I've been having some increasing issues with my hatch (D16A6.) Due to my limited knowledge, I have no clue as to what it would be. For the most part it runs like a top, but in recent months I've been having issues keeping it running. I'll go to start it, it will run for a few seconds, bog down, and then cut out completely. I'll leave it sit for a few, try again, and sometimes it will start and run like normal, other times it will run for a second or two, bog down and cut out again, even if I'm giving it gas. It will smell like gas big time when that happens. Plugs and wires are good, and I can hear the fuel pump running. One possibility I'd considered was something restricting air flow in my exhaust. I use the car to deliver pizzas and whenever I'm going through trailer parks and the various subsidized housing developments, I'll bottom out hard on the speed bumps. I checked my exhaust, and there doesn't appear to be any damage to the piping. Should I pull the cat and see if it's clogged? Exhaust is all stock except the muffler, btw. Any and all suggestions or other threads with similar issues mentioned that I can be directed to will be greatly appreciated. I don't want to keep relying on shops that I don't trust to overcharge me for what are probably simple issues. The search feature on here always turns up vague results when I try searching for things on here. I'd just as leave not go rifling through a couple hundred different threads. I need this car to be in good condition for my job, otherwise I get moved to the kitchen. My 'lude has worse issues, otherwise I would just drive that. I'm in a pretty shitty spot at the moment, one of these nights I figure I won't be able to get it started at all, then I'll be ****ed. I assume that this generation of civic probably has common issues that others have experienced so, help me help myself, please. Thanks a lot, guys. Just be patient and I eventually won't have to keep asking so many questions. I'm gradually figuring **** out, and so far it's been coming easy. Just don't have much time to invest in it, and I don't have access to a garage. Being poor doesn't help either. Any work I do on my car is either done in the street or in a parking lot.

 

If the cat was clogged it would run bad all the time not here and there. Theres actually a test you can do by hooking a vacuum gauge up to the engine to see if you have a restricted exhaust. Google it if you want.

 

What would you recommend I type in the search bar? Like I said, I'm fairly clueless.

 

When my cat was bad I got horrible gas mileage and my car would sound different at higher RPM's.

 

Actually, mine does sound different at higher RPMs than when I first got it. I figured it was a result of the new muffler breaking in. I think I might have an exhaust leak too. It's been sounding a little raspy and I smell fumes all the time.

 

Fumes could be that it is running rich but do you get any CEL's

 

No dummy lights or anything, but I've never even tried seeing if the ecu is throwing codes. Don't know what I'm doing in that department either.