So this is the first time this occurs and i need help to figure out whats wrong. I was on the freeway at about 60mph and i gave it a bit more gas when the car started to jerk back and forth hard and check engine light came on. so i down shifted to 4th and i noticed i was losing power. When i was in the city the car wouldnt let me rev past 3k rpms and it sounded shitty. I got home turned off and on the car and check engine light was gone. I reved it all the way to redline with no problems. Im confused and need help!

 

Sounds like a VTEC oil pressure problem. If your engine oil is low or overdue for replacement, the VTEC system can and will act up. Sometimes just changing the 'snowman' seal will restore operation, other times you should do the solenoid block. Either way, quality, full engine oil is a must. Get the code(s) read.

 

The thing is i dont have VTEC. I got a stock b18a1. What ARE THE CHANCES OF IT BEING A MISFIRE?

 

Just checked the oil level and youre right it was low. Im going to pour the appropriate amount of oil and ill keep you guys posted if it still comes up.

 

How does it feel, when you accelerate on an onramp?

 

it jerks back and forth if i give it gas and down shift. but if i keep the car at rpms 3k it drives normal but the idle is rough..

 

I don't know if the following may help you, or not.
Here are 2 completely different experiences, in different years, which I have had, with my 2000 LS w/auto that remind me of your issue:

1. The radiator split open and I replaced it, but I did not completely burp the air out of the system.
The idle was near 1600 rpm and it would creep up to 2000 and come back to 1600, over and over.
When I drove it, it seemed to cut out, at 3100 rpm.
Once I got all of the air out, the idle was a solid 700 rpm and it drove normal, again.

2. As I accelerated up the onramp, I could not speed up past 3000 rpm. I would lose power, I thought.
It didn't matter what gear I tried, the car would not speed up more than 3000 rpm.
Turns out, my catalytic converter was clogged. I removed it and tried to look thru it, as I pointed it towards the sun. I saw zero sunshine. In the end, I bought a good used cate and my problem went away, for 8 months.

On a side note...how did my original cate get clogged?
I found out, after my 2nd cate got clogged that I needed rings and/or valve seals.
I noticed that my MPG had dropped in to the low 20s and I was burning oil. That was caused by either bad rings or bad valve seals. It was running so rich that the ecu delivered more gas, to fix the mix, I guess.
The cost for the repairs ranged from $2200 to $3500, with no assurances that the oil burning would stop.

I bought a JDM 18B1B and swapped engines. All my problems have been solved, since 2012.

 

Also, my check engine light never came on, but I had a p420 code, when I checked it for free, at O'Reillys.

 

was the code for the cat being clogged? Well the weird thing is i turned on the car and the car idles fine and no check engine light and i rev it and no resistance with reving but i did notice it sounds different idk if thats any help..i also noticed the motor was low on oil so i topped it off and noticed theres a leak between the head and block with oil. Im not sure its a misfire and if it is wouldnt the check engine light stay on constantly?

 

p420 code means that the ecu's comparison, of the two o2 sensor readings is incorrect. AKA Emission Mismatch.
I removed the header and cate. I separated them and found out that I couldn't see thru the cate.
After the engine swap, I used those same O2 sensors and they are still working, now.

 

so here is an update i took the car to O'Reilly so they can check the CEL but i guess they dont check OBD1 cars. So i found the old paper clip method but the problem is when i set the key ignition to the 2nd setting for only radio is on the CEL is not ignited. Only if i rev the car past 3k the CEL will come on. If i turn off the car the CEL will disappear so my queston is how can i check the codes if the CEL will only ignite when the car is on? Im really lost

 

iirc you can pull the cel code with the car on.
when it appears just shove in the clip.
sorry if i'm wrong but i think i had this problem a few years ago.

 

It wont hurt the ecu? What i kept doing was drive the car until the check engine would come up pull over turn the car off thinking the CEL would be still there and the light would disappear! Talk about frustrating! I would still put the paper clip regardless and nothing would happen.