Timing trouble, bogging, timing backfire, HELP.

[acoustic-sounds]

My vtec d16z6 out of my 95 Civic has been having some trouble lately. When im stopped at a light and go to accelerate it stumbles unless I lightly give it gas until I get it up past 3000 or so rpm. Also while at Idle and I hit the trottle I will stumble until its in the higher rpms. I recently changed the timing belt/tensioner becuase it was lose as hell so I thought that was the prob well NOPE Still stumbles. Its not the fuel system I KNOW FOR SURE. I have the timing right at the money but I notice that it backfires once in awhile so I whached the timing and the timing jumps when the car backfires, Also I HAD AN ASSITANT HIT THE TROTTLE WHILE I WHACHED THE TIMING AND IT STUMBLES WITH THE ENGINE AND I MEAN MAJOR STUMBLE. what could this be. I dont know if its the distibutor or not but if any-one know let me know. Could a broken transmision mount cuase this. Please Help...........................

[civic16]

sounds seriously like a compression prob

[acoustic-sounds]

Would you know how to correct the compression and how to check it if so let me know. Thanks. What would be A couse of a compression prob.

[superbluecivicsi]

what mods do you have? the trans mount will not cause this. did you put in the timing belt yourself? didnt knock off any wiring? last time you inspected and changed plugs, wires, cap, rotors? all that bogging and backfire with no codes yet huh? your backfire comes when you give gas or release? a combination maybe? how do you know for sure its not the fuel system?

sounds seriously like a compression prob

very unlikely. wouldnt hurt to see where your at anyways.

sounds like your running rich, which can be caused by many things.

[acoustic-sounds]

All of this problem has been happening before any changes had been done. Im not stupid I changed the entire fuel system thinking that was the cuase, I change the timing-belt and tensioner since it was loose (being its an interferance enging I also thought that was the prob). New o2 sensor, new map, new tps, new plugs, new wires, new cat-back exhuast, new valve cover, new fuel system (pump, rail, lines, regulator), name it its probly new. Any way All this work was done after this prob stated to happen, also it only does this on acceleration. I havent yet changed any part of the distributor but when I do Im replacing the entire thing (just to be safe). Any-way would as stated above from some-one else would a comppresion prob cause this, im not sure what the comppresion is but I will test it today and post the results. Im a paid mechanic with only 3 years exsperiance and havent yet to have a prob like this and im hoping may-be some-one had this prob and know what to fix and check. Right know im may-be thinking the distibutor but many other on this sight did this and still have this prob. HELP

[acoustic-sounds]

Also there are no codes been set becides the o2 sensor which I changed no soon after.

[superbluecivicsi]

Originally Posted by acoustic-sounds

All of this problem has been happening before any changes had been done. Im not stupid I changed the entire fuel system thinking that was the cuase, I change the timing-belt and tensioner since it was loose (being its an interferance enging I also thought that was the prob). New o2 sensor, new map, new tps, new plugs, new wires, new cat-back exhuast, new valve cover, new fuel system (pump, rail, lines, regulator), name it its probly new. Any way All this work was done after this prob stated to happen, also it only does this on acceleration. I havent yet changed any part of the distributor but when I do Im replacing the entire thing (just to be safe). Any-way would as stated above from some-one else would a comppresion prob cause this, im not sure what the comppresion is but I will test it today and post the results. Im a paid mechanic with only 3 years exsperiance and havent yet to have a prob like this and im hoping may-be some-one had this prob and know what to fix and check. Right know im may-be thinking the distibutor but many other on this sight did this and still have this prob. HELP

a mechanic should be fimiliar with a compression test and compression if its your compression, it's only a matter of time before you need an engine rebuild. get a compression and leakdown while your at it. i dont think the main reason for you bogging and backfiring is in the compression. you are running rich. i believe running rich lead to the o2 sensor problem, you bogging, and backfiring. your plugs are black...............right? you gapped the plugs according to hondas specifications before putting them in? change the distributor and see where that leads to.

[acoustic-sounds]

Wow this isnt helping me at all. The compression is normal and the fuel IS NOT running rich. Plus I know how to do a compression check its easy as picking up a ball. Im going to change the ditributor and map to see where that gets me and im sure that will fix the prob. I using this site to see if any-one has had this prob and not for some-one to judge my mechanical capabilities. As I said I have ONLY 3 years exsperiance as a mechanic and thats not much but its enough to know if im runnibg rich or not. If im not going to get some-one who has had this prob before and knows how to fix it then this site is useless to me. Thanks ANY-WAY

[acoustic-sounds]

Also its kind-of hard to gap pre-set spark plugs from BOSCH when they are set for you already. I stated that it may-of been the trans mount cause its possible for engine to shift when changing gears and could cuase some extra wear and tear.

[superbluecivicsi]

your too serious acoustic-sounds. you asked a question

[qoute] Would you know how to correct the compression and how to check it if so let me know. Thanks. What would be A couse of a compression prob. [qoute]

and i just answered

[qoute] Also its kind-of hard to gap pre-set spark plugs from BOSCH when they are set for you already. I stated that it may-of been the trans mount cause its possible for engine to shift when changing gears and could cuase some extra wear and tear. [qoute]

i dont mean to give you a hard time, but, im assuming you bought the correct pre gapped bosch platinum+4 or platinum 2 for your Z6. if i remember off the top of my head, the proper gap is between .039 - .043 for a Z6 (feel free to correct me if im wrong on that). also, the tranny or motor mount is loose? you hear thunks and clunks from under the hood during drives? very very very unlikely this causing backfire and stalling issues. but, mounts are easily replaced if they are thunking and clunking.

dont let this armored tanker mechanic, smog technician, and honda/acura enthusiast get the best of ya i didnt mean to offend your mechanical experience. theres alot of people here that has good help for you. i myself am not a certified mechanic, but, ive done plenty of swaps and wasted many hours of my life playing around with my own and plenty of other vehicles for the past seven years to offer you some of my own help


but, enough of the personal stuff, lets diagnose your problem.

like i said before, you are running into a rich condition or your timing is off. you already said you already checked the entire fuel system and replaced fuel units such as fuel filter, fuel pump, rail, and FPR, fuel injectors including all fuel lines, electrical continuity, and vacuum lines associated with them, so that cant be the problem if you did. you probably already rechecked the timing marks and camshaft sprocket marks for proper alignment after rechecking for tension as to make sure the valves are not hitting the pistons.

