Car running like crap....CEL, backfires... - Honda Prelude Forum

Frost_White94Si · 01-30-2002, 12:58 AM

ok, about a week ago i got a CEL out of nowhere.... turned off the car and then tured it back on and it was gone... then the car started running kinda funny... gurgling when engine braking, a backfire once in a while... missing when cruising on the highway when not giving it much gas. when accelerating at a slow rate at low RPM's it feels like it doesnt have any power then all of the sudden it kinda surges... the CEL has been coming and going, and tonight it seemed to have no low end power at all.... it runs fine when accelerating at WOT or even half-throttle...

could this be the O2 sensor... i bought an A/F ratio guage over X-mas and it doesnt even register. under WOT acceleration it will occasionally register the leanest few LED's..... and when O2 sensors go bad i think they are supposed to start reading lean....

any suggestions on a course of action to take?

Prelude2War · 01-30-2002, 04:42 AM

i have a bad o2 sensor and it doesnt do that, are you getting enough fuel to the mixture? i would check into that.... (clean the injectors and such)

Frost_White94Si · 02-01-2002, 12:23 AM

how would i go about cleaning the injectors.... actually come to think of it it does seem like a fuel problem... have u ever ran a car out of gas... that is kind of the phenomenon im experienceing... cutting out like its not getting fuel....

OutlawLude · 03-17-2002, 02:19 PM

Try replacing the, distributor. My car used to do that and it turned out to be a bad cylinder position sensor. You have to buy the whole distributor for that part.

BlueLude1 · 03-17-2002, 03:33 PM

Could be the O2 sensor if ur car has 70K or so might as well change it an dont let someone sell u one for $160 like autozone thast crazy. Change your fuel filter also that does wonders an yeah check cap an rotor a plugs. other than that if u are stuck on it being the injectors send em to RC an they will clean anblueprint em for $25 a piece I have heard this i thte best way to do it. Good luck

92VTEC · 03-18-2002, 10:12 AM

I would try some basic maintenance first....plugs, wires, cap and rotor....these minor things could cause the problem.

Dave 92 VTEC

AZNSE95 · 03-18-2002, 10:28 AM

It could be your fuel pump acting up also. My cousin's car had that problem and it was one of his wires from his fuel pump. Some how it got loose and did the same thing that you are experiencing...just a thought...

Frost_White94Si · 03-18-2002, 11:34 PM

ok here is the update....

i took the car to the local honda dealership and they ran a diagnostic... the CEL was a low TPS sensor signal voltage... i put in a new 02 sensor and this didnt correct the problem, but the car has been running pretty good lately... i also figured out something with the AF guage... i tapped into the wrong wire (thinking it was the 02 sensor wire) but my friend says he thinks it was the TDC sensor or something like that... i re-soldered the wires and everthing and it seems to have helped... but just tonight the CEL came on again... maybe there is 2 seperate problems here, because the hesitation thing is now gone, but the CEL is still there.... the Zex kit requires you to tap into the TPS wire, do you think this could be causing a problem??

evolude · 03-20-2002, 07:34 PM

ever figure out the problem? check out this forum... maybe you can help us.

Loss of power at after 3,000 rpm?

Nocturnal · 03-21-2002, 11:34 AM

The TPS wire will cause you all sorts of problems. WHen I had ZEX on my auto '99, those damn "crimp" connections didn't make a good connection and the car ran like ****. If it's an auto, the TPS sensor has alot to do with when the car shifts, how it shifts, when the Torque converter locks, etc. My advice to you would be to solder and shrink wrap the TPS sensor (and the ZEX activation wire) if you're still using it.

As for the other signs, my car is currently doing the exact same thing. If you find out why you're "bogging" at low RPMs, let me know. You're right, it does feel like you're running out of gas.

BoostedH24 · 03-21-2002, 02:01 PM

My lude was doing that also i was thinking if it was a fuel problem the 1st thing that i checked was the fuel pressure regulator i pulled the vaccum line off it and plugged it that way the fuel pressure was at whatever the pump can push. It seems fine so im going to try an after market FPR
Now i have a MIL code 43 i think which is the Heated O2 circut what my shop manual says is if i get the code and it is with bad diveability then go to fuel supply there. I go to poor perpormance misfire or rough running, it says 1st check the fuel injectors 2nd contaminated fuel 3rd is FPR then i look down the page and where is says Loss of power it says check 1st fuel filter then contamanated fuel 3rd is fuel pressure regulator and pump
since i am more or less going to up grade my fuel system i figure i will catch it somewhere hopefully which is why i have a tread in the FI section about fuel systems hope this helps

evolude · 03-21-2002, 03:13 PM

It could be the distrubutor or the ignitor.

I have a brand new one for sale.... along with many Prelude parts.

http://www.evotuners.com/forsale.htm