It's my nephew's car, my first time working on a Japanese 4 cyl.

He tried to change out the plugs and wires and apparently got the wrong stuff, but installed it anyway. (In the wrong firing order) Told me it wouldn't start and asked if I'd take a look.

We bought the correct plugs and installed them and tried to start it. It sounded like the timing was off and it was trying to backfire. Also had the heavy odor of fuel up front. The low pressure fuel return line? may have been leaking near the left rear tire as well.

Put in a new rotor and scuffed off the contacts on the old cap. Tried to properly gap the correct plugs (@ .043 iirc). Still sputtered and threatened to backfire with wet plugs.

Finally found the plug to see the timing area, but didn't have my timing light with me (he lives 50 miles away so going back tomorrow) I saw the fork on the right, but no marks on the left as he bumped the engine over. I didn't know how to manually turn the engine over until I got home and watched some vids. (going through the driver wheel well there should be a pop out to access a 17mm bolt that will allow me to crank?) Do I need to go counter clockwise?

I'm going to try to pop out the #1 cylinder plug and make sure the timing is basically correct. Put the correct plug wires on. Change out the pcv valve.

Any other tips or hints would be greatly appreciated. I figure we will have to change the timing belt, but I'd like to get it running first. Thanks again.

 

1-3-4-2 should be the firing order. Check to be sure the wires are on correct. Engine goes counter clockwise...I've seen 17 and 19 mm crank bolts (can't remember the difference-most are 19mm). What kind of plugs were installed?

 

The new ones were Bosch Platinums iirc.

*when you say counter clockwise you mean as I'm looking at the distributor from the right front wheel area, the bottom (6 o'clock) will be one then up and to the right (3 o'clock) will be 3, top (12 o'clock) is 4 and then the 9 o'clock position will be 2?

 

I've been doing some searches for the firing order and some show the #1 at the 6 o'clock position and some show it at the 12 o'clock position. Which is right guys?

This one?




or this one?

 

I'm working from the wife's laptop so I don't have everything I'd like. Based upon memory and the chilton manual I have at home (take it for what it is) I'm 99% sure it is the first one., and I've not owned a 4th gen..I almost posted that #1 would be around 12:30-1 as you look at the dist from the right/pass side fender.....some of the mfg's of ign cap's and rotors actually put marks on the cap's noting which cyl they go to ("I", "II", "III", "IIII").

 

Most of the tecs on here don't recommend Bosch plugs, or iridium plugs on the accords. Honda recommends the NGK V-power plugs ZFR6F-11. They will run ~$6 for all four at any parts store. Change every two years/24K miles.

The second diagram looks correct. Also the distributor cap should have a mark on the outside for #1, if the cap is an OEM cap. It is around 7 o'clock (lower left port when looking at the cap from the passenger side of the car).

 

Haha, ok one vote for the top and one vote for the bottom. I will take a look at the cap when I get back up there tomorrow. And then after I find the #1, I put in 3,4, and 2 in the clockwise fashion?

But on the other side of the car when I'm hand cranking the engine to TDC I want to go counter-clockwise? Is this correct?

*I will look for the NGK plugs, but there should be no reason for the Bosch not to at least let it start up if everything else is doing what it's supposed to be doing?

 

Hondadude is a tech. He said that the iridium plugs can cause problems.

You want to hand crank the engine counter clock wise when looking at the engine from the driver's side of the car.

I just looked at a 93 shop manual, I think the first picture is correct. Sorry about that.

I looked up a used car for sale on Autotrader.com that is the same as your nephew's. It has a good pic of the wires. See attachment.

 

Yep! That's it alright. Thanks a ton guys. We'll see if that's all it takes.

*the closer I look at that pic, it looks like it matches the bottom pic above?

 

If it's an OEM distributor cap, Honda usually puts some marking at the #1 post.