So lets move on. Re-check the plugs to make sure they are black. if they are, you already said you checked ignition timing and swapped out the plug wires. did you check for cracked plugs? if you havnt, recheck em for cracked plugs. After rechecking the plugs again, and they are fine, then, you can also check to make sure your new plug wires are in new condition (just because they are new, does not mean there is a manufacturer defect in em ). you said you were going to swap out the dizzy, so, that is the next step to go.

A vacuum test can be performed at anytime. a visual inspection can be done, but, if it were me in this situation, I would do that plus the vacuum test. I assume you already know how and how to read it, so we will move on. a large vacuum leak or multiple vacuum leaks will cause all you problems also, (hence thats why i asked if you knocked anything over earlier during your timing belt removal and intall). a vacuum test will make sure of this (it will also make sure of many other things too ). remember, a steady reading at 17-22 inhg (give or take 2 inhg is also fine imo) is what your supposed to have. anything else presents a problem.

Also last but not least, hows the valve clearance? are they in spec? last time you did a valve job?

other than that, thats all my 2 cents if you have no other modifications to your civic.

[acoustic-sounds]

This prob started before I did any changes or modified any system on the car. Thats what Im trying to get at, The car was stock when I bought it and started to have this prob only 1-2 months after I bought it so I did what I knew and did modifications, changed belts, fuel system, ex. Im stumped. I havent changed the map or dizzy yet but that my next step. The code for map wasnt set but its worth a try to change. Same with dizzy. I will go from there and see whats-up and post the results. As for the plugs the condition is fine and yes they are black on the eletrodes but im not worried about that yet being this prob happend before I did any-thing to the Civic. All I know that I did before I Had this prob is that I installed a Sound system but I wouldnt think that would cuase the prob being I took it out after the prob started and replaced the alternator and battery. Right now my goal is to hoply get it fixed and if not save some hard cash and do a swap, right now Its only a 1.6lt. vtec sohc. If I were to do A swap What would you suggest. Also whats the possibilty of swaping a autp tranny to a manual tranny and the difficullty. And what would need to be changed in order for it to work. I rather get rid of this crap engine I have and upgrade. For now if im running rich which I dont believe I am what can be done to correct it. Let me know. Also are you A NEW-YORK Residance Cuase it would be great to have a helping hand on a Swap. Thanks..........................

[civic16]

here is every thing i can think of now. vacum leak
try map sensor,fuel pump, ground problem, distibutor, too much back pressure, head gasket, worn cam lobes, im sorry i can't help you precisely but you have a very general prob with out being there in person

[superbluecivicsi]

i live in so cal to diagnose the problem, i would follow the guidline above. its hard to diagnose any problems online. swapping out the z6 for another may still present problems if the problem does not lie in the z6.

concerning the auto to manual swap and a new motor. i would assume you are looking for a dohc b motor. a b18b at least would be my choice. in any case, to make things easier, get the entire swap, (ex. motor, tranny, intake mani, engine harness, all mounts, dizzy, the works, etc,etc,etc). only auto to manual swap ive done was from a 93 d15b7 auto to a 95 b18b1. takes alot of patience for the parts especially. too make a long story short, ill give you the short hard version of what i had to get. you'll need:

the manual tranny of course, but this should some with the swap if you were looking to do a motor swap. manul tranny includes clutch disc, bearings, pressure plate and flywheel.

get the entire shift linkage for your application. i actually used the gsr linkage.

your going to need the clutch pedal of course. comparing the manual gas and brake pedals to the auto, the auto was larger. basically, if you want the manual feel, get all the manual pedals.

you can use an auto ecu for the specific motor, but, you'll run into problems with the speed limiter. you'll get cut off sooner in 4th on the 1/4 mile. just get the manual ecu, it'll be better.

you can salvage hydro clutch lines from wrecked vehicles or make your own from copper piping from lowes or home depot.

a manual half shaft is a must. you cant use the auto halfshaft. i got mine from a gsr as well.

you can use the automatic gauge cluster and have it set on park all the time, or, you can go get a manual cluster.

after the linkage and shifter is in, you can fabricate your own shift boot to cover the large opening left by the automatic shift plate, or you can buy a center consel for your vehicle made for a manual with the shift boot, or, you can go with out a shift boot

2 months of my little bro gathering parts and 4 days of my time installing and he drove it like a stock manual for about 6 months before the vehicle was totalled.

thats the quicky run down.

[whitelines]

I wish I new what is going on. I'm having the exact same problem with my 95'. I changed the timing belt and the water pump and then the problem started. It is especially bad when the a/c is running, I lose speed up hills with the pedal to the floor.

[snowman2005]

old thread. did u set tdc on the crank pulley right? it can get confusing bc of all the diffrent marks on it. tdc on the crank pulley is the white line thats all by itslef. the 1 red and 2 white lines next to it are there for u to set the timing to.