I am hoping someone has some wisdom with a problem I'm having on a 1990 Honda Civic DX (1.5 engine).

Basically, the car stalls. In most cases, it will happen when you floor it or the throttle is mostly open. This can be during idle or while driving. Sometimes it will restart no problem, other times it will not start for quite some time.

I have replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump, and cleaned the idle control valve. Hasn't helped.

Any suggestions or ideas? When it dies, it pretty much just cuts right out, although if you quickly ease of the accelerator you can sometimes keep it running. Also, it doesn't always die when you floor it, but if it does keep running it struggles for a second before revving.

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,

Dan

 

Do you also have like a loss of power such as dimming headlights? Becuase if you do, it could just be that you have a bad alternator.

 

Check for ECU codes (on these, pull down the carpet and look at the LED on the ECU itself).

Test the throttle position sensor (TPS) with a voltmeter. Connect voltmeter between the center wire and ground, with sensor still plugged in. Turn key on but don't start. Watch the voltage as you move the throttle slowly from closed to wide open (again, engine not running). It should vary smoothly from about 0.5 to 4.5 volts.

 

I am working on a car with a similar problem. When it warms up, it idles down, and keeps going until shutdown. Start it up, and it barely runs. Put your foot into it, and it sputters , cuts up, and finally when feels like it, it revs up in neutral, and has zero power. The car already has a new dizzy, and is in dire need of wires, but it runs like a champion on start up...

 

Got the same problem with my 92 Civic ferio (168+ k), problems started about one month ago.

Replaced battery, ICM and coil and still the engine stalls. At speeds up to 15mph it tends to suddenly stall, at speeds up to 30mph it jerks and eventually stalls. No trouble at higher speeds. After engine stalled I smelled some burnt oil last few times, also the oil pressure lit up. Checked oil level, looks fine.

Honda mechanic said they couldn’t find the main relay, said it’s a different system. Have you guys ever heard that before? Is that even possible?

After doing research it seems other possible causes are:
- faulty ignition switch (although the oil light lit up after the car stalled, does this mean the switch works?)
- distributor / distributor housing (the Honda mechanics found a crack in the distributor cap and the rotor catching)
- idle air control valve
- fuel pump (I cannot hear it running when I turn my key to the “ON” position I just hear one click)
- crank shaft sensor
- rear bank coilpack

What are your thoughts?
Any help very much appreciated!

 

Has any of you with the similar issue did anything to the car prior stalling?

Just want to back track if possible.

 

Bet you it's the spark plugs shorting out on excess oil stuck in the spark plug tubes. Sounds similar to my issue, but a faulty TPS was also part of the problem.

 

The car I was asking about was taken to a shop, so , I do not know...

 

Paletti, does your car have a dual carburetor system instead of fuel injection? User "honvic" from Australia posted several pictures of his car with that system but I can't find them right away now. That type of system was never used on the USA models so I don't know much about it.

If it stalls and won't restart right away, check during the time that it won't restart whether the ignition is firing sparks.

It could be starving for fuel (clogged fuel line or filter, etc). I think the carburetors have sight glasses on the side to see if the bowl is full of fuel.

 

Thanks for your help.

Don't know about the double carburetor but I doubt it.

Car is now parked and won't start at all. Ignition is firing sparks during cranking but won't go.

I suspect there's something wrong with the fuel pump, can not hear it when I turn the key to the II position.