how do I check and set timing on a 96 honda accord?

I just put a new timing belt, cap, rotor, plugs and wires. car now
drives rough, sounds like it is asking for way to much air!. lost a lot
of power!. I beleive it is the timing. I do not know how to check or
set the timing, can someone please help?

 

You sure you didn't install the belt a tooth off?

For checking the timing, buy a Chilton's manual. Ebay sells
them at a bargain. Most public libraries have Chilton's for
1990s Hondas, too.

Alternatively, you can probably get a good guess at the
instructions using the following:

www.autozone.com 's free repair guides (unfortunately, the
manuals only go up to 1995 models)

http://www.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html

Look for the steps under "tune ups" or "engine electrical"
or similar. Don't take at face value that the 95 Accord is
identical to the 96 Accord, though. Chances are they are,
for the purposes of setting the timing, but it's never a
good idea to assume. The steps actually look identical to
those for my 91 Civic, except the service check connector is
located a bit differently.

Do you have a timing light?

I hope all those parts you installed are OEM.

 

Are the new parts OEM?

Also, as Elle suggested, perhaps the new timing belt is off a tooth?

 

thank you!

 

no they are not OEM. I supose thats makes a big difference? I think it
might be off a tooth aswell.

 

im thinking its off a tooth as well. non-OEM wouldnt necessarily cause
this... just make it necessary to do the job over again sooner. maybe.
Gates makes good belts, and there are some decent water pump suppliers.
id likely trust anything from NAPA over autozone-quality stuff.

 

I don't know if the belt has to be OEM, but OEM is recommended for the
spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor.

 

Bones, of course your first concern should be seeing if the
belt is off a tooth via checking the timing and see if it
can't be adjusted to spec via the distributor housing. But
for the archives and for you future reference, and from my
reading here of people's car problems as well as some of my
own experience with my 91 Civic, my sense is that using
non-OEM wires, cap, rotor and plugs is that they shorten the
life of the igniter and ignition coil as well as have
shortened lives themselves.

I am frugal but I feel I've learned the hard way to spend
the few extra bucks for OEM distributor/ignition parts.

 

This won't get the valve timing corrected if indeed the belt is
off by a tooth (or more...).