Honda Car Forum

Im having a problm with my rpm jumping around then the car dies

Need more info. Get the codes scanned.


--
alphalanos
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"st1r" <shaynecarroll@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:e8a216ccfa6aab36d71781dc9fbbfcf2@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com:

> Im having a problm with my rpm jumping around then the car dies
>



Fluctuating idle is usually one of two things:
1) Great big air leak (often the Fast Idle Thermo Valve), or
2) Low coolant.

Start by checking the fluid level in the RAD with the car COLD. If that's
OK, remove the air cleaner pipe amd cover the LOWER port in the throttle
body with your fingers. Does the idle settle down?

More detail about your car would help a lot.
* When exactly this "jumping" occurs
* Mileage
* Transmission type
* Car's history
* Recent work preformed
* Recently neglected maintenance items
* etc.

--
Tegger

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

st1r wrote:

> Im having a problm with my rpm jumping around then the car dies

My first guess is a bad igniter.

"High Tech Misfit" <me@privacy.net> wrote
> st1r wrote:
>
>> Im having a problm with my rpm jumping around then the
>> car dies
>
> My first guess is a bad igniter.

Likewise. But definitely do the checks Tegger gave. My next
candidate for the cause of the problem is the ignition coil.
See Tegger's great site at the following link for more help
with these, especially checking the igniter and coil:

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#startrun

"Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in news:%BPAh.2296
$Jl.2261@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net:

> "High Tech Misfit" <me@privacy.net> wrote
>> st1r wrote:
>>
>>> Im having a problm with my rpm jumping around then the
>>> car dies
>>
>> My first guess is a bad igniter.
>
> Likewise.



It could be, but the the OP's description is hopelessly vague. Igniters
usually fail outright, resulting in a stall, then a later restart.

He hasn't got a tach unless he's got an Si or has installed one himself, so
his description of the RPM jumping" might actually be "bucking".

And if it's bucking, then it could be a whole pile of things from bad wires
to a bad coil to who knows what else. How long does it jump/buck before it
dies? We do not know. Does it happen hot, cold, or during warmup? We do not
know.

We're all guessing here until he comes up with a better description of the
symptoms.



--
Tegger

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

About four months ago, I bought a $200 '82 Civic parts car that ran. In
fact, it would start up everytime but before it warmed to operating
temperature, it would "buck" violently. The colder the weather, the
worse the problem.

My overall experience kept whispering, "vacuum advance, vacuum advance."
Finally, I disconnected the hose to the advance, plugged it with a
bolt and the car ran great! So much so, it is registered and a daily
driver.

It does have an issue... Low compression on #2 cylinder of 100 psi with
the blow by to boot. I see a ring job in the not-so-far future as
otherwise, this car is very dependable and even though it has a weak
cylinder, it still has good power in spite of consuming a quart of oil
every 300 miles.

Sometimes, the solution is like a snake ready to strike...

JT





Tegger wrote:

> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in news:%BPAh.2296
> $Jl.2261@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net:
>
>
>>"High Tech Misfit" <me@privacy.net> wrote
>>
>>>st1r wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Im having a problm with my rpm jumping around then the
>>>>car dies
>>>
>>>My first guess is a bad igniter.
>>
>>Likewise.
>
>
>
>
> It could be, but the the OP's description is hopelessly vague. Igniters
> usually fail outright, resulting in a stall, then a later restart.
>
> He hasn't got a tach unless he's got an Si or has installed one himself, so
> his description of the RPM jumping" might actually be "bucking".
>
> And if it's bucking, then it could be a whole pile of things from bad wires
> to a bad coil to who knows what else. How long does it jump/buck before it
> dies? We do not know. Does it happen hot, cold, or during warmup? We do not
> know.
>
> We're all guessing here until he comes up with a better description of the
> symptoms.
>
>
>

alphalanos wrote:
> Need more info. Get the codes scanned.

The model & year might be useful as well.

You do have a Honda, right?