Hi all, newbie here. 1997 Accord, 2.7 liter w/ 110,000 miles on it.
I just replaced my timing belt with the water pump, and spark plugs as well. All was going well until I tried to start it after doing the maintenance,it turns over but will not start. It ran great prior to the work, I knew the belt was overdue so that's why I did it. I aligned the two cams and crankshaft to top dead center marks as in the manual, but haven't any idea why it won't start. I did turn it by hand many times and all lines up as it should, as well as the times I tried it when trying to start the car. Someone at my work suggested maybe the new plugs, Nippen Denso Platinum, are at fault, I cannot believe that they would be an issue myself. I did check the rotor was at the #1 spark plug when at TDC, the plug wires are correct, the battery's good. If you have any ideas I would really appreciate it. I just replaced a timing belt, water pump, head gasket in my other car several months ago, and it runs great, so I know I'm not totally crazy. Thanks, Dave.

 

I don't know V-6s that well, but a couple things to think about...

Any bundles of ground wires you removed & forgot to put back?
Wiring harness connectors that had to be unplugged to get at the timing covers?
I've done this to myself - pulled fuses to disable fuel or spark, then next day forgot to put them back.

 

You should pull and ground a plug with the wire to see if the coil is throwing an adequate spark. Is your check engine light on? You might want to short the service connector just in case you forgot to connect a sensor.

Since you have done a headgasket, you probably have a compression gauge. Make sure that all the cylinders are within 20% of each other.

 

Guys, thanks for the prompt responses.
I did remove a plug and I grounded it on top of the block, it sparked nicely, I'll try the coil next.
As far as the wire bundle or ground connection, I didn't remove any, I onlyset the wire bundles from the belt cover aside. I will check again though.

Ideas, keep 'em coming, and have a great weekend, Dave.

 

are you getting fuel? You shouldn't have to do this but did you bump the timing and advance or retard it to an extreme?

 

If car was running ok before you did the work, I would concentrate on something that you might have left unplugged or unproperly connected .( I agree with Jim ) .... double chk all the work you did before you start chasing a ghost..
did you unhook plug wires at distributor ?? ..

 

I'l recheck to distributor again. In the beginning I didn't touch anything on the left side of the engine other than discinnecting the battery neg lead. Fuel shouldn't be an issue since this vehicle doesn't have a disable switch that I know of, and I didn't do anything that would interfere with the fuel flow.
One question I have also, mu Haynes manual states that you can supposedly advance/retard the timing by rotating the distributor, however when I checked my car, it only goes on and stays on one way, there's only one bolt holding it on and there doesn't seem to be a way to rotate it as it fits one way.

Again guys, thanks for your input. The quest continues...Dave.

 

Since you're getting some spark, I would use a timing light and check that spark timing is approximately correct while turning engine over. If timing is correct, and you're getting spark, then issue must be fuel.

I would listen to the fuel injectors and see if they are clicking while turning engine over, and check for basic fuel pressure by cracking the banjo bolt on the fuel inlet to one of fuel rails. You should get a nice spray of fuel. If nothing or a dribble, then fuel pump is not working or fuel filter has somehow become blocked. Electrical is more likely, but fuel pumps fail too.

good luck

 

Well, just for the heck of it I threw in a new set of plugs to humor a friend of mine. The inital start it started but ran like it was labored and wouldn't idle faster as I pushed on the gas pedal. I shut it off and then it wouldn't restart anymore.
One thing I thought was odd that might give you all some better info was that when I removed the spark plugs before putting the newer set in, the new ones I installed with the new belt originally, #1 and #3 plugs were black and wet/moistly sooty, the others were clean. Make any sense?
I'll check the fuel pressure, thanks again guys for the info. Dave.

 

ANY LUCK DAVE?
2.7'S UNITE!![sm=bounceybounce.gif]