PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

For the last few months now I've noticed my car will jerk a few times when opening the throttle at low speeds in any particular gear. It doesn't really happen when cold, more so when the engine is hot. It happens especially at times like when I'm in 2nd gear already, slow down around a corner, then open the throttle to accelerate while still in 2nd, or the same thing while in 3rd.

Is there any chance it could be ignition related? It seems odd that it would be the clutch because the current Exedy OEM replacement clutch only has 85K miles on it, mostly city and suburban driving. My last 2 clutches before this one both lasted around 120K-130K miles or so. I replace the last clutch at 270K miles, and also did the timing belt at the same time, along with a number of other things, with the engine pulled out. Just seems weird that the clutch would be going out yet again right when the timing belt is coming up for replacement.

*edit* note that the clutch does NOT do that constant slip that I've seen where you're driving a constant speed, like on the highway in 5th, and engine RPM just steadily increases. Only thing this is doing is making the (sometimes rather violent) jerking while in gear.

fcm

It does not sound like a clutch issue.
What is happening with the RPM, [tach] when this happens? 94

K20A3F00L

My 97 DX does this too! No tach on my car, so I can't say if the revs are dropping or not.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

Well that was weird. Coming home from work I could see the tach needle fluctuating/bouncing a bit while the car was jerking. Then as I got to my street, it was jerking REALLY bad in 2nd gear especially. Then I tried throwing it in neutral and revving a bit, but the engine was barely responding at all (which seems like it's something other than clutch slipping). Then the engine died, and the oil light started flashing. I got it started again, oil light still flickering, and made it 200 more feet to my house and into the garage. Smelled sort of a burning smell, but not sure if it was clutch or not. Checked the oil dipstick, oil seemed good, but saw a little smoke.

Came in the house, changed clothes, went back out, and it started up fine! No oil light flashing or anything. Revs okay, I think. Not sure what's going on.

K20A3F00L

I usually put the clutch in and rev it a little and it picks right back up. I have not had mine die, so it might be something similar to yours or totally unrelated. Hope you figure out what going on with your car

pogeeboy27

iTrader: (3)

My guess would be to check TPS sensor and MAP sensor. When both sensors fail or start to fail they cause drivability issues like you described.

holmesnmanny

Without knowing what kind of car we're talking about or specifically the engine or if it's a swap, there's no way to even guess.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

94 GSR per username.

So now I'm thinking it's not the clutch. The problem is most apparent when going relatively low speed in 2nd or 3rd gear, and the throttle is opened. When that happens it almost feels like something is holding/pushing me back, like the car should be accelerating with the throttle nearly wide open, but instead it sounds like it's bogging real bad and not going anywhere. The tach needle does not rise faster than road speed, which means the clutch is NOT slipping I think. But it's almost like fuel is cutting out, perhaps. It will do this for a couple of seconds and suddenly SNAP jerk and the car will get going, or it will do it in several short, quick bursts which is why I was thinking the clutch was slipping and grabbing previously.

It's really weird. I think I need to check and possibly change my spark plugs, so I'll see how those look. But it really looks like a fuel or ignition issue. If I open the throttle really slowly and gently it doesn't do it nearly as bad, or at all. But at nearly WOT (floored) it's really bad, and occasionally when starting from a stop in 1st it's really bad, to the point where it almost makes the engine stall.

danteisme

iTrader: (2)

any check engine lights at all when it does this? it really sounds like a electrical gremlin just from the fact that you said it was acting up and then by the time you came out to inspect it, the car started fine.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

Nope, no CEL's whatsoever which is why I'm not real sure if it's the TPS or MAP sensor, as those should throw codes if there's a problem. I'll probably run the troubleshooting processes in the repair manual for those components anyway, just to be sure.

fcm

When a tach starts acting up along with engine problems it is almost always a problem with the ICM or connections to it.

I would start by making sure the connections, [quick release] to it are clean and tight, unplugging the quick release terminals and giving them a little pinch with a set of pliers will tighten them up, be careful not to over- pinch them. 94

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

I'm about to swap back to my original ICM.

So the damn car just died on a 2-lane high-traffic road, trying to get up a hill. It's like I opened the throttle more and more, downshifted, etc. but the car wouldn't go any faster. It's like it was just coasting up the hill, and the RPM kept dropping more and more until it died. But since the plastic piece on the clutch pedal broke earlier today, I couldn't even try to crank the car again without reaching way up under the dashboard, with the door open into traffic, and traffic trying to pass me on the wrong side of the road going over the top of a hill.

After several minutes of cursing, I finally was able to reach the switch and turn the key at the same time, and I drove the car home just fine. As soon as I fix the clutch pedal interlock I'll start running through some diagnosis procedures for this problem.

Also I just figured out what it feels like when the problem happens from a dead stop. It feels like trying to get going with engaging the clutch but not giving it enough gas, which makes the RPM drop, then it gets enough gas and jerks and the RPM comes back and you get moving. It has to be a fuel or ignition problem.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

Something I forgot to mention is that my original OEM distributor took a dump right around the end of 2012 (6 months before head gasket blew). At that time I was at a red light, started to go on green and the car just died. Had to get it towed home. Car would crank but wouldn't start. I replaced it with a Cardone Select distributor from Rockauto, which fixed it right up. It has a limited lifetime warranty on it, so I wonder if there's a problem there. Unfortunately I'm not really sure how to test it, and I can't really afford to just throw a bunch of parts at it.

Thread I made 3.5 years ago when the car died in traffic and I finally replaced the distributor a few days later. Wonder if it's starting to go out: https://honda-tech.com/forums/acura-...light-3113768/

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

Just found the distributor shaft oil seal leaking, the one I just replaced about 25K miles ago WTF?? Wonder if that could have fouled my distributor? There was oil on the bottom edge of the distributor cap when I pulled it off.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

Now the car won't start at all, had a little bit of dieseling while trying to crank it. Just like 3.5 years ago when the distributor took a dump. Wonder how hard it will be for them to honor the lifetime warranty on it.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

New distributor, car runs 100% perfect now! Crazy, what I thought was jerking and bucking from a slipping clutch turned out to be a crap distributor.