professorman

I have a 94 Accord 5spd with 265k miles. I left my house, and about 1 mile away my car bucked, and started stuttering. I pressed in the clutch and the RPMS dropped and the CEL came on and the engine started struggling . I pulled into a gas station parking lot. The engine did not die, but it keep struggling with the RPM idling lower and lower. I could press the gas, and it revs, but not smoothly. I had 1/4 tank of gas, but I decided to fill up with some 93 octane. I started, the car, it starts normal, with the CEL off, then it bucks again, and the CEL comes back on, and it idles rough again. I turned off the car, then I started it again, with the CEL off, then it bucks and CEL comes on, and runs rough on the way home.

I called my mechanic friend, and he immediately says oxygen sensor. I changed the oxygen sensor for the first time with the OEM Denso sensor at 190k miles. I have put on 75k miles since then. I would hope that the sensor would last at least 100k miles this time around. My CEL did not store the code, so when I pulled it, it came up blank.

The problem has not come back since that night. I have put on about 60 miles since then. I do not want to start switching out parts until I narrow it down. If it is the o2 sensor, I want to be sure it is the o2 sensor, rather than throwing a part at it, and not being sure if I fixed the original problem. I have done a complete ignition tune up (plugs, wires, distributor cap/rotor) within the last 24k miles. I cleaned my IAC & EGR about 40k miles ago. Fuel filter was done 80k miles ago, but I generally fill my gas before it gets too low.

I read that these OBD1 cars sometimes does not throw a o2 sensor CEL even when it is bad. What other possibilities are there for rough running? My mechanic does not think it is bad gas, because that would have shown itself before now. I do a 7 hours drive with this car every 2 weeks, so I do not want to break down on the road.

What is the general consensus? Should I go ahead and change the o2 sensor?

holmesnmanny

pull the stored check engine code..that should direct you where to look

professorman

As I said in the post, the code was not stored, so when I pull the code, it came up blank. Each time I turn the car off, and back on, the CEL goes off and does not come back on until the problem act up again. Checking the code requires turning the car off, and somehow, the code is not being stored when the car is turned off.

ej7attack

next time, before you turn the car off, pull the code. bucking and stuttering makes me think of misfire.
is your car an ex? maybe some kind of fluid made its way into the o2 plug and for a short time shorted the wires?

holmesnmanny

No it doesn't, but clearly you know more than me so I'll defer to you.