1986 Civic Timing Belt

I am replacing - my timing belt on a 1986 Civic - after a breakage.
I can find the TDC on the crank pulley - but not on the camshaft wheel.
My Manual say look for a TOP and two lines - the lines are there to line up
wit the head (horizontal) but the TOP mark is missing . (There are a couple
of numbers - are these the indicator)

I tried to work out TDC - say from position of rotor in distributor, or
valve sequence - can any one describe this for me ?

SPike

 

on the 88-91 it says "up", so try looking for something like that.
either way, look for some lettering on one half - there should be
nothing on the other.

rotor arm should point at #1 cylinder's plug lead.

 

Spike,

This is afaik an interference engine. What if anything have you done so far
about valves colliding with piston heads? Curious.

If you line up the two lines properly, you will find one position where both
valves for cylinder number one are closed, and one where they are not. You
can also see that both cam lobes for #1 are pointing sort of downwards in
that position. You can use that information to oriente the cam sprocket
properly, if the "TOP" mark is missing or you do not recognize it.

Earle

 

Re valves - I've read a few accounts of belts breaking on the web and
none had had the valves bent - I guess I am hoping that they are OK.
I could give the cylinders a compression test - but I was going to give
it a try anyway - always hopeful

Thanks for the info on valve position - that should help.

SPike

 

as earle says, you need to check. the quickest way is valve lash. if
you have a large clearance, you've got a bent valve. not /all/ broken
belts result in bent valves, [my friend's 88 accord for instance] but
this is an interference engine, and the chances are very much that there
is damage.

 

www.aa1car.com/library/us697.htm para 13
1984-87 Honda Civics. These engines will often blow the head
gasket if the engine overheats

 

I wouldn't call this a design flaw. Many engines will blow something if you
overheat them or run them low on coolant. The engine is designed to run
with coolant in it. If you want to call that a design flaw for a liquid
cooled engine, go ahead.

Earle

 

The only design flaw involved here is between Chea's ears.

Don't tempt him like that.

 

| I wouldn't call this a design flaw.
I would ; design should be good enough ( with a good safety margin
) for slight & short-duration overheating.

| Many engines will blow something if you overheat them
Only badly designed 1s cannot be overheated for even 2 seconds.
In 3-05, my Mitsubishi 4G15P 's radiator fan did not spin : for 2
seconds before I switched off ignition, water boiled into overflow
bottle, some mineral oil had been heated to tar inside rocker cover.
Yet this engine got no damage, & still works.
In 11-80, my Datsun 120Y's radiator broke upon hitting a bush, I
could still drive car to nearest repair shop ( water reached boiling
when I reached there ), engine got no damage from short-duration
overheating.

| If you want to call that a design flaw for a liquid
| cooled engine, go ahead.
u must be a honda salesman