Symptoms of Bad Timing

Sol Survivor · 04-23-2003, 12:36 PM

What are the symptoms?

I just put in a cam seal, and had some other problems with re-assembly (bolts broke off in the head) btw I have a B16A3, and now my engine is abnormally loud and sluggish. I can tell I've lost power throughout the whole RPM range and VTEC engages harsher than usual. No codes though. So has anyone had this problem before? Does this sound like a symptom of bad timing?

PS, If anything I think I might be off just ONE tooth on the timing belt.

Thanks

toolowsol · 04-23-2003, 12:38 PM

yes you are probably off by one or more teeth on the timing belt, make sure you tention it correctly.... I've seen motors run that were as much as 4-5 teeth off.

Sol Survivor · 04-23-2003, 03:22 PM

How bad (or good) did those motors sound/perform?

White98LS · 04-23-2003, 11:33 PM

Yeah I ran a tooth off on both cams for a while, stupid mech. fucked up.... yeah it was much quieter and more powerful once that was corrected.

FastNSX · 04-24-2003, 08:59 AM

Sounds like the cams are off a bit. Check the marks on the cam gears to make sure they are indexed properly. It is not hard to do. The lines should be EXACTLY even or you are off.

Good luck with your project.

White98LS · 04-24-2003, 10:27 AM

If both his cams are off by the same amount in the same direction, like mine were, the marks on the cam gears will line up perfectly with each other even though timing is off.

FastNSX · 04-24-2003, 10:40 AM

Not if you check them correctly, with the rotating assembly (crank) in the proper position.

Sol Survivor · 04-24-2003, 01:14 PM

Ok, excuse me for being sorta a newb here.

step one: take timing belt off of cam gears
step two: line up cam gears to TDC and the marks MUST line up perfectly
step three: rotate crank pulley counter-clockwise to TDC (the red mark in between the two white marks)
step four: put the timing belt back on the cam gears
step five: prey and turn the key

is that what I should do?

I dont want to take off the timing belt completley off because it looks like a bitch (pull the engine n' other shit) plus the belt was already replaced along with the water pump 10K miles ago.

sound good?

I remember now when I was putting the belt on earlier, the marks were off by like 1/2 to 3/4 of a centimeter, so they werent perfectly lined up.

btw, Ihavent touched my distributor so as long as the intake cam is right on the timing should be right on also right?

Thanks again

White98LS · 04-24-2003, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sol Survivor
Ok, excuse me for being sorta a newb here.

step one: take timing belt off of cam gears
step two: line up cam gears to TDC and the marks MUST line up perfectly
step three: rotate crank pulley counter-clockwise to TDC (the red mark in between the two white marks)
step four: put the timing belt back on the cam gears
step five: prey and turn the key

is that what I should do?

I dont want to take off the timing belt completley off because it looks like a bitch (pull the engine n' other shit) plus the belt was already replaced along with the water pump 10K miles ago.

sound good?

I remember now when I was putting the belt on earlier, the marks were off by like 1/2 to 3/4 of a centimeter, so they werent perfectly lined up.

btw, Ihavent touched my distributor so as long as the intake cam is right on the timing should be right on also right?

Thanks again

I'd be interested if this is the right procedure also - my belt is still off, my cam gear settings are just compensating for the tooth off for now (i.e. +12 -8 instead of +2 -2). Yikes. Also how do you tension the belt correctly?