Hi,
I posted in the prelude forum but there might be some answeres here. (the original topic is https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=959191.) Anyway, i swapped in an h22 in my prelude in place of the h23. I changed the timing belt and water pump while the new motor was out. I dropped the new one in and it wouldn't start. It turns over but won't start. I had the h23 distrubutor on it originally with the external coil but i swapped to the h22 dist and that made no difference. New plugs and wires. I'm getting fuel. The only other thing i can think of is my timing is off somehow. I have no check engine lights. any suggestions?

 

No spark... must be something wrong with the dist or ignitor or coil or something.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PreIudeSI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No spark... must be something wrong with the dist or ignitor or coil or something.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Or fuse.

 

nah checked the fuses. i put the h23 dist with external coil on and i got spark but still wouldn't start. I think the timing's off 180 degrees and the spark is firing on the exhaust stroke or something.

 

have you tested for spark at all?

 

yeah i tested for spark by taking the spark plug out of number 4, plugging it into the wire, holding the spark plug to a ground (on my distributor housing) and cranking the motor, it sparked.

Now, the plot thickens. I pulled my valve cover and left front wheel and decided to inspect the timing. I followed the 4 strokes of the motor like 12 times. When #1 cylinder is at TDC, on it's compression stroke, the arrows on the cam gears are both pointed up and the the notches are simultaneously aligned with eachother and the level of the head. I'm positive the engine timing is fine, i verified all strokes by watching the position of the cylinder (as observed by removing the spark plug from #1 and inserting the oil dipstick to see when the cyl is at top and bottom) in relation to the position of the cam lobes. wtf? I'm officially out of ideas.

Only code i'm throwing is 21 (vtec ****) but that wouldn't prevent the motor from starting, it would only make no mad vtaCh y0.

 

do you have fuel presure?

 

pretty sure... everytime i go to crank it over, the cylinders fill with fuel.

 

check compression!!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PreIudeSI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">pretty sure... everytime i go to crank it over, the cylinders fill with fuel.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Maybe that's why it's not starting? It's flooded?

 

no, that's not it, i let it dry out all last night. It sputters and wants to start but it just won't. I'm thinking it's back to ignition again... perhaps the ignitor or somethin.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PreIudeSI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> It sputters and wants to start but it just won't. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Could be flooded still. Did you hold the gas pedal to the floor when you tried to start it?

 

nope, just trying to start it normally. I think it may be the ignitor or coil.... i'm back suspecting those 2.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PreIudeSI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">nope, just trying to start it normally. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Try holding it to the floor nest time, helps clear out the extra gas.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PreIudeSI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I think it may be the ignitor or coil.... i'm back suspecting those 2.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You said you had spark. Has that changed?

 

If you are getting spark you dont need to get a new dist. or ignition coil. Just make sure you have the spark plug wires in the right firing order ont he dist. If they are in the right firing order then you should check your grounds and battery voltage. Also make sure your spark plugs are gapped right.

 

well the spark was weak and orange. Dunno what's happening with that. I have a few extra dists lying around so i'll try one of the ignitors out of one of those.

 

it sounds like the problem i had. check to see if your distributor is 180 out

 

nah that's not it, my distributor is in correctly. Ok, i switched ignitors and the sombitch starts, it fires, but as soon as you turn the key to "run" mode, it dies... even with the accelerator pressed to the floor. I'm gonna try some new plugs and see how that works out. Otherwise, it may be my coil, dunno. But progress is progress.

 

for future search reference, it was my timing that was off.

 

your timing on the cam gears, or your timing on the distributor?

 

cam gears... the crank was off 3 teeth.

 

I'm having the exact same problem too.. where did you line u're crank up to? there is a mark on my block.. it's like a little arrow.. and it isn't straight up and down.. it's off to the side a little.. i have an h22a7.. but like.. yah.. i just wanna make sure i did the timing right.. so i'm hoping that it's good.. anyhow.. let me know