My 86 civic Si has been sputtering, stalling, hesitating, or whatever you want to call it and then sometimes dying at highway speed and at normal operating temperature. Seems like it does it after driving about 3 to 4 miles at highway speed. Sometimes when it is at normal operating temperature I will have to wait a few minutes before it will restart. Also, after reaching normal temperature, it will die at stops, and it will sputter and/or die at lower speeds as well. All I've done so far is replace the fuel filter. That wasn't it. I've toyed with the TW sensor because of the ECU code 6 (2 middle lights on steadily, but there may be other codes stored in there; I've never knowingly reset it.). The TW sensor is getting 5 volts and has about 1500 ohms when cold (outside air temperature). The new one which I may return is getting the same ohms at outside temperature. Should I check the old one again at normal operating coolant temperature? I think then maybe it should be between 200-400 Ohms, at least that's what Honda dealer told me, but said at ambient temperature, which can't be right. Gosh darn, after viewing a lot of similar posts, seems like it could be any one of a dozen or so things. Any help?

Possibly unrelated, it has had the infamous surging idle for about 2 years now---bounces from about 1000-2000 rpm. I've just lived with that. Think that may be the ACV or some other control valve or sensor.

Boy, the body is sure starting to look like hell, but I love this little thing. Got about 288,000 on it. Sure am wanting to get 300,000 on it. Engine still seems ok apart from the above. Tranny's getting a fair amount of play in it.

Any help or input would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Well, I just read the ECU code for the 1st time after it stumbled and died; it was code 1--ECU failure. Must be something causing it to erratically fail. Is their some other component failure that could possibly cause this code besides ECU failure?

86civicsi


Modified by 86civicsi at 5:17 PM 8/27/2004