kegan88

Hey guys, I've got an 86 CRX SI thats all stock except for an air intake that was on it when i bought it. When I bought it it wouldn't start, thought it was just ignition so I did cap/plugs/wires, all that good stuff, left the distributor, didn't help it start. Finally realized the guy had run out of gas and when he filled it the pump wasn't picking up fuel, took the hose off the fuel pump, blew in it until gas started comming out, and go figure it ran just fine. HOWEVER, lately it's been taking its sweet time to start up, i'll turn the key and let the pump run, then i'll try and start it and it will just crank for a good 3 seconds, sometimes longer, before it starts. It will always start, but it just cranks for a while before it does. Also, it will idle at around 2600 when cold, and eventually it falls down after it warms up....but i mean like a half an hour or more after, and sometimes it never falls below a low 2000 idle. Also when i'm driving, 70 mph in 5th gear will almost get to 4000 rpm, 65 is still over 3500, and now my mpg's are down to around 25 (I know because my gas gauge is broken and i'm not making it to 300 miles on a tank anymore.)

So, a buddy of mine suggested it might have somthing to do with the fact that there is no oxygen sensor in the car, i had bought one a while back but the connector on the one they sold me wasn't right at all so i never put one in. I also think it could be that the guy who owned the car before me put a set of pace setter headers on it, and then slammed the car and apperantly drove over every speed bump he could find, because 3 out of the 4 runners are crushed almost completely closed.

I know the crushed headers could really effect the mpg but would they cause the car to have trouble starting? or would they cause such a high idle all the time? and would the o2 sensor really make a difference? Could there be anything else I should look for?

90civic-ZC

The lack of a O2 sensor can be causing low gas mileage, driving 3500 to 4k rpm's constantly will cause low gas mileage. If the exhaust is really almost completely closed the I would find some stock ones and install them, you want some back pressure but not enough as if you have a door just cracked open. Check for codes and vacuum leaks too. Since you have a 86, is your distributor a vacuum advanced one?

acmoc

check fuel pressure regulator