Honda Car Forum

I bought a used honda this week which stalls almost once a day which
didnt happen for the 20+ miles I test drove it. Although the problem
cannot be reproduced consistently, it has happened during braking at
signals, peak hour traffic. Before I forget, I know next to nothing
about automobiles and all the comments below are from mechanics who
have worked on the car.

The used car inspection listed the following issues
1. small leaks in exhaust, oil pan and left axle
2. rough/low idle
3. distributor cap & rotor, spark plug & wires (this was listed as OK
for the next few months)

I had the exhaust and left axle leaks fixed as they were the major
issues. A quick note here, the exhaust leak used to cause the engine to
make a whirring sound at 2500rpm. The mechanic checked this out and
told me that some fool had messed around with the catalytic converter
heat shielding and had cut into the converter. The mechanic welded this
back and the whirring sound did stop. This is fine now i.e. no whirring
sound.

The rest of the issues I postponed until the next servicing. And after
it stalled once, I took it to a different mechanic where he replaced
the battery wires and test drove it before declaring it fine. He did
say something about the battery, alternator and stall all being linked,
although it didnt make much sense.

I now plan to change the distributor cap & rotor, spark plug & wires
(Hopefully this should fix the problem!!!). Coming to my questions now

1. The oil pan leak was said to be "very light around the oil pan
gasket", and the mechanic assured me it should be fine till the next
servicing. How serious is this issue and could this be the reason
behind the stall?
2. While I am getting the distributor cap & rotor, spark plug & wires
changed is there anything else that may need to be replaced(A fuel
filter/air filter or the likes)??
3. Any other inputs for stalling issue? I have seen discussions about
main relays, igniters and th likes.
4. The battery load test and alternator specs were fine. Can this still
be an alternator issue as mentioned by the mechanic??

I would greatly appreciate your inputs on this and more than ready to
provide you with any information I may have missed here that you would
be interested in.

Thanks

raghavendra.b@gmail.com wrote in
news:1106726052.583482.198640@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com:


> 3. Any other inputs for stalling issue? I have seen discussions about
> main relays, igniters and th likes.
> 4. The battery load test and alternator specs were fine. Can this still
> be an alternator issue as mentioned by the mechanic??



Unless it's something I've never heard of, it's unlikely to be the
alternator.

Stalling is a typical Honda problem with common causes:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#stalling


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

raghavendra.b@gmail.com wrote:
> I bought a used honda this week which stalls almost once a day which
> didnt happen for the 20+ miles I test drove it. <SNIP>

---------------------------

The only thing we don't know about your new car is the mileage. You may
not have to change the spark plug wires. They seem to last forever. The
oil pan leak is often no worry either. Since the vehicle is new-to-you,
you should probably run a can of injector cleaner thru it, OR a couple
tanks of Gasohol, to clean out any sludge or water in the fuel system.
This may well cure the stalling. Read the owner's manual and look thru
the previous service records to get an understanding of what should be
done. If it was serviced at a Honda dealer (we don't know what country
you're in), they are very helpful and might give you reprints of recent
work orders. Again, depending on the mileage, the tranny fluid might
need to be changed, and the Timing Belt might be overdue.

Tell us more.....

'Curly'

"motsco_ _" <"motsco_ _"@interbaun.com> wrote in
news:41F7D082.70701@interbaun.com:

> raghavendra.b@gmail.com wrote:
>> I bought a used honda this week which stalls almost once a day which
>> didnt happen for the 20+ miles I test drove it. <SNIP>
>
> ---------------------------
>
> The only thing we don't know about your new car is the mileage. You may
> not have to change the spark plug wires. They seem to last forever.


I disagree with the "just about forever" statement. They do eventually
begin leaking voltage, especially in the wet. My approach is that if
they're more than 7 years old, replace them.


> oil pan leak is often no worry either. Since the vehicle is new-to-you,
> you should probably run a can of injector cleaner thru it, OR a couple
> tanks of Gasohol, to clean out any sludge or water in the fuel system.


Heh, water might do it. It would pass through the fuel filter and to the
injectors, which means there may be corrosion in the injectors or fuel
lines after the filter.

A Motorvac Carbon Clean service would be an excellent idea, if for no other
reason than to make certain the system is 100% after the fuel filter.

A failing EGR another possibility? Terry has seen trouble with low-speed
running due to an EGR sticking open.

Bad thermostat can confuse the ECU, causing stalling.


> This may well cure the stalling. Read the owner's manual and look thru
> the previous service records to get an understanding of what should be
> done. If it was serviced at a Honda dealer (we don't know what country
> you're in),


He appears to be in Minnesota.




--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

The mileage on the honda is 109k and the car is in MN, USA. The
transmission fuild and the timing belt have been changed by the
previous owner.

Another development since the post, it stalled when it was idling in
the garage this morning (I usually let the car warm up for a couple of
minutes before driving) but didnt stall while running (7 mile journey)

raghavendra.b@gmail.com wrote in
news:1106764785.770810.73090@f14g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com:

> The mileage on the honda is 109k and the car is in MN, USA. The
> transmission fuild and the timing belt have been changed by the
> previous owner.
>
> Another development since the post, it stalled when it was idling in
> the garage this morning



What speed was the engine turning when it was warming up?

If cold, it should have flared to about 1,500-1,700rpm on a start, then
settled to about 1,300-1,500rpm, then dropped steadily as the car warmed
up, until it hit 700rpm or so.

Does it idle at a constant speed or does the idle cycle up and down a few
hundred revs?

What sort of throttle response do you get when you gas it? Any hesitation?

Does it drive better when warm or cold?

Does the temperature gauge get up to the half-way mark within 5-7 minutes
or so?

How is your heater output when full-warm?

Is it an automatic or a manual?

