Omg...what's Wrong??? Please Help W/ My Si Civic

[tjsbabe]

Ok, so I was driving last week on the freeway when my engine and tach started doing weird things.

-I was doing 120 and my tach was at 4000
-All of a sudden my engine starts studdering and the tach dropped from 4 to 3 to 4 to 2 to 4
-I dropped the car out of gear a coasted for 10 sec then back into 5th and ok for 10 sec, then happened again, so I dropped down to 4th and it was ok
-I went to the store came back to work, didn't go over 100 and it was ok

It's been ok since last friday, then this morning on my way to work, I revved past an ass doing 20 in a 50 zone and then my tach died to 0, so I dropped out of gear and back in, and nothing, I couldn't get my engine/drive to go anywhere.
The engine was on (you could hear it running), I had the car in first but it wouldn't rev or move. I turned it off and back on and it was doing a 'studder' move and I was finally able to get to work, but I don't know what's wrong.....anyone???

I've had a code 1 (o2 sensor) flashing for like 2 weeks, but if that were the problem it'd happen all the time and it doesn't =( what do i do??? =( Please help and thanks in advance =)

[BLU CIVIC]

what year? and sounds like transmission problems...

[tjsbabe]

it's an 89

ok, so I went and reset the computer, took it for a drive, and when i rev over 3000 the tach still jumps...it won't smoothly move from 3-4 it gets SO jumpy. The computer isn't flashing any codes now but the car and tach are still really jumpy. As well, I noticed that apparently I lost 1/8 tank of gas in like 10 blocks. Could all these problems be linked??? what is the problem??? please help =)

[amy@af]

if it acts like you're hitting a rev limiter around 3-4000 rpm it's your coil or ignitor. you know how to check for spark? that's where i'd start.

[tjsbabe]

no, i don't know how to check for spark and don't really feel like looking it up...lol...can you brief me, please =) the engine doesn't feel like it doesn't wanna go any further it just gets jumpy (engine and tach), it won't hold at the high rpm like a rev limiter does, it jumps

[tjsbabe]

one guy on another forum is saying that it could be the o2 sensor not sending the right info to the computer and robbing the system, could that be possible???

[CRXperiment]

Originally Posted by tjsbabe

one guy on another forum is saying that it could be the o2 sensor not sending the right info to the computer and robbing the system, could that be possible???

You have dizzy problems, that o2 code is probably indicative of you running rich due to all the unburned fuel that is not getting ignited. A jumpy tach always points to your dizzy.

[tjsbabe]

'dizzy'??? is there a way to check the ignitor without changing it???

[BLU CIVIC]

dizzy = distributor

[tjsbabe]

oh *blushing* sorry =) I'm familiar with cars just not some of the 'lingo' =) thanks =)

[FrodoGT]

All of those sensors are located inside the dizzy, and the tach gets its signal right from it.

[tjsbabe]

isn't the o2 sensor hooked to the header?

[Hybrid1990crx]

Like Amy said, your Ignitor and Coil are going bad and sending out fucked up signals. Replace them and you will be fine.

But you aren't hitting rev limiter like she said, im not sure where she got that from. The tach is jumping around because it gets its input from the coil and ignitor and when they are on the fritz the tach signal gets all messed up.

[tjsbabe]

she said 'feels like' hitting a rev limiter =) the feel of the jumpy engine in association with my jumpy tach =)

[tjsbabe]

thanks everyone =) I'm gonna try both the o2 sensor and the ignitor and go from there =) the ignitor is $80 and the o2 sensor is $60...so not too bad =)