CooBlueDAB

(searched already) My car is a 2000 civic ex, D16y8, with very close to 89,000 miles. It has always ran on 87 octane like it is supposed to. Reciently, it has ran rougher than before and when my friends thought it sounded funny too, I knew something was up. I thought maybe it was a knock, so I went up to 89 octane on a fill up. It seems to be running better... not as good as it was like 15,000 miles ago... and louder still. But better. Smoother, actually more powerful or at least steady in power... quieter than 87, steadier... etc..

Plugs are pretty new,, new wires, dizy is new, oil change 2300 miles ago... fuel cleaner used at oil change... All should be well for another 10-15k... I got to thinking, could it be my fuel filter? But why would octane help any? What could this problem be? the belts I see look fine, haven't checked timing... maybe it slipped? No sensors... just my senses..

It just does not make sense to me... So I would like to find the real problem here. Thank you in advance.

Specail Ed

Try new plugs. You'd be amazed at what changes the spark plugs can do.

snatch

How long has it been since you've changed your fuel filter?

Check the timing just to make sure as well.

More information on the problem itself though would be helpful. Is it bogging, is it knocking, etc...?

civic_driver

check out the pcv valve, fuel pressure, injectors and distributor cap/rotor... check out the o2 sensor as well... adjust your valve lashes

gotta see and hear the car running.otherwise it's hard to diagnose this type of problems

CooBlueDAB

plugs new, wires new, distro new all like 3000 miles old.. Ive said this. Only things not changed have been pcv, fuel filter, belts (all of them), water/oil pump.

It might have been a slight knock.. almost a ticking, the knocking sound of it was like wooden clogs hitting with a lower sound. kind of had a chug kind of sound to it like a whimpy deisel when it was idling.

FuNkDrSpOt

iTrader: (5)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ****** &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How long has it been since you've changed your fuel filter?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why do people even mention this thing? Fuel filters are for the LIFE of the car. How on gods green earth does a fuel filter cause an engine to run rough?

Anyways, try checking your timing. Usually a tiny timing issue will cause the car to run differently under different octanes.

CooBlueDAB

how does any filter cause an engine to run bad.. it degrades, breaks apart, gets clogged... and if gas per say gets stopped up, or peices of that get into the inner workings.. im gonna guess it might run badly.

If this part is for the life of the car, why is it under a maintenance replacement part?

Though I do think that the timing may be an issue, I cannot do that myself, or should I say, do not have the time being in school to try it for the first time... I will probably have it checked out at a garage, hope it doesnt suck up much $$ for the inspection though.

erasable180

you said you used fuel cleaner at your last oil change. are you refering to fuel system cleaner, the pour in the tank type? i put too much of that in my tank once and my car ran like **** until i got it all out. some of them really lower your octane.

CooBlueDAB

yeah, but that was like 2500 miles ago now, and I run my tanks LOW then fill, so I doubt that is the problem

FuNkDrSpOt

iTrader: (5)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CooBlueDAB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how does any filter cause an engine to run bad.. it degrades, breaks apart, gets clogged... and if gas per say gets stopped up, or peices of that get into the inner workings.. im gonna guess it might run badly.

If this part is for the life of the car, why is it under a maintenance replacement part? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Not to say your lying but where does it say its a maintenance replacement part?! A fuel filter can cause an engine to run bad at low octanes but not at high ones?!
I understand that any filter can go bad but im tired of hearing people offer up the fuel filter as a random ******* guess with no education behind it. If your going to guess, at least make it an educated one.

CooBlueDAB

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FuNkDrSpOt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Not to say your lying but where does it say its a maintenance replacement part?! A fuel filter can cause an engine to run bad at low octanes but not at high ones?!
I understand that any filter can go bad but im tired of hearing people offer up the fuel filter as a random ******* guess with no education behind it. If your going to guess, at least make it an educated one. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I never said it didnt run great again with higher octane, I said it ran a little better... So tell me, so far we have timing as a issue maybe... what else can there be in the mix besides that filter? I already listed other stuff that is new within the last few thousand miles.. in other words.. 1-2 months.. Is there something else I am forgetting that it might be?

moosepoop21

to much carbon build up on the valves maybe?? somtin like that happened to my friends car