Took to the store last week & shut car off after about 4 mi. Then crank no start but no smell of fuel at the pipe. Towed to shop & person installed T.P.S. & New(yes New) dist. & runs better but now runs about 5 miles before sputtering slightly, then Ck.eng. lights,then runs good. My wife said it seemed to perform ok after the light went on. Will only set a soft code. I hate O.B.D.1. I haven't lit the car on fire yet. Surprises even my wife. My bud told me to drive it but it's her car & wish to keep my wife lol.

 

Sounds like a throttle body problem.

Are you getting spark in all 4 cylinders?

Do you have a rough idle/initial startup?

 

Absolutely perfect! Runs great for around 5 miles then sputters minor then check engine light then runs great. I asked my wife yesterday & she told me once the light went on the sputtering stopped & ran ok. Drove the car around 60 mi. without issues. Never sets a hard code. Check engine light seems to perform as should when key on light for a few seconds & shuts off. Everyone I talk to says main relay but I just want answers prior to exotic part changing methods of most. When I start up car it runs as the day I bought the car & does as I said until about 5 miles. No plug issues,oil consumption,great,has brand new factory Honda distributor less than 2 mo ago from Honda & ran great until this. Honda fixed it when it broke in the central valley. Got me as to what it is. One of my bud's says drive it till it dies lol but it's my wife's car & she likes it. She says no new one so here's what I'm left with. I owned a towing service for over 40 years along with 3 service stations & have friends in dealerships. Many say the relay but again I'm searching for answers before spending money.

 

I would deffinetly investigate for vaccumm leaks then if you get a sputter, might be a clogged valve or faulty seal.

Get some carb/choke cleaner start it up and spray around the throttle bottle and listen for hissing'?

Sounds like you've replaced the majority of what could be causing the problem.

 

Thanks for the timely response. I'll give that a try. As I told my friend I wish to investigate other situations prior to exchanging parts. This is simple & easy. I will get back to you with a response. Thanks for the assistance! S

 

Check for codes and see what it has stored first.

 

That's much of the problem. It doesn't set a code. I'll check it again prior to resetting the computer to clear any information. Whatever this is it's simple. Not a major issue. The stuttering is very minor & mostly just bothers my wife. Also for anyone who is looking for the location of the main relay in my vehicle('90 Accord LX) it's located over the either the ECU or the speed control box on the drivers kick panel above the cruise unit(upper fuse box area)! Right by the heater vent where it shouldn't be. Hidden from plain view so you have to remove the ECU or cruise unit to get to this relay above. Honda relay part # is:39400SM4003 & listed for around $75.00. I am replacing this relay also along with checking for vacuum leaks. I don't trust the age of this part.

 

The main relay is not by the ECU or the heater vent. However, it's above the cruise control box by the driver's side. You don't need a new relay. You just need to reflow the solder joints.
http://i753.photobucket.com/albums/x...6-09164708.jpg
For vacuum leaks, you could do it in the morning when the car is cold. Get the carb cleaner and spray over the area of the intake manifold. If you have a leak, it's most likely there.
Have you clean your IACV? Throttle body? Your PCV valve works well? If you smell fuel in the exhaust, check your O2 sensor, it does not throw codes when bad most of the time. It's code 41 or 43. Bad O2 sensor can make your car runs rich thus the gas smell in the exhaust. Get a Denso from Rock Auto for $30 shipped. Also clogged EGR system will stutter and hesitate slightly if you push the pedal down hard accelerating on the freeway.

 

When the car throws the code, immediately safely pull over and without turning off the car, jump the service connector and pull the code.

Consider yourself lucky when the car throws a code because there are lots of times when the car dies out and there is no code and it's a hundred times harder to find the problem.

 

Odd that the code(s) do not store. If they are not staying in the ECU once you turn it off you should investigate that issue as well.
I think - my memory is suspect - come of the early 90 Accords had a LED light on the ECU that flashed the codes.

 

Found a like vehicle doing the exact things our Honda did. The codes sent were 1/43. After conversations with a old buddy who worked at Honda he told me that '90's Honda Accords have issues as not setting a code for O2 sensor and should be suspect after 150,000 mi. So then repplaced O2 sensor to correct code 1. Then purchased a new main relay which solved the bad solder joint issue. Intermittent issues when vehicle warm & extremely hot temperatures affect relay significantly. This solved the fuel delivery issues which were intermittent. Car has ran admirably getting 35-37 mpg. I love this car & I knew it couldn't be too big of a issue! Thanks for the help! S