Civic EG

Ok, I'm going to be as detailed as possible. My car starts overheating due to a leaking water pump, and we all know a water pump job equals a timing belt job. I follow the DIY to the "T", installing the water pump with no problem, lining up the timing mark on the crank shaft sproket with the arrow on the block, and making sure the cam shaft is set to TDC. Afterwards I put on the new timing belt, tightned the 14mm tensioner bolt, and put everything back together. NOW, here's where it gets wierd. I start it up BUT, it idles high @2500rpms...I turn it off and try to start it again, and it refuses to start. I wait a while and start it again, and it starts back up but revs @2500rpms... ....Let me know what I could be doing wrong. All the spark plugs were put back in correctly too. Thanks!

in the top picture, cam is not @ tdc
your timing belt is off by 1 tooth.
it idles (barely) cold. when the ecu kicks the idle down, it can no longer run.

d-mon wrote:in the top picture, cam is not @ tdc
your timing belt is off by 1 tooth.
it idles (barely) cold. when the ecu kicks the idle down, it can no longer run.

But the marks at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock on the camshaft gear line up with the side of the head. Should they be positioned differently?

The D series slightly leans forward, so align the marks to the surface of the head instead of the surface of the ground. so try going back one tooth counter clockwise and see how it looks

^^^ccw 1 tooth (at least)
first, get a lower tb cover.
use the 'sights' to line up on the crank pully. don't 'guesstimate'
for the cam gear, make sure the arrow at 7 o'clock points to the pointer on the plastic piece on the head behind the cam gear.
then, rotate the crank counterclockwise at least two full revolutions and see if you still hit your marks. (i do it 2 or 3 times 'cuz i like to watch it go 'round and round)
now tighten your tensioner.
now you are ready to set your ignition timing. (good thing you followed my advice and got your lower tb cover)!!!111!!!!111!!!!one!!!!

Dammit Civic-eg, you guys saved my ass again! It was off a tooth ccw like you guys said, just took it for a spin and it drives great (thank God I didnt bend any valves or f**k up the head). I appreciate the help, I always learn something new on here. THANKS!