I have a 1990 CRX Dx with 238,xxx on the clock. It sat for most of this year due to a leaking HG (ran good, it just ate coolant periodically). I finally got it fixed, had the head surfaced, bolted it back up and it now sputters at idle. Compression is good, ignition is tuned up, no CELs, I have replaced the dizzy twice. So I this is what I have done:

1. Checked the cam timing
2. Adjusted the ignition timing
3. Replaced the throttle body with the attached injectors and sensors
4. Replaced the map sensor
5. Replaced the distributor twice
6. Changed ECU's
7. Checked the main relay
8. Checked cold compression 150-165psi across the board
9. New cap, rotor, wires, and plugs

and here is the symptoms:

1. Cylinders 1 and 2 have raw gas on the plugs, the IAT sensor also gets covered with gas
2. Sputters at idle and has little power until 2300, drives great after that
3. Gets about 30mpg which is a little off
4. raw gas comes out of the tail pipe

 

my only thought, valves may be waaay out of adjustment?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mahatma &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my only thought, valves may be waaay out of adjustment?</TD></TR></TABLE>

they sound normal, I did adjust them recently though, but it shouldn't be rpm related if thats the problem.

 

well rules that out then too....

intake manifold or TB loose? i assume you'd hear the hissing sound.

i would say timing is off, especially since you had the head off, but if you checked it, you checked it....

 

I cranked the hell out of all the IM and TB nuts. I couldn't hear any vacuum leaks. I wish it was simple, like a head gasket

 

I know you said you checked the cam timing, but that sounds exactly like my GF's car did (89 civic Si) after I replaced the timing belt 1 tooth off. Reinstalled it and bam, perfect.

 

Odd.... my beater decided to do that the other day when I was driving out of Gary, IN. Not a place I wanted to break down, so I babied it until I got on the highway, slowly let it rev up and once I hit 3k it was like a switch was flipped and I had full power again.

Except... my problem never came back after that.

 

Run a high concentration of fuel injector cleaner through it and see if that helps. I think you have one or more sticky injectors from sitting so long. I had a similar problem with my H22.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dubzz24 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know you said you checked the cam timing, but that sounds exactly like my GF's car did (89 civic Si) after I replaced the timing belt 1 tooth off. Reinstalled it and bam, perfect. </TD></TR></TABLE>

the marks are flush with the head... the A6 and B2 are differen't aren't they? I used a ZC helms manual, put the belt on, loosen tensioner, turn 3 teeth CCW, retighten

 

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

the marks are flush with the head... the A6 and B2 are differen't aren't they? I used a ZC helms manual, put the belt on, loosen tensioner, turn 3 teeth CCW, retighten</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds right. Just double check that they're still flush with the head and the timing mark on the crank pulley is still lined up with the timing cover.

The tank isn't still filled with year old gas is it? Like someone else said, you can try running some injector cleaner since it sat so long.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dubzz24 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Sounds right. Just double check that they're still flush with the head and the timing mark on the crank pulley is still lined up with the timing cover.

The tank isn't still filled with year old gas is it? Like someone else said, you can try running some injector cleaner since it sat so long. </TD></TR></TABLE>

no I have actually put like 2k miles on it like that lol. Its Dual point, so if an injector was bad it would affect all of the cylinders. I have also replaced the injectors more than once so it can't be that. I am pretty sure something between the ECU and the distributor is to blame. The valve adjustment thing is the only other thing that sounds like a possibility but if they stick open then the compression would be off

 

 

it really sounds to me like your timing is off, as i had the same problem with my first a6 the first time i did a headgasket...also, as far as your compression numbers...if there is more than a 10% difference in readings on adjacent cylinders, you may very well have a warped head on your hands...you said compression was 150-165 across the board...well, if #1 is 150 and #2 is 165, thats more than a 10% difference on adjacent cylinders...when the hg was bad did the car get hot a lot? because repeated overheatings or even close to overheating will cause the head to warp with an aluminum head/cast iron block

 

Good chance that it's your igniter module.
They're fairly cheap to replace, and you'd be surprised how many problems are mis-diagnosed becahse of these going bad.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SETI20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good chance that it's your igniter module.
They're fairly cheap to replace, and you'd be surprised how many problems are mis-diagnosed becahse of these going bad.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Isnt that in the dizzy? I have replaced it twice...

 

Ah, so you replaced the entire distributor.

Have you tried the obvious things?
-spark plug wires
-grounds
-sensor checks

It seems you've replaced just about everything except the motor itself.