I just recently bought a 97'civic, stick shift. At first everything seems fine but after having it for a week i notice that when the car is warmed up and when i changed gears its jerks, would sound like the car is choking. It's at any speed. I usually shift around 2k-3k. After i let it cool down its back to normal, but then again same thing happens when its warm up again. Sometimes when running the rpm would not increase when i step on the gas at 40mph the pin would jump from 40-60 then back down to 40. I also notice that my gas cap is not the right one for the car as it said diesel. Could the cap be a problem too? Wouldn't it not put enough pressure? I'm very much appreciated since this is my only car.

 

That fuel cap has to be replaced no matter what.. if the cap is from a diesel truck then that **** has no presure

 

Start with the cap and if that doesn't work do a tune up replacing spark plugs,wires, cap and rotor. I would also do a valve adjustment.

 

The cap has nothing to do with it. A few questions: Is your check engine light on? When was the last maintenance done (tune up, fuel filter, etc)? Is the car stock?

 

How did we arrive at gas cap as the issue?

 

Check for CEL codes (see CEL sticky), do an ignition system tune up (see HondaPartsHero DIY), change the fuel filter, and adjust the ignition timing to spec (see FAQs sticky).

 

The guy that I bought it from said he just recently did the maintenace, I have a head gasket problem. There's no engine light, there's some after market parts on there but I dont know what it is...

 

Dude what do you mean the cap has nothing to do with it how is the tank going to have presure the cap has to seal the the presure in the tank... true or false that's the reason all the cars have a diffrent cap and I've never seen a honda that uses diesel

 

The gas cap may or may not have something to do with it, but either way, OP needs to hit up his local parts store and get a proper fuel cap for a gasoline motor.

 

The cap has nothing to do with this. I have a custom made solid billet cap that I ran for years before I went turbo. Guess what? No issues.

 

grumble, gasoline caps are for the most part unvented and pressurized. Diesel caps are vented. It may not be causing the problem, but OP should still replace it, unless he enjoys venting fuel.

 

I understand what you're saying and agree that he should replace it but I am also saying it's not a big a deal as is being made out. The cap I mentioned was a solid piece of metal. I doubt it actually sealed the way an OEM Honda cap does but I suffered no ill effects by using it.