the6thhascome

So about a month back my wife and i were getting ready to move to Georgia, and the back and forth trips between SC and GA i started to notice from the 350 miles per tank turned into 200 miles per tank.

I noticed that my check light was burned out so i replaced it and hey i got a light on.

I check the code and it was a o2 sensor for the secondary o2. I replaced it just over the weekend and since then, the car has ran like total **** and my light is still on after resetting the ecu 2x.

Its sputtering and bucking under acceleration, as well as while cruising along the interstate at 70mph in 5th gear at about 3500 rpm. It starts out feeling like its bogged down and then it starts to jerk while climbing RPMs.

i said why not and changed out the plugs cause im sure driving on a bad 02 prob has em fouled out. I replaced the wires about a month ago before we moved cause it started doing just this same thing.

Do you think that the wires have gone bad as well?

any input you guys have would be appreciated.

Oaken81

What is the exact CEL code?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

The secondary O2 sensor does not control your fuel at all - it is only there to detect catalyst efficiency. Post the exact code, and we can work from there.

the6thhascome

Well this morning was terrible. I couldn't get up the hill hardly with it bogging down and bucking and sputtering. I made it to a parts store said I'll try wires. Put them on and no go. Not any better. I barely made it to work but once I got speed up enough on the highway it wouldn't buck terribly.

Next thing to tackle you think is a clogged cat? I don't know if it's a distributor issue or rotor or cap.

Rotor and cap are about 3 months old. New plugs new wires. Car starts right up just fine with no hesitation.


Also the code it's throwing is p0141

the6thhascome

Will replacing o2 sensor fix these issues? I've never had a car that had a bad o2 sensor cause these kinds of issues.

I just replaced the downstream o2. Think I should try replacing upstream now?

the6thhascome

So any ideas what to check next then?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

STOP. Stop right there. TomCat, come on man. You know better than this.

OP, pull the EXACT CEL code and post it. Until you do that, everything is pointless guess work, which is a waste of your money, and our time.

the6thhascome

P0141 is what it's reading.

AlwayzN2Sumthin

Disconnect your o2 sensor and see if it still misfires.

I had a misfire problem at certain RPM's caused by 1 spark plug lead that was all rotten inside.
Double check your wires just to be sure.

the6thhascome

Both plus and wires are brand new. Bought new wires this morning on the way to work. Plus I bought monday evening.

the6thhascome

More info on the car:

1998 Civic CX Hatchback
158876 miles on engine (original engine)
Stock Exhaust, Stock Cat (attached to exhaust manifold), muffler does need to be replaced as it does have a bad crack all the way around the weld causing it pretty much to be useless.
It does have a cold air intake that came on the car when i bought it.
-has new plugs, wires, fairly new disty cap/rotor, new secondary o2 as of this weekend, and a 4 month old primary o2 sensor.

I did have an issue with the O2 sensor plug, when i removed the old o2 sensor plug it pulled the wires out of the plug, so i had the wiring diagram to reinstall the plug.

See this post here.
https://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-d...stion-3220086/

The secondary o2 is hooked up according to the picture in the that post.


After work i did some tinkering and unplugged everything and reinstalled everything. (plugs wires and o2 wiring. I also reset the ECU.

I drove it for about 15 mins, and the light hasnt come back on, but im sure it will come back on the next time i drive it. the hesitation is still there though, though not as terrible as this morning on the way to work.

I still get hesitation and sputtering in 2nd-3rd gear at about 2.5-4k rpm levels.
if i let off the gas and press the gas again, its a 50-50 chance i either get a bit of pep back or it still sputters.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Try disconnecting your catalytic converter from the exhaust manifold. Your car will be loud as ****, but a quick diagnostic trip around the block should tell you if that changes anything, which would help pinpoint the problem.

the6thhascome

cannot disconnect the cat. its connected to the exhaust manifold

the6thhascome

the Cel is back.

I wonder if i didnt just get a bad o2 sensor. Hear that they are rather delicate so you never know if it was handled rather rough in the the shipping. (purchased them from a vendor on rockauto)

But again, that wouldnt cause the sputter and power loss under acceleration would it?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Oh jesus, one of those stupid systems. Hate that ****.

Long shot, but check your ignition timing.

the6thhascome

Just wanted to give an update and not leave the thread without resolution for future people that may have a question and search this...

After replacing Plugs x2, Wires x2 , Disty, Fuel Filter, Coil inside disty, fuel injector cleaning, new o2 sensors....

its still ran like ****.


The problem was the exhaust manifold. Once i took the head shield off low and behold the 3" crack all the way around the cyl 1 and 2 side.

Fixed with a Header and catback.


So all in all, im good on maintenance till 180k when i replace the timing belt and water pump.

joey1320

I know you said your muffler was rusted out but you really couldn't hear a 3inch crack on your exhaust manifold??? If you had mentioned that we would had easily told you to fix that as it was going to throw off your oxygen sensor readings and cause the car to act exactly like you posted.

the6thhascome

bad thing is, it didnt sound any different than having a cracked muffler. Just a tiny bit raspy.

the6thhascome

its from the o2 bung all the way down and around the 2nd cyl

joey1320

Wow crazy. Glad you got it figured out.