1st engine mods

[88'er]

ok, i need some help here. i just got back from vacation where my buddy and installed a new Excedy clutch with new throw out bearing etc, put new pacesetter headers :sad2: with pipes up to the cat, and a new timing belt. when we the engine back in and everything hooked up and running it runs fine except for a couple things. (1) it now feels like i've got something that feels like turbo lag (and obviously i don't have a turbo charger) usually anything after3500/4000 rpms then really suddenly i get this kick of hp, and its never at the same point. i don't know if this is cause by the new headers or not, but it certain is not solid. (2) after the car has been driven a little bit the check engine light comes on, all my fluids are good, and i have to funny sounds coming out of the engine bay. but usually when the check engine light comes on i get a better response from the engine. the only thing that i can think of is maybe some sensor some where is freakin out, or my fuel mixtures are changing? any help on this would be awesome guys! i'm new on the site but already love it! :dunno:

[HondaBoy]

only thing i can think of is maybe your timing wasnt set correctly when the timing belt was intalled. also, the header, which you only have one of so its header, not headers, could have had something installed incorrectly. like the oxygen sensor. if that was taken out improperly, dropped, mishandled in anyway, that could be it not working correctly. i'd seriously think it could just be the timing is off some. with a header, you will have less low end and more top end power, that can also depend on your exhaust systems back pressure. well hope that will help you find the problem. did you change out anything else or take anything off and put it back on?

[88'er]

well i know what you mean about the timing, but my buddy's dad was a race car driver and knows all this crap about cars that i don't lol. but he watched and help us setup the timing, we had everything at top dead center perfectly. the header did have this california emission port on there that i don't have on my car, so we cut that off and patched the hole all nice and neat. but what could be causing the check engine light to come on and the sudden power boosts. no we didn't really take anything else of or remove anything. that header is a piece though, pacesetter didn't do a very good job with the port holes.

[HondaBoy]

really? what exactly do you mean about the holes? are they not welded up neatly or something? did you get the black painted one? if so, you ought to strip it and paint it yourself with some high temp engine paint because they have never gotten it right. it always flakes off eventually. your car has fuel injection and there is wierd things that can happen if someting isnt just right. mine is carbed, all i really have to worry about is stupid ass vacuum lines. i plan on buying the pacesetter header, i probley wont strip it and paint it myself. i'd like to think i will, but i'll wanna put it on first thing of course. lol.

[88'er]

well there was one extra hole for a california emissions sensor, we cut if off and patched it all up nice and neat though. yea i already baked the paint off but i had to put the heat sheild back over the header so you can't even see them :(. i would HIGHLY discourage from going with the pace setter headers, they aren't even port matched worth a f'in crap. they are probably better than our stock but i'm not sure. spend the little bit extra and get the dc sports ones on hondapartstore.com.hey another question when i shift into 3rd and 4th real quick while i'm getting on the accelerator pretty good it seems to slightly grind the gears, you know why it does this and how i can fix it?

[HondaBoy]

whoa, i dont know about that now. since you did put a performance clutch that has more bit in it, that could be it. how about a good old transmission flush. you'd have to take it to a professional place for that now. i'd reccomend that anyway. im probley going to get a tranny flush soon, dont know how long its been since its been changed which is pretty irresponsible of me!

[88'er]

no we drained all the gear oil and replaced with synthetic, pricey! but that doesn't really explain my inconsistent power surges though. i guess i just need to wait and see what the results are from the diagnostics tomarrow.

[HondaBoy]

oh, your taking it somewhere? if so, thats a good move. hope its nothing expensive! good luck man.

[88'er]

well i'm just takin it to a shop that can hook up to the cpu and see what is triggering the check engine light, thanks for your help man!

[SteveDX89]

First, if you take it to a shop, they won't hook it up to a CPU. Your problem seems to be common with header installs on this car. Check for ECU codes first. If you are getting a Code 1 and a Code 2, switch your oxygen sensors. Actually, you don't really have to check for codes. If you installed the oxygen sensors in the same holes as the stock exhaust manifold, you have to switch them.

[shepherd79]

no we drained all the gear oil and replaced with synthetic, pricey! but that doesn't really explain my inconsistent power surges though. i guess i just need to wait and see what the results are from the diagnostics tomarrow.

i would have never put synthetic oil in tranny. honda motors are designed to run on regular Mobil 1 motor oil. (honda motor oil is made by Mobil 1. it says on the can.)
plus if it doesn't say in the manual to use synthetic oil, don't use it.
plus you may have to play with your clutch cable to find the spot where it won't grind, but most likely you fried your syncros.

[88'er]

thanks, sorry but i'm a newbie. what are syncros and what do they do?

