Starter spins but cams dont!!

[OMGFML]

So first off I got this car about a year ago and it is a 99 Honda Civic Hatch with almost everything SI on it including engine. I had a wreck and had my AC removed and a alarm system installed. More recently, and the reason of this post, my car wouldnt start one day and it just made a spinning noise. I thought right away that it was the starter because I have a brand new optima yellow top. So i replaced the starter myself and all spark plugs and wires. No change to the start but during the spinning noise it would putter and go back to the spinning noise. I took out a spark plug and did the test and had no spark but it would kinda put and during that it would spin cam for a sec and a spark would come out but go back to spinning. After banging on injectors and and what not we hooked up my truck to the battery to elimate that possiblity. Still no start but after fluttering the clutch and the key the car started. Couple days of good starts went by and now its back to no start with a new starter, battery, plugs and wires. I have bypassed ignition and hooked my battery str8 to my starter and still hear it spin but again the cam gears are not spinning. We tried to push start recently and it wouldnt work but it was working when this first started. Anyway today Im checking my grounds but if anyone knows what the problem is or what to check now that i have checked most things i would be greatful

 

[SleepingSol]

Sounds like the timing belt may have snapped

 

[OMGFML]

Sounds like the timing belt may have snapped

No but i wish it was that. I dont have a cover for my belt so i can pull on it and it has great tension.

 

[AlaskaB16]

I'm willing to bet your timing is off which is why you're not starting. But if your timing belt isn't moving (you say cam gears not spinning = belt not moving) and you claim the belt has tension, then the problem is some place at your crank gear. Pull the crank pulley off and inspect the timing belt at the crank gear. Make sure all your timing marks are correct at TDC. As long as your starter is spinning, your timing is set and the belt is correct, and you have fuel, you should at least get it started.

 

[OMGFML]

I'm willing to bet your timing is off which is why you're not starting. But if your timing belt isn't moving (you say cam gears not spinning = belt not moving) and you claim the belt has tension, then the problem is some place at your crank gear. Pull the crank pulley off and inspect the timing belt at the crank gear. Make sure all your timing marks are correct at TDC. As long as your starter is spinning, your timing is set and the belt is correct, and you have fuel, you should at least get it started.

If i can turn the gears with a tool and they all turn just fine then you think its fuel. Pulleys will move with a tool so is it still the crank gear or is it ecu or just a ground?

 

[Trekk]

Is the crank turning with the starter?

 

[AlaskaB16]

If i can turn the gears with a tool and they all turn just fine then you think its fuel. Pulleys will move with a tool so is it still the crank gear or is it ecu or just a ground?

Here is what i'd do. Verify that your crank gear is turning first of all (With the starter). The fact that your cam gears aren't moving with the timing belt pulled tight tells me something is wrong. If you say your starter works as it should, then it should be turning your crank gear -> pulley -> belt -> cam. The fact you can move it with a tool means nothing at this point. Though you'll need to be able to do that to verify timing. Do you know how to verify timing or have you done that already? It will really cause a lot of problems if it's off and it's pretty easy to fix.

 

[OMGFML]

Here is what i'd do. Verify that your crank gear is turning first of all (With the starter). The fact that your cam gears aren't moving with the timing belt pulled tight tells me something is wrong. If you say your starter works as it should, then it should be turning your crank gear -> pulley -> belt -> cam. The fact you can move it with a tool means nothing at this point. Though you'll need to be able to do that to verify timing. Do you know how to verify timing or have you done that already? It will really cause a lot of problems if it's off and it's pretty easy to fix.

Starter is not spinning with cams so its just the starter spining. I did line up my 2 gears and they look like they are in time but I dont know how to verify that.

 

[Trekk]

Sigh.... for like the 3rd or 4th time is the crank spinning. If the crank isn't spinning The cams aren't going to spin. If the crank isn't spinning the starter could be bad, or the gear isn't engaging the flywheel as it should, or the flywheels teeth might be worn off. Hell you could even put the car in gear and rock it back and forth or push it to see if the cams are spinning with the crank. If its out of time you'd have to look for the timing mark on the crank and set that along with both cams.

 

[OMGFML]

The crank is not spining and the belt is connected...I thought i cleared that up by saying i turned it with a tool but anyways I talked to a couple career techs and they all think it is my flywheel either the teeth or the line-up/ spacing. Sorry about vague details but my degree is computer networking but I am willing to learn and work on cars myself which is becoming expensive but fun. Thanks again and if anyone knows a way to test or check if its my flywheel, without dropping tranny, I would be open to suggestions.

Oh and I did move the car back and forth and was trying to pop the clutch with no luck but that does move the crank/gears. No change to starting though.

 

[AlaskaB16]

There are two ways to see the flywheel with out pulling the trans. You can either pull the starter out which has the added bonus of seeing if the starter gear is still good and/or you can pull off the flywheel cover which looks like this:

I've never pulled this off with a trans and motor still attached and in the carr so I couldn't tell you how hard that would be. Seems to me like it shouldn't be too bad though. Just get under your car and give yourself some room to turn a few bolts loose. You can also pull that flywheel cover, have someone watch it, then turn the starter and make sure the fly is spinning. I'd be careful as hell though. Don't want to get anyone dead... but then you'd know for sure. Maybe pull the injectors or something just in case the car actually starts. All you want to do is give it a quick spin, not crank the s*** out of it obviously.

 

[Trekk]

As said above, I normally on most cars pull the starter, I turn the motor over by hand and look at the teeth, if they all look fine and the flywheel feels snug. I use jumper cables on the starter and make sure the pinion gear works as it should (while its off the car).
I'm no B series know it all, but I dont think they use shims, so depth shouldnt be the problem.

 

[OMGFML]

Alright well whenever its not 100 degrees here I am going to try to take my starter out and take a look then but I thank everyone and I will post again when I get anything figured out.