Ok guys gotta problem and need some minds. Got a 01 gsr and did the following maintainance:

-oem timing belt
-oem water pump
-oem tensioner/spring
-skunk2 cam seal
-jdm itr valve cover/new gasket/new spark plug seals
-coolant drain/fill
-oem thermostat

Everything was at TDC before I took the belt off. While installing the new belt, both cams moved a lil so I manually moved them back to TDC with my hands. I put the crank pulley back on and turned til it was exactly at TDC.

With everything lined up on at the Cams I put the belt on. Followed everthing according TI's timing belt install thread and also used my Helms. Doubled checked all my connectiones too.

Problem:
Went to start it and the car just idled EXTREMELY LOW, seemed like an rpm away from shutting off.

Is my timing off? I coulda sworn everything is the way it should be, any ideas???

 

Ahhh crap, if there was a cliff I would jump off of it right now.

I've been thinking and I know what I did wrong. After removing the old belt I tried to install the new belt. Accidentally moving the cam gears, the belt wouldn't match up so I took the belt off again and manually put the cams at TDC.

Now here is where my retarded ass fucked up. After manually putting my cam gears at TDC, I went to move my crank pulley to make sure it was at TDC but accidentally passed the mark. I then continued around 1 revolution counter-clockwise til it was at the TDC mark. Then Installed the belt.

What I should have done was go around one more time correct??? I believe that 2 revolutions of the crank shaft = 1 revolution of the distributor which would have cylinder 1 at TDC......am I going in the the right direction? If I take off the belt, crank the pulley one more revolution and put it back on THEN It should be perfect.

Could I have ruined anything? I didn't drive it or anything, just started it for like 3 second and turned it off after realizing it ran like crap.

What steps should I follow to get the crank and cam gears at perfect TDC?

 

Take the belt off of the cam gears
Reset the crank at TDC...just use the white mark on the crank and the line on the block..that's all you need
Set the cams at TDC...you can use small allen wrenches in the cam holes to lock them at TDC so they don't move

 

shouldn't matter. if you turn the crank one time the pistons will be back to exact same position. There is no way for it to "know" if it supposed to on a compression or exahaust stroke.

do you have a timing light? It could just a problem with the fast idle thermo valve thingy. (or was that only on the older tegs?) it has coolant that runs through and if it gets an air buble in it the idle will be off.



you mean there are holes through both cams that line up at TDC? cool. that could saved the head on my civic from getting distroyed...

 

Cool thanks. I plan on taking the valve cover off and the upper side cover off too. Then turning the crank counter-clockwise until TDC. Then check my cam gears to see how far off I am cause i know my timing has to be off as i've done everything else perfect. I wish I knew about that locking cam holder holes before.

Once the pulley is at TDC i'll remove the belt, set the cams at TDC, lock them in place and install belt again. Hopefully she'll be running smooth again. Got to wait til tonight after work though to do it.

 

Update:

My timing was off, had to turn the crank one more time and set everything back to TDC. I checked TDC with the crank by removing the spark plug of cyl #1 and checking to see when it rose to the top (TDC). After hrs of reinstalling everything, I started her up and she ran perfect.

Just one tip, when you put in the allen keys to hold the cams in place, don't forget to remove them later when you're trying to turn the crank pulley. I wasted about 2 hrs cause my timing belt tensioner came off it's holder and had to remove everything to put it back on. Sucked ass.







Anyway, no leaks and gave it a good test drive. :thumbup:

 

you got off lucky. last time i did that I was looking for a new head. looks good though.

 

For future reference, when you install the t-belt and everything is on just turn the crank twice to TDC and if the cams and crank pulley marks are at TDC then your timing is perfect. Holy run-on sentence, sorry.

 

I was so focused with "TDC" and the mark that I never realized that 2 revolutions = TDC. As soon as i started the car, 3 sec later I turned it off. I knew something wasn't right and I guess I am lucky.

Yup, I know that now lol.