I have a 1991 Accord manual transmission. Over the last few weeks the car has had a serious loss in power and I dont know where its coming from. Lately, to save gas I have been shifting at low rpms and sadly letting the car run till near empty. I had a good feeling the fuel filter was just clogged so I got a fuel injection cleaner, put it in and put in 50 liters of gas like suggested on the box. It also said to let the car run almost empty before filling up again so the cleaner can run through the system fully.

To some degree I do feel the fuel injection cleaner helped it but because I do feel some restoration in power but the car still shakes terrible in lower rpms. For example in traffic in first gear, unless the I bring up the rpms up to 3 before I start letting loose on the clutch, the car shakes and sputters and theres no power. However, after the car is brought up to about 2 and a half 3, the power just kicks in as if it its a turbo.

It isnt my clutch to gas ration because I drive my fathers Maxima all the time and it does not have this problem. Ive even tried shifting his car at 1 1/2 rpms which I know is terrible but I had to test. No shaking or sputtering what so ever.

Lately ive been just really opening up the engine when i drive to let the cleaner run through but I cant drive like this all time. In case your wondering, for casual driving I shift at 3 - 3 1/2 rpm which is more than sufficient for just casual driving.

Does anyone have any idea what it is?

Thanks.

 

i'd never run my car til empty. the problem is, that the gas pump will try to suck any and everything out of the tank. what ever particles are in your tank will get sucked into your fuel lines. why wait til empty anyways. at some point you know you have to refuel. on a fuel injected car your risking screwing up something when you take this chance. you might need a flush. i know my dad messed up his beamer back in the day doing this.

 

Most likely a misfire at lower RPMs...but as to why...there are so many probable causes...low compression, intake gasket leak, EGR issue, etc..