Firstly, my whip is a '95 integra GSR.

I just had my engine rebuilt, in preparations for Boost. Nothing too special, just wiseco pistons, eagle connecting rods, new bearings, seals, gaskets, and arp head studs/bolts (i also had a slight over bore, about a .5mm increase) .

I did remove the intake manifold before sending the block and head to the shop. The gasket didn't come off in one peice, it pretty much tore in two, and stuck to both the head, and the manifold. I got it pretty clean, using sharp razors to scrape all of the gasket off. Replaced with OEM.

Moving on...

I got the block back, reassembled everything, and dropped the engine back in. When i started her up, she ran great. I might add, i'm currently running a DC ceramic 4-2-1 header... which i had to cut the bolts off that attached it to the catalytic converter. Honda sold me the wrong bolts, so as of right now, they don't mate... there's about a 1 1/2" gap between them (and the o2 sensor sits just after the gap, at the start of the cat.)

After about 10 minutes of idling, once she warmed up, (the fan never came on) she began loosing rpm's and developed a very rough idle. It was bogging between 100 and 600 rpms. (Scared the crap out of me, seeing as how its a fresh build, and nothing is seated 100%). If i didn't gas it, she'd stall out. I could shut her off, start it up right after, and it will run fine again for about 2 minutes, then suffer the same symptoms.

She hasen't thrown any codes, but i jumped the harness and found a code 10. Intake Air Temperature Sensor.

Also, i snapped off the bleed screw on the top of the banjo bolt for the fuel filter. I replaced it with another banjo bolt, that did not have a bleed (just one solid bolt). I'm assuming its from another model (civic, da integra, del sol, etc).

I'd like some input before spending anymore money...

So far, my line up for culprets are:

1. Intake Air Temperature Sensor
2. Lack of o2 Reading
3. Air In Cooling System
4. Old Gasoline (91 octane, been sitting in the tank for about 1 1/2 months)
5. Lack Of Fuel (due to improper banjo bolt)
6. Improperly aligned distributor
7. Incorrect timing
8. Vaccum leak


Please, please, PLEASE help me out. I am running very low on funds, and I NEED my car up and running... i can't bare to see my baby like this...

 

A slight update;

I went over to Acura and picked myself up a new intake air temperature sensor. That didn't do the trick; same problem over again. So i headed over to my buddies house (who happens to have a couple of wiring harnesses lying around) and cut off the wiring for the IAT sensor. Cut mine off, and spliced in the new one.

That did the trick! I'm assuming one of the wires were crimped, or the actual connector malfunctioned.

I then proceeded to bleed the coolant (took 45 minutes; lots of air had remained).

We also checked for vacuum leaks, and to my relief, there were none.

After all was said and done, the idle was still a little unsatisfactory, and the engine was making some odd sounds (valvetrain chatter.)

So we took the valve cover off, and ensured everything was torqued down to spec. While i was in there, i decided to check my timing; Which happened to be OFF.

With piston 1 at TDC, and the cams "up" marks aligned at the 12 o'clock position, the notch on the crank pulley was at the 2 o'clock position, when it should've been at the 11 o'clock position, as marked on the timing belt cover.

(Yes, i made sure... i turned the engine counterclockwise from the crankpulley 4 times to ensure no errors were made.)

Question is, was this retardation/advance significant enough to cause any internal/permanent damage?

The car is currently parked in the garage; hopefully i have some time tomorrow to adjust the timing.

Input would be much appreciated.

 

I also managed to close up the exhaust; i'm sure the o2 reading had very little to do with the situation.