I recently picked up a bone stock CRX Si 1990 and it's in really good shape but the engine is worrying me.

It bogs a bit when it idles on startup(missing) and when I take it out on the road and give it gas the RPM needles goes up then jumps and bounces. I checked the ECU and I got no codes. My throttle cable also gets stuck at 2k rpms and I have to pull the pedal back with my foot to get it to idle back at 1k.

After it warms up it seems to idle fine. The exhaust is very strong though. Stronger than my Civic Si Hatch.

If anyone has any ideas as to where I can start I'd appreciate it. I just wanna get it back to bone stock healthy running goodness.

 

sounds like ignition. maybe iac, but the jumping tach sounds like something ignition. do a basic tune up, plugs, wires, oil, so on. than trouble shoot

 

^^^Definitely do the above and then check your timing.

 

could be distributor too. If the dizzy is messed up then the exhaust might smell bad from unburned fuel.

 

First check the vaccuum lines and clean up the IACV. Look for a break in the plastic part on the throttle cable right where it goes into the firewall.

 

Thanks for the tips.

I'll start with the tuneup this week.

I'll keep you guys updated.

 

I would check/clean the IACV and also check/clean the throttle body spring. tune up isnt a bad idea either.

 

jesse, be sure to use all oem parts during your tune up. there is nothing your car hates more than aftermarket ignition parts.

and whats up from another houston-imports member

 

tach jumping around is almost always the ignitor.

 

So a new distributor should do the trick on the jumping tach?

here is what the previous owner posted about the problems it had..maybe it can give some clues as to what's wrong with it now.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check engine light is on . codes are 7,9.
7=tps , junk yard or new with throttlebody for 484.33 dealer
9=no.1 cylinder position,(crank sensor open circuit)
i have the papers to print out to show how to fix these probs.</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">OK I FIXED THE TPS PROBLEM AND THE CODE 9 PROBLEM. </TD></TR></TABLE>

When I picked the car up he said he put a new distributor on. It's going to the body shop as soon as I get these minor problems fixed.

It's a bday present for my wife and she's dying to have a car with pretty good gas mileage and one that doesn't require high octane premium gas.

Thanks for all the help yawl!

 

for the crank sensor you have to replace the dizzy, so if its throwing that code again he probably didnt replace it or replaced it with a broken dizzy.

and most the time for the tps you have to replace the whole throttle body because they use a bolt with no head, but sometimes you can drill out or unbolt it.