I am helping my son replace the head gasket on his civic with a B18C swap. When I align the cams as specified on every reference I checked, the rotor on the distributor points to cylinder #4 instead of #1. I got the "UP" markings at 12 o'clock, and the marks pointing to each other. We don't know if anything was changed on this motor prior to my son acquiring it, but something doesn't look right. The firing order was set to 4-2-1-3 instead of 1-3-4-2. Any ideas?



Markings on sprockets lined up.





Rotor points to cylinder #4 instead of #1.

 

Did you remove the distributor from the cylinder head?

 

Yes, the distributor was removed however, it only goes in one way only, it will not go in if the rotor is turned 180 degrees. I'm wondering if this isn't the correct distributor for that motor (even though it works with the firing order changed).

 

Install the wires how they were removed, see if it runs. If I does not move them two spots over. I have never confirmed this, but at some point in my Honda life someone mentioned something about Japanese distributors being 180° opposite of US ones.

 

is it possible you're mixing up the cylinder identification?
cyl 1 is belt side, cyl 4 is tranny side.
I'm curious to see which cyl each distributor cap post goes to.

You do have the cams set properly though for installing the belt, as long as crank is at tdc as well

 

Like you said the cams are positioned correctly, so it wouldn't really matter if he mixed up the cylinder location. The rotor is pointing at the #4 wire location. I have seen some people jam the distributor in 180° out because of play in the distributor lug.

 

As stated Cyl 1 is gonna be closest to the timing belt, are you certain you actually know which cylinder on the distributor cap is plug 1? Cuz its should be the lower left, "about the 8 oclock position"

and the firing order definitely needs to be 1-3-4-2

 

IF you are sure that the lugs on the distributor are aligned and installed into the end of the intake camshaft properly, then I suggest you remove the distributor, remove the circlip around the alignment lugs, remove the drift pin, rotate the lugs 180' (one half turn), re-install the drift pin and the circlip and then re-align the lugs with the end of the camshaft and bolt it back on. This should make the rotor button face cylinder one when the cams and crankshaft are properly aligned at TDC. Then use the proper spark plug firing order as it should be... starting at the bottom left corner when facing the dizzy... rolling clockwise... 1-3-4-2.

 

The distributor has to be jammed in 180 degrees off.

 

Its gard to out te dizzy on backwards youll feel it