I have a 97 Accord with a f23a4 ULEV vtec motor with an automatic. It is hard starting, and when you crack the throttle hard, it stumbles and knocks real bad, but eventually catches up in the higher rpms. It sounds like it is firing late, but i cant figure out how to adjust the timing, if it is even possible. There is no adjustment like on the older models that i have been able to find. I am new to Hondas and dont know a lot about how they work. The car will sit and idle perfectly like nothing is wrong, all the injectors are firing and it has plenty of fuel pressure, and i have triple checked the wires to make sure they are correct. The only codes it has thrown is a misfire on cylinder 1 and 2. Both at different times.

I just recently did a tune up on this car (plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter). I replaced the second O2 sensor as it was bad. I also replaced the distributor because i have read that is usually the cause for this type of problem.

I greatly appreciate any help.

 

if your car was fine before you did your "tune up" then obviously one of the things you've changed is causing the problem.

did u plug the wiring back into correct firing order? if you've replaced the distributor most likely your timing is off. you're gonna need a timing light.

 

The car ran like crap before i did a tune up and it just got worse after i did it. I have triple checked the firing order, checked it with a timing light, and the scanner it is at 15* at idle.
The plugs i pulled were burned down to a .070 gap (supposed to be a .044 gap) The car was severely overheated at one point (according to the way the plugs were) plus the car has a new radiator, makes me think possibly a cracked head? Blown head gasket? I am lost on this one and am open to any ideas anyone has.

 

replacing the distributor is a something not to snap on and replace, u have to align the rotor inside with the cam, if it isnt then ur gonna have a misfire. check on youtube and type in search"ericthecarguy", click to his channel and find the vid. good luck!

 

Any smoke from the tail pipe, CEL codes? Looking for a little more information.

 

No smoke from the tailpipe, and no cel codes. It will occasionally throw a misfire on cylinder 2. But that is the only code. If it was a carbureted V-8 I would have had this fixed a while ago, but the computers take it to a whole different level. I am thinking the head gasket is blown in between the cylinders and not into the water passage since it isn't burning any coolant. Or maybe the head is cracked between cylinders since it gets worse the hotter the motor gets.

I have a honda manual that shows how to install the distibutor, so I know that's installed correctly. Plus it can only go in one way due to the offset on the cam and distributor tab.

 

Well I'm sure you're good with checking for the blown gasket or crack so no reason to cover that....I hear you on the carb V-8....have to play with the Chevelle every now and then just to get back to simple things....I've stuck it more than once 180 out.

 

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What is the exact code it's throwing?

 

The only codes it has thrown are p0302, and p0301. Generic misfire codes. No matter what i do to it those are the only codes i can get out of it. It doesnt throw any egr codes, so i am kinda ruling that out for right now. If it comes down to it, i will give that a shot this weekend after i do a compression test on it.

 

u have a low emissions motor wit a 97 ecu...try to get a ecu from a 00 and see if it makes a diff...ur probally dumping too much full also....

 

The ULEV motor was never available in the 97 Accord? I know the motor has been replaced at sometime in the cars life, at least that's what the previous owner told me.

 

yea tha ulev comes in tha 6th gen accord...its made to produce lower emissons...94-97 com wit tha f22a1,f22b1-vtec,and tha c27 v6...itz all around tha same motor but tha comp is diff

 

sorry i ment to put no lol...no it does not com in tha 97