Hey everyone,

I've been searching around but can't seem to find the answer that fixes my problem.

I just rebuilt and replaced my cylinder head on my 93 Civic Si. I put in brand new valves and guides, all new seals and gaskets. The head was pressure tested, resurfaced, valve grind to reseat, and had the machine shop put the guides and everything on the head back together. Only thing I had to do was put the cam in and rocker arm assembly.

I've got the head back on now, but I can't get the car to start. There's spark, fuel and compression. I lined the mark on the balancer in TDC, and the mark on the cam with the mark on the timing cover back plate, and "up" facing up and slightly forward. The rotor in the dizzy is also facing the #1 cylinder, so I'm not 180 out, I don't think.

The engine comes close, but won't quite start, even when I move the timing belt over a tooth or two.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil

 

Any ideas?

 

If the TDC sensor is bad then the fuel could be injecting at the wrong time and you'd need a new distributor. Another problem that could cause this is if the pulleys on the balancer came loose from the center hub of the balancer. The marks on the cam gears should form a straight line that is level with the top of the upper timing cover.

 

The distributor was working well before I changed the head, could I have messed the sensor up during the swap? How do I go about testing the TDC sensor? There were no codes.

I'll have to take a second look at the balancer to make sure everything is tight.

Thanks for your help,
Phil

 

You didn't mention adjusting the valves ?

 

Good call, I'll take a look at that.

Specs:
Exhaust: .009-.011"
Intake: .007-.009"

Is that right?

Thanks,
Phil

 

Yes if I remember correctly.

 

It's possible. With electrical equipment, even static from your clothes/body can damage parts sometimes. This is one reason to disconnect the neg battery terminal when you connect or disconnect electrical parts on the car. To check the TDC/CKP/CYP sensors you disconnect the wire bundle from the distributor connector and check the resistance across 3 pairs of wires. I'm not sure of the colors or resistance values for the D16z6 off the top of my head. I'm sure some nice fellow will post them for ya. A problem with one of those sensors will result in spark plugs wet with fuel.

 

Oh, and be careful not to flood it while you work. As you probably know, liquids get angry when you try to compress them as much as gasses- they start breaking stuff.

 

That is correct.

 

That was it! They were way too tight since I put new valves in.

Thanks a lot,
Phil