Weird "stumble" on acceleration...??

My girlfriend's 1990 4dr auto is doing something strange...not always, but sometimes, when you start to accelerate, the car pauses like it's going to die, then jumps back up to the speed you should be at in relation to where you have the pedal pressed. I'm stumped...anyone any idea? I hope that I explained this well enough...it's a very odd sensation...help?

Jason

When you start driving its a stutter? When my distributor was going out I had a "stutter" at about 2250 rpms in each gear.

My old sedan did that and I replaced the spark plugs and wires and it fixed it.....my new one does it to, but new plugs and wires didn't really change anything so I'm gonna try a new rotor and cap to see if that helps.

Thanks guys...so on the list:

Spark Plugs
Wires
Dizzy Cap
Rotor (maybe)

Anything else...possible?

Jason

a new distributer.sounds like the early stages of a dizzy goin to shit.

Could be your fuel filter also. All cheap things first before you replace the dist.

true,good looking out Cjz89civic.

Thanks guys...."cheap"...is good :)

Jason

when my timing was off a tooth it would stutter if i accelerated too quick.

Yeah I agree, try the cheap shit first, then if you have to spend the big money, lol.

To be honest it could be numerous things but I've had a similar problem. For me it was the 02 sensor but it could be your fuel filter. Hope this helps.

My car had exactly the same problem but it was all the time and only when the car was warmed up and the timing changed. I found my rotor had seperated from the core that holds it tight to the distributor. This created just enough play to make my timing off at idle when it warmed up. Problem immediately went away when I replaced the rotor and cap and I made sure the rotor had a metal core that was molded into the rotor not the cheap piece of crap the fell apart.

My sir does it too but it is the o2 sesor for sure. if im just cruisin it will stutter sometimes but if i give it a little gas it goes away.

Well with civics fuel injection you should get used to it. but my car does it somewhat too. Just try a thorough tune up and it shoudl go away/.

Thanks for the help guys...I'll look into a few of these things and see what happens...thanks for the tips!

Jason

my car will sometimes pop like its backfireing (it may be) but its only like when i put in a strain like shift to 2nd at like 2500 any ideas

I have the same studdering in my 89 civic hatch,I bought it with a D16z6 SOHC V-tec.The ECU tells me it the No.1 cylinder pos.What i'm wondering is the No.1 pos. sensor in the distributor?