Hi guys, I have a 1999 Accord with the 2.3 F23A1 16 valve SOHC VTEC engine that I recently bought from the original owner for my son. 123,000 miles showing. Ran ok when I bought it except for the idle air control valve. had loping idle, and a code for IAC valve. Car was stored since 2008 with no fuel stabilizer in it. Car just started having starting issues, so I drained and cleaned the tank and fuel system and put in fresh gas. Problem persisted, now to the point where it will not start at all. I checked for fuel delivery and spark, all ok. I have now performed a compression test and found no compression in any of the 4 cylinders. I squirted some motor oil into the cylinders with no change. Bad valves/head gasket or timing belt? I don't believe it to be the timing belt since the distributor is turning. Also, if it turns out to be timing belt, is this an interference engine? I paid a premium for this car because it was so clean and original owner, hope I didn't make a mistake.
Any help you guys could give me would be appreciated.
Thanks
Paul

 

It IS an interference engine. You should probably open the upper timing cover & check the cam timing.

 

Thanks, That makes sense. Just my luck, the belt probably slipped and all the valves are now bent. Oh joy!!!!!

 

Check it out first, then panic. It's not a real severe interference, so maybe you're lucky & it's off time far enough to lose compression just because of the timing (not from bent valves).

 

Zero on all cylinders? I could well be wrong, but even if the timing belt slipped it seems to me that you'd get at least some compression out of at least one cylinder i.e., the valves would be closed on at least one cylinder while its piston was moving up.

How are you doing the compression test and what kind of compression tester are you using? If there truly is zero compression on all four cylinders then a leakdown test will pinpoint where all that compression is being lost.

 

Good point. We should be suspicious of the compression testing method.

Still, the safest thing might be to open the timing cover & check the cam timing first.

 

It should still have something for the compression though, zero in all of them ? Something wrong for testing compression there.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, I too thought I should have compression in at least one cylinder even if belt jumped. I am using a Craftsman compression tester that has never let me down. Maybe I should try another tester. BTW engine sounds really strange when cranking. Even with plugs in it sounds like there are no plugs in the cylinders as it would sound while doing a compression check.

 

I would probably turn the crankshaft by hand until the white mark on the crank pulley is lined up to the marker. That is top dead center for the crankshaft. Remove the valve cover and see if the marks on the cam sprocket are lined up with the cylinder head and the up arrow is actually pointing up. Then you will know for sure if your timing belt has jumped teeth.

 

Hi guys, I just tested my compression tester with shop air. Was exact with gauge on my compressor. I did another compression test with same results 0 on all cylinders. I guess my next step is to remove timing belt cover to check time and take it from there.
Thanks for all of your help. If anyone has any more ideas please let me know.
Paul