Need to know more here.



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

> What speed was the engine turning when it was warming up?
>
> If cold, it should have flared to about 1,500-1,700rpm on a start,
then
> settled to about 1,300-1,500rpm, then dropped steadily as the car
warmed
> up, until it hit 700rpm or so.
>
We have an un-insulated garage. So, yes, the temperature and the car
was cold (Its around 32F here). I usually open the garage and car door
and let the car idle while I am inside. So, didnt see how the
tachometer varied today morning, but the rpm rates are pretty close to
what you have written the other times that I have been in the car when
its idling (1500-1700 on start, 1300-1500 settle and slowly - over a
couple minutes - to 700-800)

> Does it idle at a constant speed or does the idle cycle up and down a
few
> hundred revs?
>
Idles at a constant gradual speed

> What sort of throttle response do you get when you gas it? Any
hesitation?
>
Nope. No hesitation

> Does it drive better when warm or cold?
>
I presume you are talking about the engine temperatures. I would say
the engine was just warming up when these stalls have happened. The
stalls have happened after idling (a couple of minutes) and within 5
miles of starting off. If it is the local weather temperatures - its
been around 32F.

> Does the temperature gauge get up to the half-way mark within 5-7
minutes
> or so?
>
Havent checked this. Too busy concentrating on the tachometer . Will
do it from now on.

> How is your heater output when full-warm?
>
The heater is awesome. It heats up the car real fast (We used to have a
1999 Camry and the heater on the Honda is better than the one on Camry)

> Is it an automatic or a manual?
>
Automatic

> Need to know more here.
>
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Some more updates based on a 5 miles drive I had just now.

1. This happened 4 miles after I started off and the car stalled even
when I was not braking. (So things have changed today, car stalled
during idling and while running at 50mph)

2. The "check engine" lights came on. I pulled over, restarted the car
(as per instructions in the manual), the "check engine" lights no
longer came on and it ran without problems from there.

Also, I was browsing through some other posts and saw a post mention
something called the PCV valve. Could this be a problem?

raghavendra.b@gmail.com wrote in
news:1106775937.516004.103110@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com:

> Some more updates based on a 5 miles drive I had just now.
>
> 1. This happened 4 miles after I started off and the car stalled even
> when I was not braking. (So things have changed today, car stalled
> during idling and while running at 50mph)
>
> 2. The "check engine" lights came on. I pulled over, restarted the car
> (as per instructions in the manual), the "check engine" lights no
> longer came on and it ran without problems from there.
>
> Also, I was browsing through some other posts and saw a post mention
> something called the PCV valve. Could this be a problem?
>
>




A blocked PCV valve will not cause stalling. It will cause oil to be pumped
into the intake manifold through the crankcase breather, and eventually
past the engine seals, causing leaks onto your driveway.


We need that error code from the Check Engine light:
Directly beneath the glove box there is a 2-prong connector clipped to a
holder (might be blue). Short the two pins with a bent paper clip, then
count the blinks of the Check Engine light. There may be long and short
blinks, and the sequence will repeat. Report that back here. It could give
us a clue.


Aaaaand, more questions:

1) So the car stalls both when you are idling at a light AND while you are
cruising at a fixed speed?

2) Does it stall when **FULLY WARMED UP**? (That means driving it for AT
LEAST 15 or 20 minutes.

3) When it dies, does it appear to be having trouble (shaking, sputtering,
etc) or does it just die out of the blue?

4) When it stalls at idle, do the revs appear to jump up and down, or are
they rock steady right up to the point when the engine dies?

5) When it stalls at speed, does the car seem to sputter or shake bfore it
dies, or does it just cut out?

6) Does it always restart on the first turn of the key, or does it require
extensive cranking before it fires up?

7)

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

> A blocked PCV valve will not cause stalling. It will cause oil to be
pumped
> into the intake manifold through the crankcase breather, and
eventually
> past the engine seals, causing leaks onto your driveway.
>
>
> We need that error code from the Check Engine light:
> Directly beneath the glove box there is a 2-prong connector clipped
to a
> holder (might be blue). Short the two pins with a bent paper clip,
then
> count the blinks of the Check Engine light. There may be long and
short
> blinks, and the sequence will repeat. Report that back here. It could
give
> us a clue.
>
Will give this a shot and report back when I have the results

>
> Aaaaand, more questions:
>
> 1) So the car stalls both when you are idling at a light AND while
you are
> cruising at a fixed speed?
>
I guess I must have confused you, so let me rephrase
Stall when braking to stop - around 5 times (over the last 2 weeks)
Stall when idling in garage - 1 time (today morning)
Stall when cruising on the highway - 1 time (today afternoon)

> 2) Does it stall when **FULLY WARMED UP**? (That means driving it for
AT
> LEAST 15 or 20 minutes.
>
I think I have driven the car for longer than 15-20 mins only 3 times
until now. And it has NOT stalled on any of these rides.

> 3) When it dies, does it appear to be having trouble (shaking,
sputtering,
> etc) or does it just die out of the blue?
>
It dies out of the blue

> 4) When it stalls at idle, do the revs appear to jump up and down, or
are
> they rock steady right up to the point when the engine dies?
>
As mentioned earlier, this has happened only once (today morning) and I
wasnt in the car when this happened. So, I dont really know.

> 5) When it stalls at speed, does the car seem to sputter or shake
bfore it
> dies, or does it just cut out?
>
It just cuts out.

> 6) Does it always restart on the first turn of the key, or does it
require
> extensive cranking before it fires up?
>
Usually it is extensive cranking. (NOTE: It was extensive until I
re-read the manual and found recommended technique to restart when
"Check Engine" lights came on. Using the technique suggested in the
manual, I can get it to restart in a turn or two)

> 7)
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/