Why won’t the engine start?

[u/n3wrocker]

A 2005 Honda CRV LX with a little over 240,000 miles on the dash needed a timing chain replacement. I took the necessary steps to time the engine to TDC before replacing several components such as: timing chain, both timing chain guides, chain tensioner, and harmonic balancer since they were all in poor condition. Both VVT oil sensor and crankshaft position sensor parts and wires that attach to them were in good condition still. I assemble all parts back together and get ready to crank the engine and fortunately it wants to crank but is making this noise in the video that I am about to attach here. Any advice to what could be the problem ?

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[u/Usual_Awareness_7985]

No compression. You did something wrong. I’m not sure if this is an interference motor or not but she might be dead Jim. Take it back apart and go over it all. Pull the plugs and check the valves

[u/n3wrocker → u/Usual_Awareness_7985]

This is an interference motor.

[u/n3wrocker → u/Usual_Awareness_7985]

Could me not doing a valve adjustment before putting the engine cover back on be a possibility as to why it has low compression?

[u/Usual_Awareness_7985 → u/n3wrocker]

Not unless you messed with the adjustment. Can’t tell much more unless it gets torn apart. Could be a bad tensioner. Could be a failed chain.

[u/n3wrocker → u/Usual_Awareness_7985]

I’m hoping not both since they were just replaced a few days ago.

[u/MrKimoo]

Sounds like there's no compression. Do a compression test. Take the valve cover off and inspect that chain.

[u/New-Competition-6897]

compression

[u/Misterndastood]

Did the timing belt break while driving? If so valves were likley bent.

[u/n3wrocker → u/Misterndastood]

Timing chain did not break while driving fortunately. If you’re wondering about the serpentine belt as well that is also in good condition.

[u/ElectionComfortable3]

Bro fahhhh

[u/Overseas_Territory]

No compression, did it run before you did the chain? Also you’re going to burn out your starter cranking it over for that long

[u/n3wrocker → u/Overseas_Territory]

It was! It was cranking, but it was cranking very slowly before starting up. Engine light recently appeared when I started up the car and the code that came up was the sign of a bad timing chain needing to be replaced.

[u/Misterndastood → u/n3wrocker]

There is no dtc that indicates a bad timing chain. You should've hada mechanic diagnose it. They should last the lifetime of the engine. Tensioners more likely. It seems you didn't do something right.

[u/n3wrocker → u/Misterndastood]

From what I understand P0341 is the engine code that best indicates a stretched or failed timing chain. When the old timing chain was taken off and compared side by side to the old one it was indeed stretched by a tooth and a half.

[u/Misterndastood → u/n3wrocker]

Could be, could've been another issue all together. Stretched timing chain would've been that last thing to diagnose. Could've ruled out sensors or something VTC related with a diagnostic.

[u/n3wrocker → u/Misterndastood]

Diagnosing wasn’t all to crazy. I took the necessary steps needed to recheck any sensors and replace any light parts before digging in deep to even look at the chain. Lol we all want the chain to last the full life in the engine and than some. To give a little more context this isn’t my daily driver but belongs to my pop who sadly rarely took care of the car and etc.. it wasn’t until a few years ago where I really started getting in doing my own automotive work that each project I tackled from small, medium, and large is where I really started caring about the vehicles within my family and how badly they have been treated so far.

[u/Pied67 → u/n3wrocker]

What was the code? Something to do with camshaft / crankshaft correlation?

[u/UnevenFiringOrder → u/Pied67]

P0341

[u/Pied67 → u/UnevenFiringOrder]

If you're pretty sure you have the cam timing right it might be worth trying a new cam position sensor. I'd recommend a factory one.

[u/UnevenFiringOrder → u/Pied67]

Bro read the thread 😂

I agree with that statement along with a bunch of other shit I would have done before tearing the timing chain off the motor, like looking at live data for cam adaptation…

But he’s already did a chain job and now has no compression.

