I have a 1998 Civic LX. Shortly after we bought it, if we didn't let it run a little before it would hesitate. So we would let it idle until the idle dropped down to where it sounds like it was going to quit, though shortly the motor would catch it I guess and cause the idle to jump up and then it is fine to take off and not hesitate. It stopped doing this for a little while. It has started back except in a way it seems to be worse now. Currently we can let it run for a little while and thhen try and take off and it will hesitate and then take off. After starting down the road it feels like it is about to quit and pull over and give it a moment and it will be better, though the RPM hand goes up and down slightly. I have pulled some codes even though no light is on. Either the light is shot or the place unhooked it, haven't taken the gauge box to see.

The codes when I first hooked it up to was as follows:

P0303 Cyl 3 Misfire
P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below threshhold Bank 1
P0133 02 Circuit Slow Response bank 1, sensor 1

I have the Freeze Frame data

Fuel Sys 1 closed loop Calc load 73.7%
Engine Coolant temp 186
STFT Bank 1 5.4%
LTFT Bank 1 8.5%
Intake Pressure 22.4 in.hg
Engine RPM 2074 RM
Vehicle Speed 3 MPG
Intake Air temp 111
Throttle Position 22.7

I cleared the data and the only code I have gotten so far is the P0133 twice.

 

I also changed from auto lite plugs to ngk . Seems I read that a distributor rotor can cause some hesitation though I dunno about it doing it only when cold


The image above is of the rotor. The silver area is mostly clean looking though one area is black like it has been burned a Lil. Sorry it isn't that good of quality of a image. Should I replace?

 

If it misfires mostly at low rpm and heavy throttle, that is usually weak sparks. You should replace the plug wires. There's really no way to tell the wires are good or bad by looking at them or measuring resistance.

 

Thanks for replying. The writes are new, they are Beldon wires from Napa

 

Also usually don't give me problems when the car is warm. If the motor is cold it will usually after a few second will sound as motor is dying then will idle itself back up. If it is gonna do that and I try to take off it hesitates. Sometimes it won't do that and will cut off going down the road shortly after leaving the drive way.

 

Also after I changed the plus from auto lite platinum to ngk with copper. The cold start issue is worse meaning, with the autolite it would bog down like it is dying for a few seconds (longer but notvery long). With the ngk it bogs longer

 

The plug wires are new as well. beldon max