CLIFF NOTES:

Timing belt snapped
Valves checked by brother in law, looked okay
Crankshaft fluctuation sensor did break
Timing belt replaced, sensor left disconnected, engine doesn't respond as fast
Tried to bypass CKF by splicing to CKP
Engine worked great for about 2 mins, then started to missfire bad
Drove home, disconnected splices
Engine runs good, but doesn't respond as fast again.
Want engine to run better
Where to turn now?

END/ CLIFF NOTES.


I've been searching around the web for a decent looking Acura forum for a couple of days now, and I've decided this looks like the best place.

I've mostly joined because of my wife (who happens to own a clean 96 GSR), but I'd like to learn a few things too.
We purchsed the car with an AEM cold intake, DC header and a GReddy catback exhaust.

I'm attempting to fix this problem myself because the closest Acura dealership is and hour and a half away, and the Honda stealership are dicks!

Now onto the problem: The car was driving fine until the timing belt snapped one day. I towed the car to my brother-in-law's house (the Honda nut in the family), and he checked the valve clearences, luckily, he said nothing was damaged except the crankshaft fluctuation sensor. He said something along the lines of "it cracked". He replaced the timing belt with a GReddy piece (the sensor is just kinda hanging there) and handed it over. This is where the problems start.

The car runs ABSOUTELY fine, except it doesn't feel as fast as it used to be. It feels as if something is holding it back. My guess is it's in a safe-mode due to the sensor being cracked, IDK. I took it to Autozone to have the codes checked and it read:

P107 or P108, one of the MAP sensor codes

P0420, Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Maybe the gutted cat. is the reason )

P1336 Crankshaft Speed Fluctuation Sensor Intermittent Interruption

P1337 Crankshaft Speed Fluctuation Sensor No Signal

I figured the MAP sensor code was triggered because of the crankshaft codes.
I don't exactly have $300 laying around for a new sensor, so I searched the web and found that you can trick the computer by using the same signal as the Crankshaft Position sensor. Found it here: http://rywire.com/store/faqdesk_info...da9af4f80a1b9.
I spliced together the correct wires, and I think it worked.
The engine didn't exactly cooperate at first, it would turn over, but hessitate for about 5 seconds, almost dying, then run fine at about 1k rpm's.
I took it around town for about 10mins and hammered the throttle when I reached a dead road. The accelleration was back full blast and vtec engaged smoothly....... hicup, hicup wtf!!!
Then the engine started to miss. I babied it to another Autozone (engine was missing above 2.5k rpms) and had the codes pulled again. This time I only got one code.

P1300 Random Misfire.

I got home quickly, disconnected the splices and tried to turn over the car again. Luckily, it started right up as if nothing happened. It runs the same as it did before I spilced the wires, and no indication that it was ever misfiring. I'm guessing timing could be a culpret, but i'm out of idea's.
I'm not sure where to turn. Honda's arn't exactly my area of knowledge.
I would appreciate any advice or thoughts you guys have. TIA.

Mike

P.S. Sorry to make you guys read through my life story, I tried to shorten it as much as I could.

 

Bump, with cliff notes for a short read.

 

wow welcome to han first off and congrats on the purchase, after reading this lovely story, it does sound like the timing is off, i would take it some where and have it retimed and see if that fixes it, but best of luck to you in the future

 

thanks for the sugestion. time to whip out the timing light... and a friend that knows how to use it.

 

I'm not really sure about this by any means but here is a theory:

What type of gas are you using? GSRs are made for 92/93 but you can use lower grades because the computer will adjust the A/F ratio to compensate, maybe by efing around with the sensors the computer isn't able to pick up on detonation.

is there any junkyards around where you are? it should be any more than $20 for one of those sensors, and I would imagine it is just some sort of inductive type sensor so it shouldn't be any worse for the wear.

 

we've had the car for about 5 months now, and have only been using premium fuel. I'm hoping no detonation is occuring.
as for picking up a used sensor, unfortunately there are no junk yards in our area.
The second time I went to autozone, and the codes were cleared, and they never came back. a "maint. req." signal lights up on the dash, but the check engine light doesn't come on anymore. I don't know if it's in my head, but the car feels like it's pulling better in all the gears. I still need to check the timing though.
Any reason for the ckf sensor code not comming back?

 

thats all way over my head, but the maint. light is just a scheduled maintence thing. look under the drivers side dash for a blue button, hold it in for a few seconds with the key turned to reset the maint light.

 

Thanks for that tip, learn something new everyday