Strange engine hesitation

[Puma]

spark plug wires are like 20 bucks. No time for that fancy jdm bs. you need regular-ass replacement parts. Do start by diagnosing plugs and wires first. I believe If it was some sensor, you would have a CEL. A bad igintion coil will not trigger a cell.

The hell you buy your plug wires at? I've never seen them that cheap.

 

[Hecz]

more like 25-30.

 

[Puma]

Still never saw them that cheap.

 

[JohnS.]

Same. I spent like $55 or so shipped for my NGK blue wires off the web. I'm looking at advanced auto parts online store and the cheapest I can find is $38.

 

[XpL0d3r]

My guess is MAP or an o2 sensor. I say o2 sensor because it could have a faulty / loose / sporadic connection and could be giving the ECU poor readings at random times. This is what happened to my car two years ago. It got so bad, I could FLOOR the pedal, and you could WALK past my car.

I also say MAP because I had a bogging issue related to a faulty MAP sensor. Caused me a whole bunch of problems because it was overlooked by my tuner, it caused the car to bog terribly and almost stall at times.

 

[JohnS.]

Hmmm... The O2 sensor probably only has like 30-40k on it? I got the car at 141k and I know I fouled it running seafoam through the car several years afterwards so there can't be that many miles on it.

Hopefully it is just a dirty MAP sensor. Heck I could probably gank one from a pick-and-pull if it needs to be replaced.

 

[XpL0d3r]

I'd say you can borrow mine to test, but it's a 4 BAR... lol But it should still work...

 

[Puma]

My guess is MAP or an o2 sensor. I say o2 sensor because it could have a faulty / loose / sporadic connection and could be giving the ECU poor readings at random times. This is what happened to my car two years ago. It got so bad, I could FLOOR the pedal, and you could WALK past my car.

I also say MAP because I had a bogging issue related to a faulty MAP sensor. Caused me a whole bunch of problems because it was overlooked by my tuner, it caused the car to bog terribly and almost stall at times.

Wouldn't either the MAP or o2 throw a code though?

 

[JohnS.]

Wouldn't either the MAP or o2 throw a code though?

Good point... Isn't an O2 sensor bog less violent? I mean my car shakes pretty violently when this happens and it literally BARELY moves. When I say violent, I mean I can put my phone in the 2nd din tray below the radio and it will bounce like crazy. And it's not like it goes away right away. So far, it will persist through the rest of the car ride and it goes away after I've let the car sit for a while. I used to have a CEL for an o2 sensor and the bog was nothing compared to this.

Would a dirty MAP throw a CEL? If a bad ignition coil wouldn't throw a CEL and a dirty or bad MAP would, maybe I should get a new distributor. Either way, I will still stick with:

1. Clean MAP & TPS
2. Check spark plugs

Then possibly get new spark plug wires and if that doesn't work, used distributor. There are a bunch of Honda heads on a local board. I'm sure someone would let me borrow a distributor to check.

 

[00siboy]

O2 sensors dont always throw a code. Downstream O2s mostly only throw a code if your cat is bad, and upstream O2s read a/f mixture, but I wouldn't start with O2s yet.

 

[XpL0d3r]

Wouldn't either the MAP or o2 throw a code though?

Neither did for me. If the O2 sensor is still giving readings the CEL might not show up. As for the MAP sensor, it didn't show up either but I think that has something to do with the tuner.

 

[JohnS.]

I took electrical cleaner to the MAP and TPS. Pretty sure that did nothing because they looked okay upon inspection. I checked the spark plugs and they were tan/creamy white and the electrodes looked mint. I pulled the dizzy cap off and when I looked inside of it, 1/3 of the inside was covered in that green/white powder that you see build up around battery terminals. I tried pulling the rotor off and it shattered into several pieces and the metal inner piece got stuck on the distributor shaft. I had to bang on it with a hammer to loosen it up and yanked it off with adjustable pliers.

So I installed a new dizzy rotor/cap and the car felt like it drove smoother but it probably was the same. I got on it a few times and it seemed okay. I guess we'll have to wait and see...

 

[00siboy]

ya that much buildup isn't a good thing, at least you can eliminate that now

 

[Hecz]

I took electrical cleaner to the MAP and TPS. Pretty sure that did nothing because they looked okay upon inspection. I checked the spark plugs and they were tan/creamy white and the electrodes looked mint. I pulled the dizzy cap off and when I looked inside of it, 1/3 of the inside was covered in that green/white powder that you see build up around battery terminals. I tried pulling the rotor off and it shattered into several pieces and the metal inner piece got stuck on the distributor shaft. I had to bang on it with a hammer to loosen it up and yanked it off with adjustable pliers.

So I installed a new dizzy rotor/cap and the car felt like it drove smoother but it probably was the same. I got on it a few times and it seemed okay. I guess we'll have to wait and see...

hmm. sounds like good news?

 

[00siboy]

hmm. sounds like good news?

judging by the butt dyno...

 

[mymmeryloss]

Always change cap, rotor, plugs and wires at the same time.

I would start there and then i would say tps next.

O2 sensor and catalytic converter next.

Always start cheap and easy and go from there.

 

[JohnS.]

I'm going to order wires and plugs right now. I'm not buying them from the dealership for $100.

edit - Nevermind...going to get the plugs from the dealership. Even ordering NGK V-Powers off the web comes to more than buying them from the dealership due to shipping. I'll pick them up once my spark plug wires show up.