I have 97 accord SE 4 door with F22B2 engine. I had local shop changed the timing belt and balancer belt. After belt change car had slow pickup in the lower speeds. Car runs good after 40 mph(good pick up no noise). Car do not have any odd symptoms like it start fine, have about 29 mpg driving on freeway etc. Since I had poor pick up in slow speed I decided to do the valve clearance adjustment. At this time I notice that when camshaft is at the TDC ( "UP" mark on camshaft pulley face on top of the pulley) crankshaft TDC mark (single V groove) does not match with the groove on plastic cover. Anyway I still did the valve cleanance adjust, car still do not have good pick up in slow speed. Is any thought about that TDC confusion, may be that cause slow accelaration in low speed. I checked timing according to manual and that looks very close to it should be, and I notice that there is not any room to change timing since only two mounting hole on distributor is slotted and third one is not (manual shows all three holes slotted). Check all the spark plug and plug-wire location on distributor since I had replaced it 6 month ago and it looks fine also.

 

Did you line up the TDC on the crankshaft and look to see if the two notches on the camshaft sproket are lined up with the cylinder head? Those marks on the camshaft sproket are the easiest way for me to tell if I am at TDC.

 

I had TDC mark matched at the camshaft pulley (2 notch mark align with cylinder head) but at that time crankshaft notch mark do not match with groove mark on plastic cover as shown in Honda manual.

 

Sounds like it's time to take it back to the shop so they can get it right.

 

Chiovnidca nailed it.

Take the car back to the shop that you paid to dothe workand ask them why those reference marks don't line up the way the Honda manualstates thatthey are supposed to. Before they have a chance to answer the question, casually mention thatyou have brought the car back to the shopbecause people onthe Honda Accord Forum have told you thatwhen thecrank/#1 pistion is atTDC, all those marks should line up with their reference pointson the engine.

Please let us know whattheir answer isto that question.

 

Ialso agree the car should go back to the shop that did the work, give them a chance to make it right.
However many times I've seen this problem; Here's the skinny; the tech put on the belt, checked with his timing light and it all Looked good.
Sometime in the past a mental midget jacked the throttle cabletighter to raise the idle, that in turn moves the TPS and the ECU changes the timing.
So now they will put the belt back on "in time" by the marks but when they start the engine and use a timing light the timing will seem to be Wrong.

 

I will take the car back and have him check it again and ask the question. I will keep you guys posted about what happen. And thanks to all of you for all the good advise and help.

 

I talked to the guy who did the work and he agree with the fact and he will fix this, Thanks to this forum.

 

One additional possibility to be checked. The harmonic balancer pulley w/ timing marks could have slipped relative to the inner hub which mates w/ the crankshaft (There is a rubber isolation section between inner and outer parts). This would cause the timing marks on the outer pulley to be in the wrong position. I recently had pulley on m 2.5TL get so loose it would not drive the alternator. This can and did lead to many other unwanted problems in my case.

good luck