Honda Car Forum

It was the alternator. Or I should say the voltage regulator, sending
out an intermittent over-voltage and disabling the ignition (or
disabling the ECU).

Wish I could say I figured it out, but the realization came only after
I swapped the alt under warranty due to an unrelated problem (no
voltage at the terminal which extinguishes the warning light on the
dash). And this only because I got a notice to report for emissions
testing; they won't test if any dash lights are on.

I should have guessed when, after replacing what I *thought* was the
last of my ignition components, the problem improved but didn't go
away, proving I still had an ignition problem somewhere.

Anyway, good to have that one solved; and I passed emissions too :-)
__________________
yjrybano2spam@yahoo.com (JerryR) wrote in message news:<fad358f6.0403190730.7ff8f21@posting.google.c om>...
> misterbeets@pop.netzero.net (JoeBeets) wrote in message news:<a33619ee.0403181647.4febf274@posting.google. com>...
> > Following up again: The problem returned, so the quest continues...
> >
> >
> > "Misterbeets" <misterbeets@removehotmail.com> wrote in message news:<Yy74c.85564$YN6.28911@nntp-post.primus.ca>...
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Just following up (see msg below) Based on my last few days of trouble-free
> > > driving, this $8 part--the last ignition component unchanged--was the
> > > culprit.
> > >
> > > Thanks for all the suggestions.
> > > JB
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "My engine (carb, AT) starts rapidly cutting out and in after 20 mins
> > > of driving. I lurch down the road with steady throttle but tach
> > > oscillating regularly between approx. 2000 and 2500, on a 1 second
> > > cycle.
> > >
> > > This will go on for several seconds, then it might run perfectly
> > > smooth for 100 yards, then resume. Putting it in neutral makes no
> > > difference. Eventually it starts to stumble and I have to pull over. I
> > > don't have to be cruising; first appearance was when it died at a red
> > > light.
> > >
> > > But if I shut off the engine, wait a couple minutes and restart, it
> > > goes away.
> > > I've already replaced the igniter/coil and ignition wires. The cap and
> > > rotor are recent, and I swapped the ECU. No dice.
> > >
> > > I'm thinking radio condenser next. It's unlikely, I know, but it's the
> > > last ignition component unchanged. If that's not it, I'll have to
> > > start looking at vacuum leaks. It doesn't seem like a fuel supply
> > > problem."
>
> I had an '85 accord LX(carb, AT) that had "some" of the symptoms you
> describe,
> (you could be describing "carburator icing")
> if your car has a "stove pipe"(the flexible hose that comes from
> around the exahust manifold, and goes into the air cleaner), verify
> that it's connected and/or not ripped or missing.
> Verify that the heated air door(in the air cleaner-right where the
> stove pipe connects)is operating. Don't assume that it's warm enough
> outside, and therefore the door need not operate
> In my case -the vaccum motor was operating, but the linkage to the
> door fell off the door.
> Hope this helps.
> JerryR

Following up: the stumble was not caused by the alternator after all.
I seem to notice a slight cyclical surging too, which leads me to
believe it's vacuum related, although it would have to be a HUGE leak
to kill an engine at open throttle, as it does.

Maybe we'll never know, at least until the problem gets worse. Until
then, it's still driveable over short distances, and, if it starts
stalling, I can always make it home by "rolling restarts" at 15-20
minute intervals.





misterbeets@pop.netzero.net (JoeBeets) wrote in message news:<a33619ee.0404190350.50f43cfd@posting.google. com>...
> It was the alternator. Or I should say the voltage regulator, sending
> out an intermittent over-voltage and disabling the ignition (or
> disabling the ECU).
>
> Wish I could say I figured it out, but the realization came only after
> I swapped the alt under warranty due to an unrelated problem (no
> voltage at the terminal which extinguishes the warning light on the
> dash). And this only because I got a notice to report for emissions
> testing; they won't test if any dash lights are on.
>
> I should have guessed when, after replacing what I *thought* was the
> last of my ignition components, the problem improved but didn't go
> away, proving I still had an ignition problem somewhere.
>
> Anyway, good to have that one solved; and I passed emissions too :-)
> __________________
> yjrybano2spam@yahoo.com (JerryR) wrote in message news:<fad358f6.0403190730.7ff8f21@posting.google.c om>...
> > misterbeets@pop.netzero.net (JoeBeets) wrote in message news:<a33619ee.0403181647.4febf274@posting.google. com>...
> > > Following up again: The problem returned, so the quest continues...
> > >
> > >
> > > "Misterbeets" <misterbeets@removehotmail.com> wrote in message news:<Yy74c.85564$YN6.28911@nntp-post.primus.ca>...
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > Just following up (see msg below) Based on my last few days of trouble-free
> > > > driving, this $8 part--the last ignition component unchanged--was the
> > > > culprit.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for all the suggestions.
> > > > JB
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "My engine (carb, AT) starts rapidly cutting out and in after 20 mins
> > > > of driving. I lurch down the road with steady throttle but tach
> > > > oscillating regularly between approx. 2000 and 2500, on a 1 second
> > > > cycle.
> > > >
> > > > This will go on for several seconds, then it might run perfectly
> > > > smooth for 100 yards, then resume. Putting it in neutral makes no
> > > > difference. Eventually it starts to stumble and I have to pull over. I
> > > > don't have to be cruising; first appearance was when it died at a red
> > > > light.
> > > >
> > > > But if I shut off the engine, wait a couple minutes and restart, it
> > > > goes away.
> > > > I've already replaced the igniter/coil and ignition wires. The cap and
> > > > rotor are recent, and I swapped the ECU. No dice.
> > > >
> > > > I'm thinking radio condenser next. It's unlikely, I know, but it's the
> > > > last ignition component unchanged. If that's not it, I'll have to
> > > > start looking at vacuum leaks. It doesn't seem like a fuel supply
> > > > problem."
>

On 1 May 2004 18:33:21 -0700, misterbeets@pop.netzero.net (JoeBeets)
wrote:

>Following up: the stumble was not caused by the alternator after all.
>I seem to notice a slight cyclical surging too, which leads me to
>believe it's vacuum related, although it would have to be a HUGE leak
>to kill an engine at open throttle, as it does.
>
>Maybe we'll never know, at least until the problem gets worse. Until
>then, it's still driveable over short distances, and, if it starts
>stalling, I can always make it home by "rolling restarts" at 15-20
>minute intervals.


Well, Joe, did you finally solve the problem? I really would like to
know as I also have a similar problem (see my post under "88 Accord
Ex-i Stumbles and bucks: on May 14.) It would be great if fyou would
post your finding here.

Thank you.

moi