Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Some of you may know, I am no where near my R. I left the R with my GF and her family to store and run it once in a while when I am in school. The following is what they described to me:

They took the car out for a drive and they said it started up fine. At one point during the drive at a stoplight, they noticed the tach needle bouncing up and down to redline (engine did not follow), but the engine started sputtering and then died. I guess they tried starting the car again, it ran for a little bit but sputtered and died again.

This is all the info I have from them. Any ideas?

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

its your fuel filter is what is seems to me. im on my 6th and 7th honda and the very few occasions this has happened to me it was always the fuel filter. once the car dies and the fuel is not being pushed through, the gunk has time to settle allowing more fuel to pass. once the car starts running again... the fuel brings the gunk right back to filter, starving your motor causing it to die...

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Yeah, it might be it since the car has just been sitting for over a month without a start.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Fuel filter issue sounds about right. I have to say, though, that we stored our R early December and did not start it until sometime in late January (over a month later) and it started right up.

Nick, keeps up posted on what you or your GF may be able to find out.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I'm going to order one from Del Ray. It just sucks that I'm 6000+ miles away and I can't do anything about it.

I'm also a little worried about the tach bouncing problem. Electrical problems suck.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Take your distributor cap off and dust cover, clean off the contacts and you also might have to compress the connectors so they're tight if they are loose.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I'm agreeing with everyone on the filter. That would definately make it sputter and die. And the idle problem could possibly be your IAC. But I wouldn't imagine your tach going up to redline. Or wait, did you say that the engine didn't rev up when the tach went up? Sorry, I was kind of confused. But if the motor revs up as well...I would check your IAC voltage. It should have a 5 volt reference, with the key in the on position. And it is possible you have a vacuum leak. A vacuum leak will make your idle rough and fluctuate. Again, this is if your motor rpms increase. Let me know. Good luck man.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

This is correct

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Possible short to power somewhere in the electrical circuit? Cause the tach to fluctuate. I'm not sure man. I'll ask a few friends and see what they think. Find out how often it does it, and if they can pin point exactly when it is doing it. ex. idle, high idle, cruising etc.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I will fix the clogged filter and work from there. Like I said, I'm far away from the R.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Hey Nick: Did you or your GF figure out what was wrong?

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I bet its something to do with the distributor.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I think it's the conversion harness that I am using. When I first picked up the R, it came with an OBD2A-OBD1 harness that looked like crap. My GF's dad's friend looked at the car and said whenever he jiggled the harness, the engine started to sputter. Maybe the pins weren't connected well. I ordered a new conversion harness from Phearable, but it hasn't been installed yet.

As for the dizzy comment.. the dizzy is new.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

^ you say the dizzy is new as in an ebay/advanced/autzone new? swap a friends oem dizzy it does not hurt to try it out.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

DizzyKing

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

bump!

same thing is happening with my beater right now :( but I don't see how a bad fuel filter is going to cause a tach to bounce around? that is an electrical/spark kinda thing...

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I had this same symptom about a year ago and it turned out to be bad spark plugs. I dont see it as a fuel filter issue at all.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I had a very similar issue with an old CRX SI I had. I installed a new distributor (Distributor King), and that fixed my problem. I was told the bearings went out in it. All I know is it fixed it. They make good distributors though, so i wouldn't think it would go bad that fast. Hopefully it's just your harness that you bought.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

That's a good suggestion and I agree that it prob wouldn't go bad so fast but there is a chance you just got a bad distributor. It happens sometimes... used 2004 2008 volkswagen gti r32 review in portland or

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I hate distributor king dizzy's. Their CS and support sucks.

But first, try with another known good dizzy to see if that solves the problem.

The tach bouncing like that tells me it's electrical and not fuel starvation from a fuel filter. Most likely an EFI main, or dizzy.

<--- just bought a car, and EFI main harness was the culprit. Previous owner(s) installed a make shift kill switch and the connection was poor.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Thanks for the suggestion guys. It's going to be a slow process since I am not physically at home to check out the R. But any updates and I will post here.

If it is the dizzy, I might just have to hold off on buying another one, but I think DizzyKing has a warranty.

Also, when my GF and her dad was checking out the car last week, they said it started and ran fine. Problem might be intermittent or a one time thing.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I also am having an Acura engine problem but firstly my biggest issue is to know how to post or start a new post so I can get some inputs. Can you or anyone help me with instructions on how I can post a new topic for discussion about my Acura engine problem? Thank you. [Smile]

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

Ignition issue is my guess

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

I've had this problem once before. Turns out, the adjustable fuel pressure regulator I installed was internally defective (and I didn't know it). I swapped it back to the stock unit and car ran like a champ :thumbup:

Start with the fuel regulator and filter. Then move to ignition-related problems.

Re: Car dies while driving (sputters then dies)
 

a bouncing tachometer is the ignitor failing. good luck