[HondaBoy]

dont they keep your shifts from scratching gears? i think so. i believe you can change those out fairly easy. dont know about the 3gee, but it shouldnt be too hard. how many miles are on your car? i know a lot of people i know that changed out their clutches would put in new syncros. dont know if thats the right idea, but i suppose thats not a bad idea. did you find anything out? did you take your car to a mechanic?

[88'er]

no, i didn't take it to the shop today, i didn't wake up in time. i'll have to take it on monday. i don't know about the o2 sensor swap that stevedx89 was talking about, thats not gonna change the readings because its still the same outflow of exhaust. but i've nailed down where it actually gets a power boost, its right at 5000 to 5100 rpm. it has 148,000 miles on it though.

[SteveDX89]

no, i didn't take it to the shop today, i didn't wake up in time. i'll have to take it on monday. i don't know about the o2 sensor swap that stevedx89 was talking about, thats not gonna change the readings because its still the same outflow of exhaust. but i've nailed down where it actually gets a power boost, its right at 5000 to 5100 rpm. it has 148,000 miles on it though.

Just switch them. Another guy was having a problem with his car running like ass after he installed a header. I told him to switch the O2 sensors and now it runs fine. Even if it doesn't help, it's not like you'll waste a lot of time doing it. It should take 15 mins. to switch them.

Syncros are built into the transmission so you don't have to double clutch when shifting. They are in the tranny on the shift forks. In order to replace them, you'll need to drop the tranny and take it apart. Sounds like a lot of work. I've never done tranny work like that so I don't know. I've only ever done a clutch.

[Bloodlust]

First, if you take it to a shop, they won't hook it up to a CPU. Your problem seems to be common with header installs on this car. Check for ECU codes first. If you are getting a Code 1 and a Code 2, switch your oxygen sensors. Actually, you don't really have to check for codes. If you installed the oxygen sensors in the same holes as the stock exhaust manifold, you have to switch them.

Damn you Steve I was going to say that. And you know I know this from experience. :sad2:

Only thing different I have to say is if your Oxygen sensors are already hooked up white-green (I believe those are the colors) and its giving you an error code now, I would say hook them up normally and see if it fixes your problem, it fixed mine. Its also possible that the actual oxygen sensors may be bad. I bought some OEM replacements, you know the 90 dollar ones, and I was going to put them in and then i find out there is nothing wrong with my present ones so now I have these sitting around. Ill sell these to you cheap. PM me if you're interested.

[bullard123]

no we drained all the gear oil and replaced with synthetic, pricey! but that doesn't really explain my inconsistent power surges though. i guess i just need to wait and see what the results are from the diagnostics tomarrow.

I think your gears might be grinding because you used the wrong type of fluid to fill your transmission up. If your accord is a 5 speed it takes 10w motor oil to fill it back up. The guy I bought my accord from used gear oil to fill his back up and he burned the 5th gear out. I took mine to a honda dealership and had it done. They said the motor oil is thicker and has better lubrication.

[MoonScryer]

You checked your O2 sensor? and they way you are describing power coming it at 3500, your timing is off. Retard the cam back one tooth on the timing belt, see what happens.

[88'er]

well about that gear oil thing, before we even made any changes on the car it was totally stock, honda did the gear oil etc, and it still scratched gears getting into 4th? would that mean that its probably my syncros then?

[Slavic]

well about that gear oil thing, before we even made any changes on the car it was totally stock, honda did the gear oil etc, and it still scratched gears getting into 4th? would that mean that its probably my syncros then?

I was once told by a mechanic that my synchro is the culprit when I described getting a click when shifting in the third gear. It was in regards to a car I was considering buying.

I have since noticed the same thing happening on my car in the third gear and on mu father's in fifth. It only happens when I rush the shifting. Actually on my car if I rush, on my father's if I shift the way i normally do. I shift slowly it works fine. I was also told by the same mechanic that as long as I shift gently the condition will not deteriorate significantly.

I'm not sure what you meant when you said "grind". The noise I'm talking about is a distinct single click as opposed to the KRRRR, KRRRR type of grind I sometimes get when shifting in reverse.

Hope this was helpful.

[A20A1]

Did you plug both EGR ports?... on the intake and exhaust side?

I don't see why disconnecting the pipe would throw a code though...
As long as you still have the sensor/solenoid for the EGR valve hooked up then the valve will open when it thinks it should... but wont be effective cause the valve is sealed at one end.

[88'er]

well its not a single click, its more of a grind really

[88'er]

we only capped and welded shut one port, and i'm not sure exactly if it was an egr port on not, but i hooked up my egr to the port on the header, there were not any other holes other than the two oxygen sensors.