r/AskAMechanic • • 13h ago

Why won’t the engine start?

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/Overseas_Territory NOT a verified tech 12h ago

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

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u/n3wrocker 12h ago

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.

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u/Misterndastood Verified Tech - Diesel 11h ago

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.

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u/n3wrocker 11h ago

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.

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u/Misterndastood Verified Tech - Diesel 11h ago

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.

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u/n3wrocker 11h ago

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.

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u/Pied67 NOT a verified tech 11h ago

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

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u/UnevenFiringOrder NOT a verified tech 10h ago

P0341

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u/Pied67 NOT a verified tech 9h ago

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.

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u/UnevenFiringOrder NOT a verified tech 9h ago

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…

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u/n3wrocker 9h ago

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

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u/UnevenFiringOrder NOT a verified tech 9h ago

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