Engine doesn't start up after head swap


stussy_legend

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Nov 12, 2008
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hi everyone, just finish doing an head swap(D15B into Lsi). everything hook up correctly as far as i concern. all the electrical stuff work, fuel pump work(got fuel at the rail). battery checked, got sparks, it does crank, just doesnt wanna fire up.

could it be coz there is no water in the system(i need to get the engine run first b4 i can flush the system, hence no water)?! or low compression?! or timing is off?!

here is a video to show u the cranking noise


i am clueless, Honda expert please help :angry2:
 
Have you made sure that the timing belt is correctly timed up??
 
hmm........this was my first attempt to do a timing belt, but i followed the manual to set both cam and crank shaft at TDC. but i am not sure if i done it correctly.

i just had a lil talk with my mates, he said it could be low on compression and timing is off?!
 
Check your timing belt lines up with all the marks! My monies on that ;)
 
so, when the cam gear is at TDC, the white mark on the crank shaft pulley should line up the thing on the timing belt cover, is that correct?!
 
That's correct mate :) take number 1 plug out and check to make sure its at TDC, use a long rod of somekind and place it onto the bore and turn the crankshaft pulley until the rod reaches maximum height before the piston starts to decsend, check where your crankshaft pulley marks are now! do you have a timing light? If so check it and it should be 16 degree's BTDC

Hope this helps out dude :)
 
Number 1 plug is the one cloest to the dizzy or the cam gear?! and place long stick thru spark plugs hole?! i have heard this method, but i dun really get it.........i am sorry......
 
No 1 is closest the the cambelt.

Yes through the plug hole into the bore.

Place the rod so it's resting on top of the piston, then turn the crankshaft pulley until the rod reaches peak height, this is now TDC, check to see where your pulley marks are, if everything's good it should all line up! Are you 100% sure your cam pulley is timed up correctly?

:)
 
thx man, that really help me a lot :D i will check it tmr morning. need to get it start!!!!!!!

if i am being honest.....no, not 100% sure.....since its a JDM engine and not a popular choice of head swap(compare to Y8, Z6), i couldnt find much info regard to this, i saw people saying using D15Z1 TDC, so i did that.....then guess what.

just now, i saw another post on the internet, DON'T USE D15Z1 TDC......i am ****ed..... :(
 
hmmm....just had another read on this, that method check the TDC of crank pulley, right?!

is there any similar method to check cam gear TDC then
 
There will be marks on the cam pulley, 2 notches either side these should be lined up with the head, if that makes sense without a pic??
 
yeah, i used that to line up the TDC.........but i am gonna have a more in depth research on the exact mark that i should be using. there is a mixed opinion on which mark to use on the D15B, thx for the help anyway, will keep u updated when i got them re-checked.

**updates, pretty sure i got the cam gear tdc wrong now, someone did the swap and said he used the 9 o'clock mark, and i used the 3 o'clock mark, n they are not levelled, so the cam gear is wrong already... :(
 
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I'm going to assume you have the leads on in correct order at dizzy.

What dizzy did you use? Did you verify the crank gear and cam gear is of same diameter and teeth count? If not the timing could he way off. IIRC some times when adding a vtec head to a non vtec engine you got to extend the mounting points of where bolts go through dizzy into head as the dizzy needs to be rotated beyond the limit of the slots in order to get timing at 16degree btdc at idle. For a test leave all bolts out of dizzy and rotate it left or right past where you would normally be limited by the slots in dizzy housing then hold it in tight against head while someone else cranks it to start. If you can get it running at all get someone to put a timing light on to see where timing is, this will tell you what way you need to be rotating the dizzy and how far. Don't forget to bridge service connector when setting timing.
 
yeah, the leads should be in correct orders. the dizzy n timing belt, they are for the D15B vtec, so shouldnt be a problems as well. as for the size of the crank gear, i am not sure if there is any difference between D15B n B2.

so basically, i could end up rotating the Dizzy with a wide angle range?!
 
yeah, the leads should be in correct orders. the dizzy n timing belt, they are for the D15B vtec, so shouldnt be a problems as well. as for the size of the crank gear, i am not sure if there is any difference between D15B n B2.

so basically, i could end up rotating the Dizzy with a wide angle range?!

Yes correct in order to reach the desired ignition timing. Try rotate it and see if it will fire up
 
updates: i just double checking the timing, when the crank pulley is at TDC using the #1 piston method, the cam gear is about one tooth off, sure it wont make it a non starter?! will check the ignition timing later when my friend come to help me out.
 
updates: i just double checking the timing, when the crank pulley is at TDC using the #1 piston method, the cam gear is about one tooth off, sure it wont make it a non starter?! will check the ignition timing later when my friend come to help me out.

^^^You'll be surprised...
 
^^^You'll be surprised...
just re-do the timing belt this morning, pretty sure everything line up fine now. both at TDC, but car still dun start........it seems to crank stonger tho. could it be bad ignition coil?! coz i remembered the day i took the engine off, the engine didnt start. exactly the same situation as this. just kept cranking, and no start.
 
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