If you already have the timing belt off, try this.

- Turn the crankshaft to 90-degrees away from #1 TDC. Forwards or backwards, but DO NOT turn it through #1 BOTTOM center. Now all 4 pistons are at mid-stroke and you can spin the CAMshaft any which way you want.

- Go through the motions of adjusting your valve clearances. A bent valve will usually have excessive clearance. So you might be able to decide whether to pull the head off or not??

- If you're lucky & your valves are OK, turn the camshaft to #1 TDC.
- Turn the crankshaft DIRECTLY to #1 TDC. Forwards or backwards, just DO NOT turn it through #1 bottom center.

- Put on the new belt, etc.

 

How do I check the valve clearance. I am limited on tools and being almost midnight I can't make a run to get any.

 

Well I have hit yet another wall. I have the timing belt on both pulleys. All is going well. Now coming to the part about installing the new tensioner. The two bolts that hold it on also help hold on the cover. How do I go about installing the new tensioner and getting the spring on when the covet is covering everything up? The two bolts have a rubber washer that goes on the out side of the cover then a smaller washer that can slip though the holes in the cover. Then one more washer that is larger that touching the tensioner.

 

You install the springs, then the lower cover, then the tensioner-holding bolt. At this point you do the process of allowing the springs to take up the belt tension. Then install the upper cover.

 

Okay so I have everything in and installed. But it still won't run. I triple checked the timing marks. I have the crankshaft lined up with the notch the the t symbol and the two notches on the camshaft level with the head. Installed the distributor with it firing on one put a little gas in the carb because my fuel pump is not pumping. It starts to crank kinda sputters a bit then stops. Before I checked the timing again I had tried to start it and got it to start and run (with no power). Just kinda idled at about 400rpm for about 45 seconds. That's when I checked the timing again and made adjustments as needed with the timing marks. Any thoughts.

 

Is the 81 accord an interference engine?

Did the original timing belt break?

 

Yes it is an interference motor and no it did not break. But almost have the teeth were missing

 

Did the belt jump at all? If yes, how many teeth were off on the cam sprocket?

 

Common failure of the timing belt is for the teeth to come off. It's less often that the belt actually BREAKS.

So unless he looked carefully at the timing marks before taking off the old belt, he probably doesn't know how far it skipped.

I saw the question about how to check valve clearance, so I guess you didn't do that? So you don't know if valves are bent? Now you can measure compression since the belts are back in place. Does it crank fast without the sound of compression? That's a pretty destinctive sound, so you would notice it sounds like cranking with the sparkplugs removed.

 

I think I'm having a issue with the new belt jumping teeth. Every time I get the engine to tdc get it to start up then check tdc again its all messed up. Like the first time I got it all set perfect got the motor to run checked it and the camshaft was off by 180° I'm just getting really irritated with this motor. Give me a Chevy small block and it would not be any problems for me.