Thanks to some generous assistance and tips from H-A.net regulars, I finally got the Accord engine back together and starting.

This was a deep timing belt job: both belts, both tensioners, every seal and O-ring and gasket in sight. Motor was smooth and happy before the work started -- this is not a recovery from a belt failure, just preventive maintenance.

I ran it the other day with the covers off; it started right up once adequate battery voltage was available. I didn't drive it then, as the belt covers weren't on yet.

Got the belt covers on this afternoon, put on the pulley, put on the crank bolt to a temporary 110 ft-lb, and put on the alternator belt. Left the power steering belt off for now.

Again, the motor starts right up, but it's noisier than before the belt job. I noticed the noise on the first start the other day, but I figured it was because the hood was up and the covers were off.

Today, with covers on and hood down, it's still noisy. I took a lap around the block. Down on power, sluggish to the throttle. I didn't push it past about 2200 RPM. Wondering if I bashed some valves while turning it by hand?

I did do a super-careful check before the first start: turned crank to #1 TDC, visually verified TDC, checked and adjusted valves on #1, then rotated through the rest of the firing order with the same test on each cylinder.

Valves were tight on every cylinder, but stupidly I forgot to see *how* tight. Certainly the gauges were just not anywhere close to going in. Apparently this engine may not have had the valves done since the 30K service (it is at 90K now), so tight would be expected.

I had planned to check compression, and my bud brought me a comp gauge, but not the appropriate spark thread adapter. D'oh!

Any thoughts? I will do a comp test when I can, to see if the cyls are holding compression. If any leak down instantly, I assume there are one or more bent valves. Damn.