keons5

my car started sputtering so badly I ended up pulling over. I got it to a friends house close by and it seems better, but it still seems to misfire intermittently. I took it to Auto Zone but they couldn't read a code. I'm just curious if you guys have any ideas. I'm not too worried, but what should I check? 1994 Civic LX that has a 1999 Integra LS Block/Trans and a GSR Head/Manifold.

I filled it up today with 87 octane about 3 miles before it started the so called sputter. At first I thought that it might need 92 octane, but I don't think so now.

Right now I am thinking it is some kind of sensor or my plugs/wires.

Any help is appreciated!

keons5

When I start it up it idles low and almost dies. Then it warms up and idles high at about 2k.

JdelMsolG

check the idle screw located on the fitv under your throttlebody. I believe clockwise will raise the idel so counterclockwise should lower the idle.

Someone correct me if im wrong.


Have you cleaned the iacv?


as for the sputtering, have you made sure your plugs and wires are decent? How about the dizzy....how about the fuel pump? haha it could be anything man.

keons5

Well, this morning the car was perfect. It seems like a sensor correcting the engine idle and is also causing the misfire. It will idle low, then high, then low, then high etc...

philkehn

I dont even think that autozone can check the code on your car with the computer because the shell of your car is obd1?????

My g/f's car was sputtering bad it was a burnt spark plug wire.

The backfiring sounds like you are running rich or your timing is off. or both lol

keons5

It is not backfiring. The chance of all of those things going wrong since this morning is null. I will try to get my friend to read the code on my car. I think it is some sort of sensor,

JdelMsolG

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by keons5 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It is not backfiring. The chance of all of those things going wrong since this morning is null. I will try to get my friend to read the code on my car. I think it is some sort of sensor,</TD></TR></TABLE>


haha i understand man, my car was fine one day. Then the next i have a horrible idle problem, i've pretty much narrowed it down to timing. Mine almost has to be timing i've tried everything else and i know nothing about timing so im screwed haha i was trying to save money

but good luck man, and more then likely its something simple, sounds like you havent tried muchyet.

93beccalx

Are you sure it doesn't require 92 octane? I can't run 87 in my B16 or it misfires.

SDHonda153

Had something very similar to that with my B16. Was driving along one day, everything was smooth, came to a stop light and when it turned green it started sputtering and missing like yours. Pulled over and pulled my spark plug wires off one at a time till I got to cylinder 3 and when I pulled it off nothing changed. So I knew it was in the firing. Ended up changing plugs and wires and all was smooth again after that

It was also intermittent like you said yours is. As I was driving home it would sputter then all of a sudden it would drive fine again then again out of the blue a minute later it started sputtering again. That's probably one of the cheapest and easiest things to check and change. Just my 2-cents on the topic


Modified by SDHonda153 at 5:33 PM 8/3/2008

Dc4iNtEgRa

Why would you put 87 octane in a LS-VTEC motor???

keons5

Wait, is 87 octane in a LS/VTEC bad? I don't drive it hard at all. I just put in a fresh clutch so I have to break it in.

I might replace the plugs/wires tomorrow. Thanks for the tip


Modified by keons5 at 4:51 PM 8/3/2008

philkehn

lol you guys are funny I drive my b16 with 85 octane and have no problems at all.

keons5

Any other ideas? Why can't Auto Zone read my codes?

philkehn

Because there is no plug on your car to plug your computer in, you have to find the jumper harness located near the ecu and you run a wire between the two holes, this will cause your check engine light to flash you the code, long lengths of light stand for 10 and fast blinks from the light is 1.

For example say that a dash as in (-) is the light. If you plug in those jumper harness and you were throwing a code 28 it would flash (-----------),(----------),(-),(-),(-),(-),(-),(-),(-),(-).

I dont have a code reading chart around or nor know where to find one for a 92-95 ex online. others have to know.

austinkli

check the rotor button and dizzy cap, idk about the b16, but i know on many many d series motors it's very common that the screw that holds the rotor button on tight comes loose. therefore as the rotor cap spins it sometimes makes good contact, and then can shift and not make good contact, this causes sputtering, and replicates a faulty plug or wire, as spark in not delivering to all plugs when the button does not make contact. take just a moment to check. I had that problem with mine once, causes iradic or rough idle, sputtering, loss of power, and misfires.

gsrhatch2356

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philkehn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">lol you guys are funny I drive my b16 with 85 octane and have no problems at all.</TD></TR></TABLE>

WHAT!!!!! this is crazy. the 87 octane burns to fast and can cause detontion whichs just kills a motor so keep doing it if you want but be aware a new motor will be in your future if you dont give it what it needs. thats like going 5-6k on a oil change (horrible). for the op try new plugs and 92-93 octane gas.

keons5

Anymore thoughts on the 87 octane in an LS/VTEC?

philkehn

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gsrhatch2356 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

WHAT!!!!! this is crazy. the 87 octane burns to fast and can cause detontion whichs just kills a motor so keep doing it if you want but be aware a new motor will be in your future if you dont give it what it needs. thats like going 5-6k on a oil change (horrible). for the op try new plugs and 92-93 octane gas.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I believe the owners manual recommends an oil change every 6k? lol and im not using 87 im in colorado im using 85 lol... So you are saying if you own a stock gsr integra that the owners manual recommends higher that 89?



Modified by philkehn at 8:46 AM 8/4/2008

camel tail

check your spark plugs. I just had mine do the same thing and i got a check engine light after around 300 miles of it doing it off and on. My spark plugs were gapped as hell owner before said he replaced but didnt runs like a champ now.

King V

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philkehn &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

So you are saying if you own a stock gsr integra that the owners manual recommends higher that 89?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Acura says Minimum 91 octane. My EM1 says premium unleaded only right on the gas door.


Modified by King V at 12:06 PM 8/4/2008

gsrhatch2356

yes if you look in a gsr integra or si civic it will say on the cluster and fuel door PREMIUM ONLY!! the reason is cause of the high compression and compression can ignite the air fuel so you have to have something that burns slower like 93 octane. if it ignites to soon then it could detonate and basicly the combustion will fight against the piston and cause severly high chamber temps (melt pistons). so its in your best intrest to run the right octane.