Greetings,

This is my first post on the Technical Forum. I hope that I follow the protocol and explain the issue(s) well.

Background:

This 1998 Accord with 154K original miles and the original clutch was running fine until I noticed a bit of oil leak around the distributor typically from the oil ring going dry. I replaced both oil rings. Mounted the distributor, however I believe the spark plug wires from cylinders 1 and 2, 3 and 4, may have been swapped during reassembly causing the car not to start and making some strange sounds like whirring of the starter when the Bendix gear spins but does not engage the flywheel also what sounded like a knock or two which I could not tell their source. I took the starter off, cleaned its contacts and Bendix. Had it tested out fine at a local parts store. Next I placed the Camshaft on TDC and was able to adjust some of the valves that were slightly off. Having been able to adjust and check the lash on all the valves came with an apparent relief that perhaps the valves are OK (not bent) since I was able to adjust them (please advise if this assumption is valid). I am now in the process of replacing the timing and the balance belts as well as the water pump and the tensioners, etc.—i.e., AISIN TKH-006 kit.

Issues:

With lower the lower timing cover removed:

1. Having removed the crank pully, the crankshaft notch is at 9 o’clock instead of 12 while the camshaft up mark is at TDC
2. The crankshaft position sensor was dislocated and in pieces. I have purchased a Duralast SU4176 to replace the crankshaft sensor to replace the crankshaft position sensor with.

Questions:

1. How should I go about aligning the cam and the crankshaft at TDC to time the engine?
2. Installing a Duralast crankshaft position sensor, would the ECU have to be reset/reprogrammed? How would I do that? I do not have an OBD2 scanner nor am I sure if one that would work with the Accord 1998 exists.

Appreciate your assistance

Papamac

 

Not all of your Q's answered, but the crank gear should have an arrow on it that points upward aligning with another arrow.

A bad Cam sensor will tell the computer that the timing is off and the car may or may not start. If it does start, it will run poorly. All that it is is a magnet (cam sensor) so the computer doesn't need any programing.

 

Thanks for the response. The crankshaft is properly aligned at the TDC--arrows inline. The cam gear on the other hand is 180 degrees less a tooth out of time with the crank. Under these conditions the cam Up arrow is at about 6:34 o clock with the pully side marks nearly alighted with edges of the Cylinder Head. The entire camshaft appears is one revolution out of sync/time with the crankshaft. With the spark plugs removed I probed each cylinder and found the piston heads of #1 and #4 were in the up stroke and #2 and #3 in the downstroke judging by the length of the probe to cylinder heads.

 

Upon taking the timing bottom cover off the crankshaft position sensor which had indeed been suspected as a culprit was found strewn and chewed up by the crank pulley. One of the metal sensors was mashed sandwiched between the timing belt and the crank pulley. Replaced the timing and balance belts as well as the water pump. All's together except the alternator and power steeping pump, etc. to do when I catch my breath over night!