Power loss problems
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1
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From: Seattle, WA, USA
Power loss problems
Hi there,
I am an absolute car-retard, trying to graduate into car-just-kind-of-an-idiot-sometimes, so I please beg your pardon for possibly missing a million obvious things here
I'd sure be obliged if someone could point me in a direction though.
I have a 1989 Honda Accord DX Automatic, 4-door, fuel-injected. About 3 weeks ago, the thermostat locked up and the top hose from the radiator blew out. Changing the thermostat would have been easy enough, but the bolts were so brittle on the housing, they snapped right in half and there was a crack in the water case. I got all of that sorted out. Replaced the hose, water case, thermostat. As far as I can tell, everything is locked tight in place, no leaks.
Now however, the car runs gutless as hell. I can't get it to pass 40 mph going uphill. Is there anything at all related to the cooling system that could be causing this? Is anyone aware of any common causes of power loss in these cars?
worthy of note: I did have to remove the distributor to get the water case off, but I marked it's position and got it back on there, to the best I can tell, in the same position it was in when I pulled it off. I'm not hearing any firing problems, as far as I can tell, the timing is fine.
I am an absolute car-retard, trying to graduate into car-just-kind-of-an-idiot-sometimes, so I please beg your pardon for possibly missing a million obvious things here
I'd sure be obliged if someone could point me in a direction though.I have a 1989 Honda Accord DX Automatic, 4-door, fuel-injected. About 3 weeks ago, the thermostat locked up and the top hose from the radiator blew out. Changing the thermostat would have been easy enough, but the bolts were so brittle on the housing, they snapped right in half and there was a crack in the water case. I got all of that sorted out. Replaced the hose, water case, thermostat. As far as I can tell, everything is locked tight in place, no leaks.
Now however, the car runs gutless as hell. I can't get it to pass 40 mph going uphill. Is there anything at all related to the cooling system that could be causing this? Is anyone aware of any common causes of power loss in these cars?
worthy of note: I did have to remove the distributor to get the water case off, but I marked it's position and got it back on there, to the best I can tell, in the same position it was in when I pulled it off. I'm not hearing any firing problems, as far as I can tell, the timing is fine.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,132
Likes: 5
Re: Power loss problems (hypovex)
How about a few scatterbrained ideas for you to check out...
How good did you mark the distributor? Could it be as much as 1/32" off? If you can beg/borrow a timing light, check your spark timing for sure.
I assume you got stuff back together... Your temperature gauge acts normal? If the thermostat was in backwards or crooked, your temperature gauge would tell you something.
I don't know '89 very well, but there should be a temperature sensor for the ECU, which is separate from the sensor for the dashboard gauge. If it's not connected properly, the ECU doesn't know the temperature & that could be your trouble.
If you really overheated good, you may have done some other damage. Rings valves, headgasket, are possible problems. If nothing above leads anywhere, do a compression test, & maybe a leakdown test.
How good did you mark the distributor? Could it be as much as 1/32" off? If you can beg/borrow a timing light, check your spark timing for sure.
I assume you got stuff back together... Your temperature gauge acts normal? If the thermostat was in backwards or crooked, your temperature gauge would tell you something.
I don't know '89 very well, but there should be a temperature sensor for the ECU, which is separate from the sensor for the dashboard gauge. If it's not connected properly, the ECU doesn't know the temperature & that could be your trouble.
If you really overheated good, you may have done some other damage. Rings valves, headgasket, are possible problems. If nothing above leads anywhere, do a compression test, & maybe a leakdown test.
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guille595
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Jul 22, 2013 08:29 AM
