Kengthao91

Hey all if I can get any suggestions on what might be the problem

I took off the Vtec solenoid becausw it was leaking oil. Also took off the valve cover to paint it and when I put it back on. Start the car and all I hear is metal grindings while the engine is running. Is it the metal belt? Or something fell in? I don't know what to do. Need help

S_DosMil

Try going through and redoing everything and retrace your steps.

zeroptzero

maybe you dropped something into the head by accident , like a washer or bolt ?

Kengthao91

Is the vtec solenoid one peice when you take it out? Cuz when I take it out it's just one peice. Is there anything that's hook on to it that could have fell in when I took the solenoid out?

dan_uk

did you take the timing chain tensioner out it sits just bellow the vtec solenoid, it could have fallen out in there

bgoetz

Ugh! Sounds like you have real problems. Just to clarify you only took off the valve cover and VTEC solenoid right? You didn't mess with the cam gear bolt on the front or the TCT? You have accounted for all of the metal washers from the VC and bolts from the plug cover? You have all of your tools?

Kengthao91

Yeah nothing should have fallen in. Im not missing anything. Unless when I took off the vtec solenoid there suppose to be a spring and metal peice that slide out with it right? I just got the cover and the spring off. Or I may be wrong. I might take it to Honda to take a look

bgoetz

The only thing that comes to mind is for some reason the cam gear is rubbing on the valve cover, which typically happens when that allen bolt on the front comes loose. Maybe it was loose prior and you removing the cover allowed the gear its last bit of movement?

zeroptzero

take the valvecover off and turn the engine over by hand at the crank pulley (19mm socket and ratchet), as you would do during a valve adjustment. There is a good chance you will find the issue and you won't do anymore damage as the motor won't be running. Check your plugs while you are at it.

I think that would be better than taking it to the dealer. First thing the dealer will do is fire up the motor, and I wouldn't want to run it again until you inspect the top end and turn the motor over by hand.

CoolGuy094

Sounds to me like you took the timing chain tensioner (TCT) off, not the VTEC solenoid. There is no cover or spring on the VTEC solenoid. The VTEC solenoid is just three bolts and the whole thing comes off with a gasket behind it. The TCT has a cover held on with two bolts and then the whole thing is held on with two more bolts. Then it slides out and has several components on the inside of it like some springs, a worm gear, etc.

If you removed the TCT its likely that you didn't get it back together and installed correctly and the noise you are hearing is the timing chain rotating with no tension on it. Don't start the engine until you figure out what you actually removed.