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Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
So I replaced my timing belt on my 1997 civic D16Y7 (non VTEC, automatic with 250,000 miles). The job went very pretty smooth, all my timing marks were quadruple checked. The engine turned over by hand MULTIPLE times with no issue. I started the car and it ran perfect. It still runs perfect. (Idles perfect and accelerates normally perfect). I was curious if with a brand new timing belt my car felt a tad quicker because the older timing belt seems a bit stretched more than the new one, not much I’m talking like an 1/8” or so difference. So I accelerated from a dead stop and at about 4,000 RPMs the car felt super bogged down and didn’t have as much power as it normally did. I don’t race this car it’s just a work beater and I really rarely drive the motor past 4,000 rpms. I replaced the driver side lower motor mount and when the car shifts it feels much better like the shift is effecting moving of the whole car, rather than movement of just he engine. I have no check engine lights on or anything. I’m kinda bummed out because the job took me all Sunday afternoon into Monday morning and I’m sad because I don’t know what is causing the low power at higher RPMs. I do know that if the timing belt was not aligned properly it would run bad ALL the time and not just sometimes. I felt like the timing belt tensioner is a poor design because a tiny spring is what is supposed to provide the tension and not sure what honda was thinking when they did that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Did you move the distributor ??? If so, did you properly reset the distributor timing ??? What you have described with respect to the engine performance can be caused by simply having the mechanical (timing belt) timing ONE tooth off... likely advanced. I know you said you "quadruple checked" your mechanical timing... but you may have to check it a fifth time to make sure it is absolutely correct. In this condition, the car will idle well and perform well at lower RPM... and the power will fall off in the upper RPM band.
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Originally Posted by JRCivic1
Did you move the distributor ??? If so, did you properly reset the distributor timing ??? What you have described with respect to the engine performance can be caused by simply having the mechanical (timing belt) timing ONE tooth off... likely advanced. I know you said you "quadruple checked" your mechanical timing... but you may have to check it a fifth time to make sure it is absolutely correct. In this condition, the car will idle well and perform well at lower RPM... and the power will fall off in the upper RPM band.
Hey thanks for the reply. I said quadruple checked but I actually checked it like 10 times and had 2 sets of eyes on it lol. So the fact that you’re saying it isn’t correct is baffling. That tells me I won’t be able to get it right and I’ll just be guessing because I thought it was correct. 🤷🏽*♂️ Whatever. Kinda pisses me off.
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
You also have to check your ignition timing. It's possible you retarded the ignition timing which will reduce power but it will idle and run fine.
You did not answer if you touched your distributor. Also, you said you believe your old belt is stretched. This could potentially change your ignition timing as the distributor was timed on the old belt and it doesn't sound like you re-timed the ignition once the new belt was on and the car run to operating temperature.
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Originally Posted by Quicksight87
Hey thanks for the reply. I said quadruple checked but I actually checked it like 10 times and had 2 sets of eyes on it lol. So the fact that you’re saying it isn’t correct is baffling. That tells me I won’t be able to get it right and I’ll just be guessing because I thought it was correct. 🤷🏽*♂️ Whatever. Kinda pisses me off.
How many timing belt jobs have you done before this one ??? In fact, the number of times that you have re-examined the T/B markings is immaterial since what you are looking at may in fact be incorrect, but you believe it to be right. I don't say this to be picking on you at all, but in fact, many times it is VERY difficult to be sure that the camshaft and crankshaft are set properly at TDC because of the odd angle in which one must be looking at in order to assess whether the positioning is correct or not. I tend to use a small flex mirror and hold it in such a way that you get a "straight on" view of the horizontal cam gear marks and the crank drive gear marks. This helps me get it right. Distributor timing should always be reset after swapping a T/B... since the possibility exists that the older previous belt could be stretched and thus create a situation where the distributor timing is actually incorrect.
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Timing is off. The explanations are lined out above, but it's off. I've had this issue, argued with my tuner for 30 minutes that my timing was DEAD ON, took 5 minutes to check, it was off by 1/2 tooth.. Had to reset mechanical AND ignition timing to correct it. Get a timing light, check your ignition timing, you'll see you're off.. Most likely 4-6 degrees..
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Originally Posted by TomCat39
You also have to check your ignition timing. It's possible you retarded the ignition timing which will reduce power but it will idle and run fine.
You did not answer if you touched your distributor. Also, you said you believe your old belt is stretched. This could potentially change your ignition timing as the distributor was timed on the old belt and it doesn't sound like you re-timed the ignition once the new belt was on and the car run to operating temperature.
Ok I’ll check that. My friend had surgery today so I’m out of town and won’t be able to work on it until this weekend. Thanks for the reply.
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Originally Posted by JRCivic1
How many timing belt jobs have you done before this one ??? In fact, the number of times that you have re-examined the T/B markings is immaterial since what you are looking at may in fact be incorrect, but you believe it to be right. I don't say this to be picking on you at all, but in fact, many times it is VERY difficult to be sure that the camshaft and crankshaft are set properly at TDC because of the odd angle in which one must be looking at in order to assess whether the positioning is correct or not. I tend to use a small flex mirror and hold it in such a way that you get a "straight on" view of the horizontal cam gear marks and the crank drive gear marks. This helps me get it right. Distributor timing should always be reset after swapping a T/B... since the possibility exists that the older previous belt could be stretched and thus create a situation where the distributor timing is actually incorrect.
I’ve done different vehicles but never a Honda. (I’ve replaced timing chains on a V6 ford that was hard because the cam gears kept wanting to spin because of the spring tension on the camshafts. I will adjust the distributor timing and see if it changes anything. With as high as the compression is in these motors it seems like the valves would hit the top of the piston if it was actually “one tooth off”
Re: Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
Originally Posted by Txdragon
Timing is off. The explanations are lined out above, but it's off. I've had this issue, argued with my tuner for 30 minutes that my timing was DEAD ON, took 5 minutes to check, it was off by 1/2 tooth.. Had to reset mechanical AND ignition timing to correct it. Get a timing light, check your ignition timing, you'll see you're off.. Most likely 4-6 degrees..
Explain how it’s possible to be 1/2 tooth off please. I’m interested to see how that’s possible. Thanks for the reply.
Low power at higher RPM after timing belt replacement.
