time it was done. I don't see anything in the engine bay about the belt being replaced and the car is now at 214,000 miles. So I'm thinking I need to pull the timing belt covers and take a good look at all my timing marks, and replace the belt, tensioner, etc.

Does this sound right and logical? Again, all thought and opinions are welcome and much appreciated!

 

And water pump and oil seals and retainer.

 

Hey all, I have a question. I got the timing belt kit, but how do I make sure I have the engine set to TDC? I ask, because when I checked the timing, the #1 cylinder was firing, but the crankshaft pulley was not lined up. I think the timing belt has slipped, but if it has, is the mark on the crankshaft pulley accurate? Then I'll have to make sure the camshaft pulleys are aligned once I get inside the engine? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

You will need to verify the cams are rotated in the correct positions as the crank.
Put the crank on TDC(not base timing mark) and see if the cams are also matching their marks. If they are 180° out you will need to rotate the crank 360° to have the cams in the correct positions. Remember cams rotate at half speed of crank.

If the cams are just out of time, then they are out of time. You will have to set them correctly. Just be sure to not force the crank or cams when rotating. There will be slight resistance from the cams due to spring pressure, but if it feels like you have hit a stop, don't force it.

 

Ugh. This thing is driving me crazy. I got it all apart, the new timing belt went on perfectly, really easily, and then I realized that the back camshaft pulley was 1 tooth off. OK, no problem, I'll take it apart and get it right. Now, 3 attempts later I can't even get the belt to fit over the tensioner, water pump and camshaft pulleys. Am I missing something here? Are there any tricks that can make this a little easier?

Oh, and I did release the pressure on the tensioner, so it doesn't have anything to do with that. It is like the belt is just a fraction to short to fit all around and through everything it has to go through. One final thing, I did try and go in the recommended pulley order for installing the belt.

 

No, the V6 doesn't have a balancer belt like the 4 cylinder.

 

Sometimes u gotta get a screwdriver in there and stretch it a lil bit to make it fit

 

This is right on. I was being too delicate with her, when she wanted it rough! Ok, sorry. But yeah, thanks. Also, thanks MAD_MIKE and everyone else for your help. It is going slow, but it is going.

 

Success! I got the car back together tonight, fired it up and it ran great! It is unbelivable how much better the car runs. Also, now that the timing is correct, the p1382 code is gone. No more check engine lights! Thanks so much for all the help!