I just bought this 91 Honda Civic LX 5 speed as a beater and I am in the process of working out the problems. Have most everything taken care of except this hesitation problem. It is more noticable at the lower RPM band when I am accelerating. In the worst cases, it feels like the car is shutting off then restarting again. I'm a DSM guy, and on my Laser when you stay with the 1G maf, you will get fuel cut when the maf is overrun when you turn up the boost and such. It almost feels like this on the civic sometimes. Other times it is a very slight almost unnoticable hesition unless you really try to feel for it. I have already replaced the plugs and put a new fuel filter on and I am thinking this is a possible fuel pump or regulator becasue it idles perfect and the plug wires, cap and rotor look good. Suggestions anyone?

 

Oh yeah one more thing. Under full throttle the car feels very sluggish almost to the point to where partial throttle seems to accelerate better. I know the massive 70 HP this thing is probably making isn't going to make it fast, but I didn't think it would be this slow? Once again, thinking possible fuel pump becuse it is not getting enough fuel for the increased air flow at full throttle.

 

I had problems like you describe when my coil tower in the distributor was dirty, it finally quit on me. The other time I had troubles like that I had an electrical problem, short in the wiring. I used to have a mitsubishi and it started doing that when the alternator went out and the battery got too low.

 

Ah thanks for that. My distrubitor and everything in it looks brand new. But....my battery light fickers on and off all the time so possibly that could be the culprit. I know I need to replace the battery terminals because they are loose and corroded.