my timing belt screw up.

[max06]

hi guys. Btw i have a 91 LS integra 1.8. i wanted to say F**k up but wasnt sure if swearing is allowed. Ive had a couple of different threads on this problem. After 2 months of doing my head in my car is finally fixed. 2 months ago i replaced my timing belt with a regular mechanic. The day i got it back it kept stalling and idling extremely rough. When the engine was cold it would sputter and stall and run very rich. I took my car back straight away and the guy said the timing was perfect. He even double checked. I did all the rough idle troubleshooting you could think of IACV FITV throttle body.. everything. The guy told me these things just happen and since the timing was fine, he was not liable. So since then ive spent 600 bucks with various mechanics.. one was the original... one was an apprentice friend from honda.. one was a honda specialist and finally Honda itself. All of them ruled out the timing as being my problem. All of them went down the avenue of IACV TB and FITV not working or needing to be cleaned and a few other things. and NOTHING. my last resort was Honda. They quoted me $460 for a new IACV.. so i picked a working one up from a wrecker for $45.. put that in..NOTHING. still crap idle.. still stalling at start up. Yesterday I took my car to another Honda specialist who was the first to actually properly check the timing when all others should have. Turns out my timing was way out . So much for the timing being 'perfect'. In my threads people mentioned the timing could still be out but no mechanic bothered to check it even when i told them the timing belt replacement was the start of my problem.. So i suppose this is a warning to anyone getting their timing belt done.. get it done with someone who knows Honda's well or someone who actually knows how to check wether there work was correct. Ive definitely learnt a lesson from all this and Ive also wasted alot of money throwing good money after bad because they all ruled out the timing.

[Edgeauto]

Man i remember this from ages ago. I bet ur glad its finally fixed. Thats pretty bad cause all anyone needed to do was take off the rocker cover.

[EuroDude]

bah how dodgy is that. Even honda couldnt pick the timing problem.

oh well, its all good now... Find urself another mech ;)

[b4dnuf]

Man I need to do my timing belt soon. I'm gonna keep that in mind when I actually do it. cos I dont want to change it and have the timing out..

[Slow96GSR]

I would learn to do it yourself. It's not hard. About the only thing you need is a timing gun and a manual, like $50. Glad it's fixed though.

[spardikis]

damn... ive replaced several timing belts and set all the teeth perfect every time . Its pretty fool proof to miss the timing belt lines on the cam gears and getting the crank set at top dead center is a pice of cake too. im supprised you didnt have piston v's valve problems...

[ECU-MAN]

damn... ive replaced several timing belts and set all the teeth perfect every time . Its pretty fool proof to miss the timing belt lines on the cam gears and getting the crank set at top dead center is a pice of cake too. im supprised you didnt have piston v's valve problems...


the problem is that people that dont know hondas well set the crank tot he timing mark not the TDC mark. so when they check the timing, they think it ok, but infact its 15deg out.

[Slow96GSR]

damn... ive replaced several timing belts and set all the teeth perfect every time . Its pretty fool proof to miss the timing belt lines on the cam gears and getting the crank set at top dead center is a pice of cake too. im supprised you didnt have piston v's valve problems...

the problem is that people that dont know hondas well set the crank tot he timing mark not the TDC mark. so when they check the timing, they think it ok, but infact its 15deg out.

Ya, I was going to say as long as they use the right marks it's pretty easy. Before I pull the belt I take a silver marker or some Whiteout and mark the cam gears to the top of the head, bottom of the valve cover, so I can align them to that, horizontally so there are 2 marks on each cam gear. Then I mark the crank to the timing mark, while the cam gears are where they were so all I have to do is make sure they all line up. Then I can slide the belt on. 99% of the time I don't have to mess with timing. It's that 1% when it was off due to improper installation the first time they tried.

[spardikis]

best way to check the belt is to use a 30cm metal ruler and run it accross the left and right side timing mark on both cam gears - they should all line up flush as well as parralell to the rocker cover/head showing 4 marks all in place.

however the only little problem that most mechanics could get wrong is the main pulley mark is off set to the left, not directly pointing upwards, but if you fing the right marks - again its pretty fool proof.


After i set the timing belt ive always turned the engine over several times by hand to listen for any valves or anything that could be hitting pistons, then turn it over with no spark so the car doesnt run, and finally with spark so it runs and starts like normal. if the engine stops while your turning it over by hand or with just the starter then youve probably got something wrong, and hopefully havent bent the valves.

[ECU-MAN]

Ya, I was going to say as long as they use the right marks it's pretty easy. Before I pull the belt I take a silver marker or some Whiteout and mark the cam gears to the top of the head, bottom of the valve cover, so I can align them to that, horizontally so there are 2 marks on each cam gear. Then I mark the crank to the timing mark, while the cam gears are where they were so all I have to do is make sure they all line up. Then I can slide the belt on. 99% of the time I don't have to mess with timing. It's that 1% when it was off due to improper installation the first time they tried.

thats a good trick, I use that one when I work on cars Im not sure about..

[max06]

ECU man i think thats what he has done, he has set crank to timing mark not TDC. That makes sense because he thought it was perfect. I really dont know what the f*** he did but he sure as hell screwed up my car. Yeh i think i need to invest in a service manual

[kevster]

hi guys , yep timing belts are a big problem . had my belt replaced at 90k on the dc2 r by honda and they screwed the tension up, under tension , they really messed up the adjuster bolt also. timing was set at 5 degrees retard dont know why . car was running like a dog so 700 bucks later new belt tensioner and bolt and 16 degrees advanced timing

[string]

This is exactally why it's fantastic to be the mechanic for your car. I've never worked on anyone's car that I wasn't friends with, but I can imagine that half of the 'mechanics' out there simply don't give a **** about your car.

There is no trick to timing, no marks required. The trickiest part is the cams, since most cams will not like being at TDC, plus, the "UP" marks indicating TDC are usually not perfectly UP (relative to the head), but fortunately, if you are a tooth off it is plainly obvious that it is off.

[spardikis]

This is exactally why it's fantastic to be the mechanic for your car. I've never worked on anyone's car that I wasn't friends with, but I can imagine that half of the 'mechanics' out there simply don't give a **** about your car.

There is no trick to timing, no marks required. The trickiest part is the cams, since most cams will not like being at TDC, plus, the "UP" marks indicating TDC are usually not perfectly UP (relative to the head), but fortunately, if you are a tooth off it is plainly obvious that it is off.



so true. i NEVER let anyone touch or work on my engine except me. The one time that i did was when i got my hondata in and tuned, where i let the guys ajust my tapets coz i just wanted it done. So they ajusted them fine, but broke the rocker cover seal which caused an oil leak :( they also swapped over the dizzy cover and rotor, where only a few months ago the rotor flew appart in the dizzy cap!!! all it would have taken is a drop of lock tight on the rotor screw to stop it.

so simply because i cant trust anyones wrk and dont know how much efort or care they really do use, i always keep my engine work personal.
Learn to change/ajust your timing belt it will be a skill youl keep for life. better still, learn your whole car.