Hello all. Seen a couple of posts that are close to mine, but not quite. Hopefully someone here can help me out.

So last week my 1995 Honda Accord Ex was driving along when it stalled out at a red light. It sputtered a bit, then the engine shut off and I got a 'check engine' 'oil low' and 'battery' light on the dash. After a few times trying to get it to turn over, it finally did and I was on my way.

What I thought was a random event, now won't let me turn my engine over pretty much at all. Only after several attempts will it turn over, and it doesn't seem to go above 45mph when driving, and I am hearing a clanging from under the hood.

I plan on taking it in somewhere since this seems pretty serious, I'd just like to be pointed in the right direction, and see if there is anyway I won't end up owing my soul to the dealer...

 

lol the check engine light, low oil, battery etc happens when the car stalls, EVERYCAR!!! im sure your engine might be seizing spun bearing. pour oil maintenance, your car is fucked!!!! unless somehow the starter is coming apart from inside

 

Wow - reaper - that is no where near help....IMHO.

 

If you have the expertise you may need to remove the timing covers and check the mechanical timing. It may have jumped a tooth or two. As a precheck you can set the cams to TDC, assuming they will line up at all and check the flywheel housing to see if the crank lines up with TDC.

First check for any and all engine codes.

 

ok so let me get this straight. he/she hears a clunking sound coming from the bottom of the block and sometimes it doesn't want to crank. mmm sounds like something is broken inside the engine that makes it get stuck. of the flywheel somehow hitting the starter where it would make it get stuck on the starter and not turn. he/she made it sound like all the lights coming on after it stalled was a big deal when really it ain't, but to me ive seen camshafts get stuck from stuff breaking inside the valve cover as well

 

I can tell you haven't done this for long and like to jump to the worst.

The OP has all of one post, OP please don't take that wrong, and stated they wanted ideas before they went to a shop.....a few clues there if you know how to "see them".

This could be as simple as a tune up....misfire from the engine...or a battery/alternator gone bad.

The op NEVER said the "noise" was from the bottom of the block...just under the hood. It doesn't want to crank, bad/low battery?

 

clanking does not come from a starter unless its in pieces now. the only clanking i know it spun bearing. pulleys hitting stuff. differently not bearings. bolts loose inside engine, wow poor people who brought me cars like that, a dead battery or dead alternator will not CLUNK also rod knock clunks

 

Didn't realize this post was still getting attention, otherwise I would have been replying. After some research and troubleshooting, I can report back this.

*Not sure what my original clanking/ rattling noise was. Not sure. Haven't gotten it to do that again, and has actually driven fine a few times since then. Hopefully, this means my car isn't 'fucked'.

* Problem seems sporadic, but getting progressively worse. Car has been letting me get about 10-15 minutes down the highway before it sputters, jumps just a bit, then dies. RPMs drop to 0 and the car coasts to the shoulder. Sometimes I am able to get it to start back up, and it will go about 10 feet then stall again. Sometimes I can't get it to 'catch' at all, without letting it cool for several minutes, sometimes hours.

*Seeings that the weather is warm now, I had thought it might be my main relay- as others have had this problem. While my relay was in bad shape, replacing it did not fix my problem.

*A "Honda expert" was able to tell me that I needed a new ignition coil. Installed that and still have the problem.

*As of today, I can barely get it to 'catch', made it twice around the block before stalling and having to inch it's way home.

 

try the distributor, haven't seen it happen to a honda but has happened to a nissan sentra i worked on it would stop out of no where and sometimes it will start back up sometimes not it was random mostly when it would get hot

 

keep an eye on the dash lights when it cuts out...if they go out too and don't come on then it could be the ignition switch

however, my money is on the icm but you can't really test these...i would just pull one from the junkyard..the next time it dies you should try to do a spark test if it doesn't immediately start

 

X2 - I'm with Holmes on this one.