My son's 1991 Civic DX 1.5 with auto tranny is having some stalling issues. When the car is first started in the morning it runs great for a few minutes, or so. After that, when you stop the car at a light, it stalls out. It may crank once or twice after t, but only for a few seconds, and then die. At that point it will not crank at all. It you let it sit for 5 or ten minutes, it will crank up and run, but will again stall when you stop the car.

It sounds like a fuel issue to me, so I did did a basic fuel pump test (loosened the service screw on the fuel filter and turned the key on--plenty of fuel spurted out when the fuel pump fired up) I went ahead an replaced the fuel filter with no obvious improvement.

It still may be that the fuel pump is not at the correct PSI. How can I use a fuel pressure gauge properly if the car is not running.

I had previous distributor issues with the car a couple of years ago, and replaced the entire distributor/coil.

What other possible causes may there be? Fuel pressure regulator? EGR valve? Transmission issue? What should I look for and how is best way to diagnose?

 

Try resoldering the main relay.

 

Like a dumba$$ I forgot to check the ECU codes. (the engine light does not stay on?) There were two codes: 17 and 8. I am now suspecting another distributor issue. Any thoughts?

I will check my main relay now.

 

check the idle air control valve, i dont believe it is the fuel pump due to the fact that it will drive fine and stall only when the car is allowed to idle. the car maybe idling fine when it is cold because the fast idle thermo valve is still allowing extra/enough air in, but when the car reaches operating temperature the engine relies mainly on the IACV to idle properly.

 

I have the same Honda and I think it's also the idle control valve but today I was driving to work and was able to catch it before it stalled and I noticed the battery light came on. Is that another indicator that its the Idle control valve or could it be the alternator?

 

I bet it's either the main relay, or ignition control module inside the distributor (which you can change just that rather than the whole distributor).

 

I had a similar problem in my 88 sedan. Changed the fuel pump, fuel filter, distributor, main relay, wires and ignition relay. Turned out to be the ignition relay. Contacts get worn and glitched out as if the car had turned off. About $60 at Oreilly's. Get one, if it doesn't fix it, return. Took 15 minutes to swap out.

 

Edit: Never mind, I replied to an 8 year old thread.

The bulb may be burned out or has been removed.

There are probably three codes -- 1, 7 and 8.

Fix codes 7 and 8 first.