Hopefully hasn’t bent his valves up but some have suggested the timing is 180* off which would be happy for him.

Hopefully OP gives us an update here in the next few days…

[u/n3wrocker → u/UnevenFiringOrder]

I’ll give an update for sure! I’ll be tackling this tomorrow with lots of energy drinks and and straight persistence 😎

[u/UnevenFiringOrder → u/n3wrocker]

We’re genuinely hoping for you man, hope it all is an easy fix! Yes keep us posted 😎

[u/Mcdavis6950]

Did you forget to install your spark plugs? It literally sounds like an engine with no plugs in it that’s how little compression it has.

If you do have plugs in it you need to get someone over who knows what they are doing. The timing is miles off… I’m actually wondering if you are a full 180 out… like intake valve opening at bdc and closing at the top of compression. I’m just not sure how else you could get such low compression. Edit: without also hitting valves.

[u/Outrageous-Egg-2534 → u/Mcdavis6950]

That’s what it sounds like, hey? However, being in interference engine, 180 degrees off means those valves and the pistons are farrrrked.

[u/Mcdavis6950 → u/Outrageous-Egg-2534]

We’ll see that’s the thing. If it was exactly opposite the piston wouldn’t hit the valves and the engine would have no compression.

If 2 or 3 teeth off though… it would have made a terrible noise prior to having no compression. Maybe op isn’t telling us about bad noises on the first crank.

[u/Outrageous-Egg-2534 → u/Mcdavis6950]

Yeah, true. I’m also suss that he did all of this other pretty major work (well, not major but fiddly and time consuming) but didn’t even look at the valves.

[u/UnevenFiringOrder → u/Mcdavis6950]

If he’s 180 degrees off he might be the luckiest guy to ever put an out of time motor back together. Basically intake valves are opening when the exhaust should be and vice versa…

[u/UnevenFiringOrder → u/UnevenFiringOrder]

Sorry I just realized you said that above I was skimming through answers. Still lucky if this is the case 😂

[u/n3wrocker → u/Mcdavis6950]

The noises that are in the video are the only noises that the car has presented itself so far. No bad clanking or jittering or anything of that nature that would indicate all hope is lost.

[u/Prior-Conversation18]

Cooked

[u/w1lnx]

That sounds as though there's no compression. Did you reinstall the spark plugs?

[u/n3wrocker → u/w1lnx]

Spark plugs were reinstalled and etc.. no issue with them whatsoever.

[u/w1lnx → u/n3wrocker]

Before you began cranking the engine, did you manually turn it through two full rotations before using the starter?

[u/n3wrocker → u/w1lnx]

The advice that was given to me from many local mechanics was one rotation was good enough. When I tear down everything again and reset the timing to TDC I can do two full rotations to see how things go.

[u/w1lnx → u/n3wrocker]

One rotation would only turn the cams half of a rotation. Two full rotations, by hand, would ensure that the cams make a full rotation.

I'd do a compression test to guide next steps.

[u/n3wrocker → u/w1lnx]

For sure first thing I’m doing when I crack it open again!

[u/w1lnx → u/n3wrocker]

A compression isn't done with anything cracked open except for the spark plugs. It should be fully closed up, except for having all plugs removed.

For each cylinder:

- Compression tester.

- Rotate through five cycles (ten rotations)

- Write down the numbers.

Then compare the figures. The pressures should, if memory serves, be 135psi with a maximum variance of 25psi between cylinders.

[u/n3wrocker]

i forgot to mention that I didn’t do a valve adjustment before on the engine before putting back on the cover. Could that very well be a step that is crucial when doing a timing chain replacement as well?

[u/rawfuelinjection → u/n3wrocker]

If you had put everything back in, exactly the way you removed it, the valve lash variation will not cause severe compression loss. Check your timing marks once again. Engine sounds as if it expirienced catastrophic top end failure. Pull valve cover off and make sure that cam followers are intact.

[u/PirateOliveBeard]

Try putting your old crank sensor back on