1) I just replaced the camshaft on my 2001 Civic LX, and I am now getting misfires for cylinders 1-3. I suspect I didn't get the timing right when I put the timing belt back on.

2) I also tried to do an idle relearn, but the car simply will not idle--the tachometer reading just drops until the car turns off. I also have to press on the accelerator just to get the car to start.

Is it likely that these two problems are related? If it is the timing that is off, how should I go about getting it right? I put the camshaft at TDC, the crank at TDC, put the timing belt on, hooked the tensioner spring on, THEN checked the camshaft and the crankshaft to check for TDC, and they were both on. Is there some secret I should be aware of? Is it possible the tensioner's spring has lost too much of its tension? When I replaced the camshaft, I replaced the camshaft oil seal right behind the timing belt, and I didn't lubricate the inner part--could that be causing too much friction?

 

Make sure what you think is TDC on the crank is really TDC. You use the little mark on the timing belt gear, NOT the key slot in the shaft. TDC can be double-checked by removing plug #1 and probing the top of the piston as you turn the crank slowly. At TDC of course the piston is up as far as it will go. It's good practice to TDC any engine and examine the timing marks before taking the old belt off, so you know what they mean.

To tension the belt, put the belt on, leaving the tensioner bolt slightly loose so the spring can move it. Then turn the crank counterclockwise (the way it normally turns while running) by hand several degrees to pull the slack out of the front of the belt. The tensioner spring will take the slack out of the back of the belt. While holding the crank to keep the slack out of the front of the belt, tighten the tensioner bolt SECURELY. Never attempt to crank or run the engine with the tensioner bolt loose. Turn the crank all the way around twice by hand to make sure the engine does not bind, and the marks should come back up to TDC.

 

Will do this. Thanks (again).

 

Ok, here's what I have learned. When the alternator and power steering belts are taken off (I have no a/c compressor), the car will idle. However, when I put the alt. and PS belts back on, the car does what I described in post 1: the car simply will not idle--the tachometer reading just drops until the car turns off. I also have to press on the accelerator just to get the car to start.

Any thoughts? A friend thinks it is probably the ignition timing that needs to be adjusted.

 

Ignition timing is not adjustable on the 2001 (if it's the USA model with coils for each plug instead of a distributor). It's pre-determined by the crank and cam sensors.

Make sure the belt is on in time so the cam is timed properly. If the CEL is on while the engine is running, scan the computer for codes.

The IACV may be clogged up or unplugged. That will cause the engine to idle too slow or not at all.

 

Ok, thanks for that information.

Any thoughts on the car not idling when the alt and ps belts are on? Or do you think it's an issue of timing?

 

Sounds like any drag on the engine is enough to stop it. You could try driving the car to see if it is just a problem with idling, or if its an overall performance issue.

 

Well, thing is that if it's over about 2000 RPM, driving or just sitting there, things feel ok. But if it goes below that, things start to get rough.

 

Which is exactly why there is such a thing as a stock cam instead of all cars being fitted with racing cams at the factory. I missed that you said cam replacement at the start.

 

Not sure what you mean by the racing cams comment.

However, I realized last night that I made a bonehead move and was actually hooking the tensioner spring to one of the dysfunctional lower timing belt cover screws rather than the peg it is supposed to be hooked to, resulting in the timing belt being too loose. No wonder I couldn't get the car to run right. Anyway, I'm hoping to get it running tonight.