[Paul]

so lately the cars ben acting weird.. when im driving the car feels like i lost alot of power and its running funny... its not always doing it just id say about 30% of the time...

ill be driving shift into 2nd and it feels like bAM half the engine power was just lost and the engine sounds like its bogging or something like that

it will do that threw most of the gears sometimes in 1st

no idea what could be causing that but it seems to slowly be getting worse

 

[baker_jeff]

Injectors, clogged fuel filter?

 

[downest]

I would say it's a timing issue, but it's not consistent. Check your distributor and make sure it's bolted in all the way and not moving.

 

[red89si]

Have you ever done a tune-up? If not then thatd be the first thing Id do..Basically what everyone so far has mentioned is all tune up related, and prices on most of that stuff arent too bad. Basically plugs(NGK), wires(HONDA or NGK), fuel filter(WIX or HONDA), and cap and rotor(HONDA). It probably wouldnt hurt to run a decent pour-in fuel injector cleaner either, theres one sold locally at fusionworks racing, a few other shops,(a couple of dealer parts too) called BG 44K, stuff works AWESOME, you wont get it for cheap, (8-15 dollars per can) but its worth it 8)

 

[dohcrxl]

ill be driving shift into 2nd and it feels like bAM half the engine power was just lost and the engine sounds like its bogging or something like that

it will do that threw most of the gears sometimes in 1st

You sorta describe what a lazy oxygen sensor does. In first gear you have to feather the clutch more to get the car going so it's not as noticeable. In other upshifts, the clutch is pressed and depressed in a split second. When you let off the gas and get on it again, there's a big change in what the o2s will read in that transition. If the sensor is lazy or slow to respond, you get a short bog at the beginning of the gear you just shifted into because the ECU doesn't know what's going on yet.

 

[Paul]

i ran a bottle of fuel injector cleaner the other day before i posted this because i thought it might be in the injectors...but it was only a 3 dollar bottle at the gas station...so should i get a more expensive kind?

about 8 months ago i replaced the spark plugs with the bosch platinum series and i replaced the air filter....ive never checked the timing because i have no idea how to do that....how do i check a fuel filter?

 

[Paul]

ill be driving shift into 2nd and it feels like bAM half the engine power was just lost and the engine sounds like its bogging or something like that

it will do that threw most of the gears sometimes in 1st

You sorta describe what a lazy oxygen sensor does. In first gear you have to feather the clutch more to get the car going so it's not as noticeable. In other upshifts, the clutch is pressed and depressed in a split second. When you let off the gas and get on it again, there's a big change in what the o2s will read in that transition. If the sensor is lazy or slow to respond, you get a short bog at the beginning of the gear you just shifted into because the ECU doesn't know what's going on yet.

and you just pretty much described whats going on

 

[red89si]

about 8 months ago i replaced the spark plugs with the bosch platinum series and i replaced the air filter....ive never checked the timing because i have no idea how to do that....how do i check a fuel filter?

First off, get those bosch platinums out of there and get some NGK vpower
plugs, if you replace the o2 sensor about all youll be able to find will be bosch or OE honda locally, but there doesnt seem to be any major malfunctions with their o2 sensors so you should be alright. Bosch platinum plugs are pretty much the bottom of the barrel as far as platinum plugs go. Your average platinum plug is good for 100000 miles, the bosch platinum plug is only good for 60000 miles on all of the platinum line. Plus, the NGKs are only 2-3 bux per plug, and most places that sell the bosch will sell the NGK offering too.

If youve never checked the fuel filter, or know where it is, it should be right next to the charcoal canister on the firewall. If youve never replaced it, it wouldnt hurt to do it, the wix or OE honda application will run you anywhere from 15-20 depending on which one you go with, and those are the only 2 Id recommend...

 

[Dodo]

You may also what to upgrade your fuel grade. Ive been running 89 oct in mine and never have a problem. That would help the O2 sencer as well. With the way gas prices are its hard to upgrade, but its worth it.

 

[dohcrxl]

and you just pretty much described whats going on

Then in that case I think it's safe to put a hold on all that other stuff you're looking into and get yourself a new bosh 02s first. If I'm able to describe what you didn't go into great detail about, it's probably the problem. You'll need an oxygen sensor socket too - additional 10 bucks. Secret to removing is heat as in mapp or at least propane.

 

[dohcrxl]

You may also what to upgrade your fuel grade. Ive been running 89 oct in mine and never have a problem. That would help the O2 sencer as well. With the way gas prices are its hard to upgrade, but its worth it.

If your engine was designed to run on 87 octane, going higher will not cure whatever problems you MAY have internally. Meaning if it's a stock usdm issue CRX engine, all you need is 87. Going to a higher grade fuel to fix a tuning issue is putting a bandaid on a permanent problem. If for example your stock CRX engine is pinging and knocking on 87 octane and you switch to a higher grade and it helps the problem, it's only a matter of time before you'll start pinging and knocking on 89 as well.

 

[Paul]

alright thanks for all the help....the o2 sensor is the lil dealy that screws into the exhaust manifold right?? looks kinda like a weird spark plug..or am i just completly way off

 

[dohcya]

you're correct paul =)

oh yeah, dont try and pull it out after the car has been running....

hurts like a motha =P

 

[rex2nr]

word <looks at the scar on the back of my hand between thumb and index finger> Doh!!!!!!!!

 

[dohcya]

LOL. ditto.

and don't try and pick up your oil rag that fell down when you checked your oil. you'd think that after burning yourself a couple times that it would click after a while.... hah

 

[Kwicko]

Heu: Would the "lazy" O2 sensor act up in the way you describe and NOT throw any kind of code (like a code 1)? If so, you've also just described a li'l something my '91 Accord has been doing for a while. The car's got no codes, but it just isn't *feeling* like it's quite right.

And I remember buying a new O2 sensor for it, but now that I think about it, I don't remember putting it in. Or at least not in that car. I seem to remember needing a 4-wire O2 sensor to complete a mini-me project for a customer, so we used the one I had on hand. And of course I never bothered to replace the one in the Accord.

Guess I better start planning my weekend...

1) Change out the head gasket on the '91 CRX (Ruby)

2) Change the O2 sensor on the Accord.

3) Hope those two projects cure all my ills.

Mike

 

[dohcrxl]

Yes Mike, a lazy o2s may never even throw a code. I know this for a fact because my old EF 4 door did it, or rather didn't do it.

 

[Paul]

well the new exhaust should be here friday or by next week so when that comes in ill go pick up a new sensor.. dont even wanna bother taking the old one out of the rusty header...