Davethegreat

So heres the situation, my cars been running A-okay besides the fact that the mothafucka keeps failing smog. Now i got some more issues, it's a first for me. So my car has been stalling quite a few times and it will happen frequently. It's stalled while reversing, stalled while idling, even stalls when coming to a stop at intersections or stop signs. however it turns back on immediately after stalling. Also when coming to a complete stop, as im trying to accelerate after stopping my car sputters and feels very rocky, extreme loss of power.
Now I've done some research and thought it could be a few possible things so IMA go ahead and list all that I've done.
- I've cleaned out the Iac valve
-cleaned out the throttle body
-changed spark plugs, plug wires, and O2 sensor
-replaced cat converter ( also needed this to pass smog, double whammy)
With the work I've done, the car runs better, yet still sputters and stalls. Recently purchased a fuel filter and gonna change mine tomorrow morning. Any other ideas of what it could be ?! I've heard it could be the coil, so it's prob gonna be my next replacement. All answers welcome please help a brotha in need out my fellow car enthusiasts.

Jimi Hondrix

Test ICM an Igniter: http://easyautodiagnostics.com/honda...system-tests-4
Read through all pages 1-5.: http://easyautodiagnostics.com/honda...system-tests-1

Here's some other test can do or should have done instead just blindly (and costly) throwing parts at it:
O2 Sensor: http://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/hon...ygen-sensors-1
Fuel Pressure: http://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/hon...l-pump-tests-1

Former User

Post the CEL codes and the smog fail sheet.

Clean and adjust the FITV.

Replace the distributor cap and rotor.

Davethegreat

Had a backup fitv from the last junkyard visit, cleaned it out and ready to put it on tomorrow after work . Could rotor be a problem ? Cap is fine. A buddy thinks it may be an ignition coil, and smog sheet is at my girlfriends house however everything was okay besides a modified cat. Previous owner had obd2 cat on my car , also it had about 20 points higher than max hc which was 48. Was checking for vacuume leaks, nada. no cel codes .
The car seems to run very rough or sputter only when pressing the gas kinda hard. If I ease into it a couple times its more smooth. However stalling is still occurring!

Former User

Sure, why not?

Does the CEL work?

Davethegreat

Yes cel works tried pulling up some codes with a paper clip and got nothing, don't have a code scanner. Is this problem most likely fuel related ? Electronical?

Former User

How do you know the CEL works? A code reader wouldn't do much good on a 95 Civic.

Davethegreat

Well I've pulled codes before when I had an O2 sensor problem. And misfires. With the paper clip method. When i tried earlier multiple times nothing showed up

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

You're skirting around what RonJ is asking, without giving a definitive answer.

When you turn the key to ON(II), does the CEL come on for ~2 seconds, and then turn back off? Your answer doesn't need to be more than one word - no skirting.

Davethegreat

Yeah comes up then goes . I shoulda been more clear

TomCat39

You've failed smog, CEL works with the 2 seconds on then goes off but no codes thrown, sputters and stalls, did 1/2 of the tune up (still missing the new distributor rotor and cap).

Have you done a compression test yet? Also a leak down test could prove very informative.

I believe you are still in the diagnostic stage and need to do a few more tests before you can decide on a direction.

Doing the other half of the tune up is still a good thing to do anyways, regardless.

Best of luck.

Davethegreat

I'll get to the second half of the tune up asap, replacing the ignition coil tomorrow. No compression test yet or leak down test yet due to not knowing how . I noticed car starts up fine when it's cold, it's only when the engine is hot is when my car begins to bog and the problems appear

tamboo

could be bad engine coolant temp sensor or main relay, both notorious no start when warm issues.

Main Relay Fix, Troubleshooting (Honda, Acura) and how to solder

Starting Problems

How to Tell if You Have a Faulty Coolant Temperature Sensor - CarsDirect

Davethegreat

It could be a main relay,but I don't think its coolant sensor the car never overheats since I've changed the thermostat. No black smoke from tailpipe

tamboo

the deal with the ect sensor is it stops thinking the car is warmed up so ecu continues to dump too much fuel resulting in no start (or something like that).

Former User

I think engines normally run start and run fine when the fuel mix is too rich. A bad ECT sensor that causes a too lean issue is the more common cause of a no start problem.

SteveT2008

One of my cars (not a Honda) had the similar problem for months (rough idle, misfire and sometime stall when acceleration) after the car was warmed up. I thought at first it was bad cable or bad coil + humidity. But the problem is still there when the weather was dry and sunny. I didn't want to invest too much on this wreck so I just I poured different type of fuel system cleaner in the tank and bought a MAF cleaner and cleaned the Mass air flow sensor and now the problem is gone. I'm not sure which one (fuel cleaner or maf cleaner) solved the problem because I did the "cleaning" at the same time.


*If you want to clean the MAF sensor, make sure you use MAF cleaner nothing else. The sensor is very sensitive and fragile.


hope it helps.

Davethegreat

My civic has a map sensor, do you suggest replacing that would do the trick ? I've tried lucas fuel cleaner. and are those the only things you did to resolve problem ?

SteveT2008

Oups. My bad, I just learned most civic has MAP sensor instead of MAF sensor. I'm not familiar with MAP, but many folks here know how to diagnose this sensor.


This sensor is bloody cheap compare to a MAF sensor. ebay sells a MAP sensor for only 10$. So if I were you, I'd replace this sensor to see if it helps.


edit: As for the fuel system cleaner, I just poured fuel cleaners left in my tool locker ( seaform and Gumout) in my wreck's gas tank..

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

While we appreciate that you're trying to help, SteveT, please don't unless you know what you're talking about.

92-00 Civics don't use MAF sensors. "Cleaning the MAF" won't accomplish anything, because there isn't one to clean. On top of that, there is no logical reason to compare solutions between two completely unrelated cars. Replacing random parts is stupid. Follow proper diagnostic procedures, and solve the problem correctly. If all you're going to do is slap random parts at it, then please don't waste our time spent trying to help.

https://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-d...sting-3002401/

OP, you were asked, multiple times now, to post your smog sheet. Post it. Straight from the rules -

SteveT2008

@NotARaCist


I agree with you that we shouldn't replace random part to fix a problem. But It's very frequent that many "mysterious car problems" occur without CEL. If I can't find the cause of the problem, I don't see anything wrong to replace cheapest parts in my car that likely cause the problem.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

There's this process. It's called "diagnostics." When properly used, it can find the problem, even if the CEL isn't on. No CEL is no excuse for throwing **** at the wall to see where it sticks.

SteveT2008

In many situations, it's much cheaper and faster to fix a car problem by changing suspected parts than "diagnostic", especially when the problems occur randomly.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Cheaper to spend money on random parts than to spend nothing doing diagnostics? Let me guess...Harvard Business?

SteveT2008

Let's be practical. If my car was misfiring, has rough idle, sometime stall while accelerating and no CEL, I would replace the rotor, the distributor cap, the cables, all spark plug and the coil, especially when those parts are old. If these new parts fixe all these problems, I'm no going to waste my time to find out which of these parts was culprit. And Yeah, these parts are cheap.