Still spitting and sputtering???????

[1989_cash_eater]

Does anyone know why my 1989 Civic Dx Hatchback with the 1.5l (5 speed manual) bogs down and almost stalls at low rpms when I give it gas??? I replaced the O2 sensor, and that did nothing. I just replaced the plug wires about a month ago and that solved the problem for a little while. But now it's doing it again?? I also replaced the fuel filter and checked the air filter. Has anyone else had this trouble?

[88_SC_CRX_Si]

When was the last time, the timing has been checked...?

What color are the plugs, and are/were they uniform...?

Are you smelling fuel/gas or seeing smoke out the exhaust, when this happening...?

[origamiguru]

Hey man,

I have the same problem (with the same year/engine/tranny combo). I can't figure out what it is either! it seems to be worse in hot weather for me (I have had the main fuel relay replaced after the no-start while hot problem without any help)

-Adam.

[KoRnSaQ]

This might sound stupid, but you said you replaced the plug wires, did you replace the plugs to, cause that could do that

[mr.death]

I had that problem once. It turned out to be the distributor. Check it out.

[88_SC_CRX_Si]

Originally Posted by origamiguru

Hey man,

I have the same problem (with the same year/engine/tranny combo). I can't figure out what it is either! it seems to be worse in hot weather for me (I have had the main fuel relay replaced after the no-start while hot problem without any help)

-Adam.

Might check the ECT sensor, it's located under the dist. sticking out from the the head, with two wires coming off of it. When it starts to fail, it will tell the ECU the engine is cold, and needs to increase the injector pulse width. Even tho the engine is at operating temp or higher from heat soaking. By doing that, it will flood the engine, and won't let it start...

Just a thought...

[Hybrid1990crx]

But if the ECU thought the engine was cold, it would constantly have a high idle, wouldn't it?

[88_SC_CRX_Si]

Originally Posted by Hybrid1990crx

But if the ECU thought the engine was cold, it would constantly have a high idle, wouldn't it?

If you could get it started, yes it probably would, but it's just flooding out instead. There was something about a little wax pellet built into the sensor. After time it starts getting lazy, and thats when the hard starting will start occuring, when at/past operating temp. I ran across this "sometime" ago from Tech2Tech, if any are familiar with that site.

[1989_cash_eater]

It went away. I had the timing adjusted the other day, I had put new plugs in the car about 8 months ago, (bosch plantium plugs). I figure that it was either water in my gas or the exhaust. My exhaust is pretty fucked up. I think the muffler is rusted out inside, I definitely have a hole in my exhaust, and I probably still have the original cat. converter.

I think that may have been the problem. But did anyone else try those bosch plug wires, OEM type? It seems that they don't cover up the top of the valve cover holes where the plug wires go into. Could water get in there?

Thanks for the responses.