94 OBD I GS-R Motor
92 Civic HB


I recently had the timing belt off, and reset the timing only to find out that my car would'nt start. Everything ran fine before, so I'm assuming something went wrong that I'm overlooking.

I will state everything I did:

I followed the process as always(verbatum per "C-speed racing,")

Here's where things get wierd, I go to start the car after it's all buttoned up I get a sound like it just cant turn over ,like it almost needs more power. So I think, the radio was on all nite, perhaps the battery is dying(although it's a good battery), so I attempted to jump it. I got no results, it just seemed to spin, like it was not catching the flywheel(although it was).

The starter sounds like it's not moving the flywheel, or struggling to do so. All the belts move, the timing was checked multiple times over, so that is'nt an issue. It sounds like it's low on compression, but the valves look good and nothing hapened to the car between the time I tore it down and the time I finished it up.

Tonight I go to use a new starter and I get the infamous ticking sound like a dead battery. The starter is good and so is the battery, that I know, could anything impede the movement of the starter and still allow it to turn?

Tell me what I am forgetting here...


Please help me out here, I'm going crazy!!!

SIDE NOTES: When I checked the starter on the ground, the gear kicked out like it is supposed to, but it sounds like it is'nt doing so while on the trans?

I removed the cover protecting the flywheel and it turns as well





[Modified by sinister, 11:20 PM 2/25/2003]

 

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have you checked the ground on your tranny? also check you spark plug wires are in the right order?


[Modified by sparkz, 12:42 AM 2/26/2003]

 

I have checked all grounds, wires are in proper format.

I'm feeling like an amatuer

 

sounds like no compression.
check your cam timing.

 

Whould these symptoms be synonymous with that?
If it were off on one of the cams(like 180 off), would'nt the gear be upside down?


[Modified by sinister, 8:42 AM 2/26/2003]

 

damn. a little problem here.

I would first like to say you have explained the problem very well and of what things you have to determine the problem.

I see above you have checked the order of wires and all is good as far as placement of wires on the distributor.

Having a problem starting the motor is one pain in the *** to resolve -- I will say that. So I will cover everything:

Just for verification, the wires go on the distributor

2
4 1
3

I would also check for spark by taking out the spark plug and putting it to the radiator support to see if you get spark. If you get spark, then it is good.

Also check for fuel. You may do this several ways, and I'm sure you know how to check it

As for the belts turning over, it does not sound like you are having a problem with the start turning over the motor and spinning the crank, nor does it sound like the ignition switch is having issues.

I would do a compression check by either purchasing a compression tester at Auto zone (they run about 20 bucks).


You can do the compression test by following C-Speed racing. I would explain, but C-Speed knows exactly of doing it as well

C-Speedracing Compression Test

See what your compression results are at MAX PSI rather than just 5 turns as c-speed states. I do not know why they state 5 turns, but this does not provide maximum psi for each cylinder and be able to tell if you have compession leak or not.




[Modified by poison, 6:29 PM 2/26/2003]

 

good luck

 

so the cam gears in relation to the crank is @ TDC#1? Why was the t belt removed?

 

check the battery make sure its still good

 

You said that you've got a TICKING Sound?.. Not a TICK but TICKING. If that's the case, I believe that Starter isn't properly Grounded. But one thing to never overlook in a Starting Problem is the Battery. You must always check that it is fully charged.

Here's what I know about TICKS.. One Tick/Click means that the Starter Solenoid has a connection with the Ignition and that the Solenoid is Grounded through the Starter. This is what happens.. Turn Key to START, "I" wire sends power to Solenoid and powers up the Pull In and Hold In Coils and pulls the Plunger up and holds it in place. By doing this, the Plunger connects the "B" and, I believe it's "M" for Honda's, "M" Terminals together via the Disc at the bottom of the Plunger. Now with the "B" and "M" Terminals connected, the Starter is suppose to get the Amperage it needs to crank over the engine.

But since it doesn't crank, the problem could be in two places. From the Battery to the "B" Terminal or from the "M" Terminal to the Starter. The cables could be weak, loose or corroded. To check if they're weak or loose, I'd give them a quick little firm tug. Sometimes the cables can corroded inside the insulution just before the ends of the cables. It might even be the cables connecting the Battery itself. But, let's not rule out the Starter's Ground.. I'm not sure how many Grounds the Starter has. If the Starter's Ground is poor, it won't allow the Starter to draw enough Amperage.

And here's what I know about TICKING/CLICKING from the Starter Solenoid. That ticking/clicking noise comes from the Starter Solenoid. It usually means that there's a problem with the Hold In Coil. Now, the "I" wire sends current to the Solenoid when you turn the key to START. The Pull In and Hold In Coil are "suppose" to work together to pull up the Plunger. What's suppose to happen is that after the Plunger allows the Disc to connect "B" and "M" together, the current from the Battery will cancel out the current going through the Pull In Coil and thus the Pull In Coil will release and the Hold In Coil should "hold in" the Plunger. But since the Hold In Coil isn't grounded properly through the Starter, it's not energized and the Plunger is released. As soon as the "B" and "M" Terminals aren't connected, the "I" wire powers the Pull In Coil and it pulls the Plunger back up and round and round it goes. And that is why the Starter Solenoid TICK"S" or CLICK"S".. Another reason could be because there's an Open in the Hold In Coil. But I didn't go there because you said that you already tried a NEW Starter..

In short.. Give "all" cables a quick little tug and make sure "all" connections are clean. And remember, the best way to diagnose a Starting Problem that has to do with the "Starting Circuit" is to use a Multi-Meter...

Good Luck. If you want me to go in detail with the Multi-Meter, just IM me again I'll try my best..

--Forgot to add that a weak Battery will cause Ticking/Clicking...


[Modified by PnX-R, 7:29 PM 3/1/2003]