How To Test For A Broken Timing Belt (1992-1995 1.5L Honda Civic)

A broken timing belt will keep your 1.5L Honda Civic from starting. It'll crank but not start. If you suspect that you've got a broken timing belt on your hands, there are 2 simple tests you can do to find out and in this tutorial, I'll show you how.

You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Verificar La Correa De Distribución (1.5L Honda Civic) (at: autotecnico-online.com).

APPLIES TO: This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:

• 1.5L Honda Civic: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995

ENGINE NO-START DIAGNOSTICS:

• How To Troubleshoot A No Start (1992-1995 1.5L Honda Civic).

Symptoms Of A Broken Timing Belt

As mentioned at the beginning of this tutorial, when the timing belt breaks, your 1.5L Honda Civic isn't gonna' start. It'll crank, but no-start. Here are some more specific things you'll see:

• A spark test reveals that none of the 4 spark plug wires are delivering spark. This is because the ignition system won't create spark with a distributor rotor that does not turn.
• A Noid light test reveals that the fuel injection computer is not pulsing the 4 fuel injectors. Again, this is because the computer won't pulse the injectors with a distributor rotor that does not turn.
• If you were to do and engine compression test, none of the engine cylinders would produce a compression reading on the compression tester.

Let's jump into the first test in the next subheading:

TEST 1: Check Rotation Of Distributor Rotor

The very first test we'll do is to make sure that the distributor rotor turns when a helper cranks then engine in your 1.5L Honda Civic.

If the distributor rotor does NOT turn, as the engine is cranked, then you've confirmed that the timing belt is busted or that the camshaft is broken in 2 (a very common problem on Honda engines).

IMPORTANT: Before you begin this test you must disconnect all of the distributor's electrical connectors. This will prevent the ignition coil from sparking in case the timing belt is not broken and the cause of the no-start is something else. Also, think safety and be alert since you'll be working around a cranking engine.

OK, this is what you need to do:

1. 1

   Remove the distributor cap but do not remove the distributor's rotor.
   
   NOTE: Do not remove the distributor from its place on the cylinder head.

2. 2

   Disconnect the distributor's electrical connectors.
   
   NOTE: This will disable the ignition coil and keep it from sparking during the next step.

3. 3

   Now, when you're ready, have a helper crank the engine while you observe the distributor's rotor.

4. 4

   You'll see one of two things:
   
   1.) The distributor rotor will turn as the engine cranks in a steady circular motion.
   
   2.) The distributor rotor will NOT turn as your helper cranks the engine.

Let's take a look at what your test results mean:

CASE 1: The distributor rotor turned. This is a clear indication that the timing belt on your 1.5L Honda is not broken.

If you're troubleshooting an engine no-start issue on your Civic, the following guide will walk you through the next steps:

• How To Troubleshoot A No Start (1992-1995 1.5L Honda Civic).

CASE 2: The distributor rotor DID NOT turn. This usually tells you that the timing belt is broken and not turning the cam gear, which in turn is not turning the distributor rotor. Just to make sure that the camshaft is not broken in 2 pieces, I suggest performing TEST 2 in the next page.

TEST 2: Check That The Camshaft Turns

Over the years I've diagnosed Hondas whose camshaft had broken in 2 pieces, yet the timing belt was intact. This broken camshaft caused the distributor rotor to NOT turn (when cranking the engine) and caused a 'cranks but does not start' condition.

Although this is a very rare condition to happen, it does happen. So it's a good idea to check for it since it can easily be confirmed (or disproved) by removing the valve cover and the upper plastic timing cover.

Once these parts are off we can visually verify that the timing belt is turning and that the camshaft is not broken (in 2 pieces across its entire length) as the engine is cranked.

NOTE: Make sure the battery is fully charged so that you can easily crank the Honda's engine.

IMPORTANT Be careful, be alert, take all necessary safety precautions when doing any test that involves a cranking engine on your 1.5L Civic (Civic del Sol).

1. 1

   Using the appropriate tools, remove the valve cover.

2. 2

   Remove the top plastic timing belt cover.
   
   The timing belt cover is a two piece cover. No need to remove the bottom part, just the top one.

3. 3

   Have your helper crank the Honda once the top plastic timing belt cover is removed and the camshaft gear is exposed.

4. 4

   Observe the camshaft gear (from a safe distance) once the top plastic timing belt cover is removed and the camshaft gear is exposed.

5. 5

   You'll see one of two things:
   
   1.) The camshaft gear will turn as the engine cranks or
   
   2.) The camshaft gear will NOT turn as the engine turns over.

OK, now that the testing part is done, let's take a look at what your results mean:

CASE 1: The camshaft gear turned as the engine was cranking and the camshaft is not broken in 2 pieces. This let's you know that the timing belt is not broken. No further testing is required.

Quite a few things can cause the engine to not start, for more troubleshooting tips, see:

• How To Troubleshoot A No Start (1992-1995 1.5L Honda Civic).

CASE 2: The camshaft gear DID NOT turn as the engine was cranking. This result tells you that the timing belt is broken and needs to be replaced.

CASE 3: The camshaft gear DID turn as the engine was cranked and the camshaft is broken in 2 pieces. When this happens, the entire cylinder head will probably need to be replaced.

When a camshaft breaks in 2 pieces, it's usually because of a lack of lubrication (usually because the engine ran out of oil). This lack of lubrication caused part of the cam to seize in its bearings. The end-result of this is a cylinder head that can not be re-used. If this has happened to you, you'll need to get expert advice from an engine rebuilding machine shop to decide your next step.

More 1.5L Honda Tutorials

I've written quite a few Honda 'how to' tutorials that may be of interest to you. You can find here: 1.5L Honda Civic Index Of Articles.

Here's a sample of the tutorials you'll find in the index:

• How To Test The MAP Sensor (Honda 1.5L).
• How To Test Engine Compression (1992-1995 1.5L Honda Civic).
• How To Test The Throttle Position Sensor (1992-1995 1.5L Honda Civic).
• How To Test The Igniter, Ignition Coil Accord, Civic, CRV, And Odyssey (at: easyautodiagnostics.com).