Have a 96 DX, and have been having issues with it, it's broken down on us twice now. Each time what it does is it'll start jerking like the engine just randomly quits and starts. Then it drives okay for a couple miles, and then boom - no power and barely running. If you stab the gas repeatedly it'll rev a little, but not much and no power. Full throttle has no effect, only stabbing the gas. Then after a bit it won't start at all. First time I changed the fuel filter, fuel pump, and fuel pressure regulator, as well as the plugs and wires. Then it ran great. Drove it for 300 miles or so, then it did it again. This time I've changed the filter again and tried a new to me idle air control valve and ignition switch. While messing with it at idle a few times the idle surged up and down really fast. I changed the IACV because when you unplug the harness instead of the idle dropping it would either stay the same or go up. It seems to be running well now, but how do I know it won't leave us stranded again?

 

is the check engine light on? what brand plugs did you put in? did you do a cap and rotor?

 

Sorry, should have posted that. No, there is not now, nor has there been at any time during my problems a CEL. It does function properly, coming on for 2 seconds every time the key is turned on, then going out. Fuel pump also spins during those 2 seconds.

 

Check your battery ground and the ground off your transmission.

 

Has good ground. Went out there today and now it's not starting again. Waiting on the wife to help me check for spark. Yesterday it wasn't starting until I pulled a plug to check for spark, when I did and she cranked it over it sprayed a clear mist (fuel I assume) out of the plug hole and then it tried to start on the other 3 cylinders. Put the plug back in and it started right up and ran fine. Today, nothing. About to go check for spark. Really lost on this one at this point. Also, the car has no cat, so it's not a blocked cat. Hasn't had one for 10 years or so.

 

Okay, has spark at all 4 plugs. Put them back in and tried to start again. Nothing until about the third try and them it hit at first acting like it would start, and then nothing. Did that a few times and then it started. Gave it a little gas and and bogged out and died. Then on the next few tries nothing. Then it would try to start but not quite be able to as long as I was holding the key in start. Then nothing on the next couple tries. Then it starts and again and idles perfect. It revved for me just fine a few times, then when I tried to rev it and bogged down and died again. Then nothing the next time I turned the key. (by "nothing" I mean the engine turned over just fine, but it didn't fire) HELP! I'm kinda thinking TPS or maybe IACV, but don't want to and can't afford to just throw parts at it. HELP!!!

 

Is mechanical timing on? Are your injectors spraying enough? Is it a strong spark? If all that checks out I'd also look into your tps wires. Find RonJ on here and go to his signature. This potentially could be your problem.

 

Mechanical timing is good - when it is running it's running very smoothly, no hesitation at all. Injectors are spraying fine, took them out and cleaned them as part of this process. When it doesn't start you can smell fuel coming out of the exhaust, or on the plugs when you pull them to check for spark. Again. Lol. TPS or the wires?

 

In his signature, what am I looking for?

 

Here is a link for you. Check this out and see. If its okay then check voltage on the tps.

 

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/tsb/civic/x99-029e.pdf

Just check to see if its blown first.

 

It has had the recall fix, it has the corrugated plastic around the wires and it isn't rubbed through anywhere that I could tell. I checked the voltage at the TPS and it appears to be correct, but from my understanding that could be misleading and the TPS still be bad/erratic. It does have over 230,000 miles on it... That being said - how the heck do you take the thing off? It looks like it's held on my compression washers or something...

 

Please answer kyden's questions.

Is spark bright white? Click the spark link in my signature. You may have a coil or ICM problem.

 

Plugs are NGK Platinums, gapped to .44, cap and rotor are recent, but new ones will be in in the morning. Spark will be rechecked tomorrow with new cap and rotor, gotta head for work now.