captn38

I am new here so this may have already been covered. I have a 93 DelSol with the 1.6L D-series engine, 5 speed manual. Second owner and got it at 60K miles, have taken meticulous care of it and it is completely stock, however at about 180K miles it developed a miss/stutter, first noticed in 5th gear highway speeds when pulling a long grade and noticed when I dropped down to about 2500 rpm it would miss and lose power, if I let off the accelerator I obviously slowed down even more but miss would vanish, this is has gotten a little worse over time, and it will also sit and idle smoothly then all of sudden miss and drop out like its going to die, but usually recovers. The most obvious cause to bring this on is low speed under a load, where should I be checking, TPS checks out, ATC checks out, new O2 sensor, new fuel filter, spark plugs, just double checked recent replaced ignition control ignitor and coil and all check out. its not throwing any codes, check engine light never comes on. need some direction here, I figure enough time has passed on these cars any inherent problems will be known, but I am rather isolated and what few local shops I don't trust let alone even do much with imports. JUst want to get my baby straight as this is really annoying coming off stop lights, as if I don't get rpm high enough, I get caught in that miss mode no power until I reach a certain rpm and everything smooth right out, whatever it is it certainly has not affected my mileage I am still consistently getting 35/36mpg

NACvicSi

Did you replace you distributor cap and rotor?

Former User

Does the CEL work?

captn38

Dist cap and rotor one of the first things I replaced, on the second suggestion oh nuts you got me! not sure I am know CEL? have to look that one up but I probably have not checked it.

This is what I have done checked voltage from closed to full open throttle on TPS both under Hot and cold conditions, voltage is correct and steady linear increase, checked ATC and it checks good, replaced minor and obvious things, Dist cap, rotor, fuel filter, spark plugs. I was suspecting possible poor quality ignition control module as it went out and was replaced at about 175K miles along with new ignition coil, issue started not long afterwards, currently car has 236K miles, just double checked ignition control module and coil all test good. Had a cracked exhaust manifold at about 190K went to replace ended up breaking O2 sensor trying to remove it, so new exhaust manifold and O2 sensor at 190K. If I was on an old school vehicle I would assume vacuum advance was goofy but since I don't have that what takes place of that on this rig, is it all electronic or is there a sensor on vacuum somewhere that relays that to CPU in conjunction to other related systems, throttle position, rpm etc.
I have read on several places the distributor on these are sometimes problematic, since they house part or all of the crank/TDC sensors as well what is the scoop on that.
About the only thing ignition wise that is original is the spark plug wires, and I will spit if it turns out being those.

captn38

Duh ok CEL ( Check Engine Light ) yeah it works in regards to coming on briefly when ignition is turned on and then goes out like its supposed to. Getting old I guess CEL didn't register at first.

rky7130

somebody please suggest something useful. i've had my 93 del sol for about 5 yrs now and this is something that still puzzles me. and just like mentioned all the basics checkout fine. it's something that comes and goes on mine. specialy if i run hard or in a hurry to get somewhere and then shut it off, on restart this almost always shows up.

Has anyone diagnosed this issue in the past? please give troubleshooting help

last time it happened to me i ended up with a broken rod on # 4, from forcing the engine to speed up.

captn38

I hear ya that is what I am waiting to hear myself, I have gotten advice from many but its always in different directions. On the older Fords using the EEC IV ignition system, after a few years and some miles if they start cutting out and acting like it starving for fuel, periodically, 9 times out of 10 replacing the control module on the distributor usually resolves the problem. All vehicles have their problem characteristics over time, Honda must have theirs.
If you having the same issue, then in a small way I am glad to hear it, at least I can know I do not have a highly unusual issue, can I assume you are not getting any error codes or CEL either, I wish I did it might actually help direct the way to the problem. I know dang well if I took it to a shop and got it hooked up the the high dollar equipment it would probably check ok but your still out the money, yet put real road time use to the car the issue is very obvious.

captn38

In regards to common or reasonably common maladies of the DelSol, in my readings and research two items consistently come up. PGM-FI relay and distributor. Since mine is throwing no error codes and having no solid direction, I am having to direct myself to known areas that have offered issue in the past with others. Can anyone validate that these two areas have a consistent history of probable issues that may not give any error codes specifying such component as a problem?

delsolintegra

Definitely change the spark plug wires and get the correct ones. I've owned 4 del sols and one 98 integra and the original spark plug wires on the integra caused a miss at 100K miles at 11 years old. Honda ignitions are high voltage and wires don't last forever.

captn38

Changing spark plug wires is next on my list, they test ok when I last did so for resistance, but they are original and 18 years old with 236k on them. I did just pull my inspection cover for timing belt although that belt has only been on for 60K, but curiosity was up and found my timing belt had a lot of slop in it, tensioner would not cure it, so belt was obviously stretched bad (First and last time I use a Goodyear Gaterback) anyway new belt and tensioner helped a lot with idle smoothness and better acceleration response, but test drove it afterwards and still have initial abrupt acceleration hesitation and missing or cutting out under low speed load like flipping the AC in at an idle, started missing dropping out and trying to compensate, turn AC load off and things smoothed right out, this is usually the same symptom I have at Hwy speeds, 5th gear cruising nice around 2900/3000 rpm start into a long grade adding extra load on engine and sure enough consistently when I drop to about 2500/2600 rpm it starts missing and lose power unless I let off the gas, then it will stop cutting out but I have lost a lot of speed as well, it all seems to tie together with low rpm vs load, if this was old school and we a were talking a vacuum advance ignition system I would say there was something wrong with the diaphragm or advance mechanism, but do not have that on my DelSol.

captn38

SOrry I forgot to get back here and say, my problem is corrected and it was done by replacing the entire distributor assembly, since the crank position and TDC sensor are not independently serviceable and entire distributor replacement is required to correct that issue I just knew with my luck that had to be it, and it was!!