Technical Topics specific to the Hatchback body - NOT where you post pics/build specs of your car.
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By 92_eghatch
#238516 ok... i originally had the problem about 3 weeks ago, i assumed it was my o2 sensor, so i bought a new one and replaced it. i also had a CEL and that went away after i changed it. i drove it around town real quick and it ran fine, didn't chug. i took across town a couple days ago and it dhugged a little but after that it was fine. today i drove it to my GF's house which was about an hour away and didnt have problems with it until i got to her house. we went into flint for lunch and when we were leaving olive garden it had a really weird whining noise, almost like a power steering pump has when it's empty. BUT, i dont have PS on my car. so that's ruled out. coolant is also at a good level. still no CEL through all this. on my way back just a little while ago, it started chugging again. and eventually it started losing speed, but maintained RPM's. it started chugging a little while later after i got it to gain speed again. i ended up stopping to get gas. after i got gas it ran fine up until i got into bay city and it started chugging again. and it has a new hesitation like it has a head gasket problem...(yay....) when i was in flint, it had a problem with idling really low as well. almost like it wanted to stall, but didn't... it didn't do that much, maybe twice.

out of all this mess. can anybody figure out whats going on? why would it chug after changing the o2 sensor. ? why would it lose speed, but maintain rpm's? what would cause it to idle low?
By Adrian91
#239108 i got the exact same problem but mine doesnt make that winey noise. people on here told me it could be a fuel/fuel pressure problem or an ignition problem, plugs wires cap rotor, dizzy?! im still trying to find out the problem. please let me know when you find out, ill do the same
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By LaosToaster
#239143 im thinking its ur fuel pump giving up on u, or ur fuel filter is getting clogged. maybe low fuel pressure.
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By ghskid06
#239148 yeah you both should check your fuel pressure. Considering itdoes better sometimes than others im inclined to think fuel also. Clog or pump going out. I kind of doubt its elextical inless you have a grounded out wire somewhere.
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By 92_eghatch
#239303 hmmmm, i would have guessed it was the fuel system. i'll run through it and check things out. when i had my teg and the mechanics installed the wrong fuel pump it whined. so....the whine could be my fuel pump taking a poo on me. i still don't know how old the plugs and wires are, so i'll do them anyway...

(on that note, does anybody know the gap specs for hondas? are they all the same, or change for each engine? i have a d15b6)

i'll check my fuel filter this weekend. and i'll buy a fuel pressure tester and see what it's running at. what are the specs for pressure as well?

i'll keep those who have the same problem up to date.

on the fuel system note, should i clean or replace my injectors while i'm at it? kind of an after thought?
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By ghskid06
#239322 honda injectors are expensive. If there isnt something wrong with them i say leave them alone. Im not sure of the pressure specs, youll know if its too low. But just remember if there is a blockage or something in the filter or gas tank or if your fuel pump is going out it may read perfectly well while your car isnt acting up.
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By 92_eghatch
#239325 yeah, it doesn't do it all the time. just seems to do it when i drive it a lot in one day. i think i read on google that pressure should be around 38 psi. but im not sure if that's at idle? i've never checked a honda. i'll look to see if there's a DIY on here.
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By LaosToaster
#239331 can u confirm if the whining is coming from the fuel tank?? the fuel pump should not whine but have a humming noise while the car is running. if u can hear the humming noise louder than usually i think it might mean its not even sucking in any fuel to pump it to ur engine but rather pumping air. just a theory?? :?
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By 92_eghatch
#239745 i popped the hood while it was nice and cold and still whining. it sounded like it was either the AC pump, the tensioner pulley for the AC, or the water pump area, or the fuel rail area. but why it would whine by the fuel area is beyond me. BUT, bearings could be going bad in the AC pump, the tensioner pulley or the water pump. my best educated guess anyway. im giong to take the belt off the AC and see if that solves the problem. if so i'll most likely remove the AC altogether. MI heat sucks, but i've gone through FL heat without AC, or purposely not running AC so... i think i can tolerate no AC up here.
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By 92_eghatch
#239909 ok so i changed my plugs and wires, and let it get up to temperature before i drove it. the chugging has stopped, but it still drops rpms by at least 2-300 every couple minutes. and when i was taking the plugs out i found oil collecting around number 3. isn't there a rubber seal that goes on the buttom of the valve cover that seals that? if it's not that rubber seal, i'm assuming i have a head gasket problem?
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By ghskid06
#239910 that wouldnt be a head gasket problem. There are little seals that go on the bottom of your valve cover where you plugs go in to keep oil from the valvetrain out. If your missing that seal then that is probably where your oil is coming in.

If you dont have that seal...well its still not going to be your headgasket. That would probably be your rings. Does your exhaust smoke when you are at high rpms?

As far as the rpm drops, 2-300 isnt much and is probably just something power draining kicking on and off. That can be caused by things like your ac compressor kicking on or it could be your cooling fan. Make sure your ac button isnt on and listen to see if the cooling fan is kicking on at the same time that your rpms drop.
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By 92_eghatch
#239912 i live in MI, so no AC at the moment lol. and fan never kicks on. i've had the car for about a month and it hasn't kicked on once yet. car maintains a very steady temperature.

i checked for any type of vacuum leak thinking it might have been that causing it, but everything looks normal, all the vacuum lines surprisingly look new.

i know i can jump the service plug, but i have no idea where to find it. i know there's the CEL codes DIY on here and it explains where to look. i pulled my ecu out of the kick panel area and didn't see anything. and there's no plug on the driver side.
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By ghskid06
#239913 ahh, i just got my del sol from bay city. The snow is terrible, and the "plows" didnt even have plows?!?! lol. Im sure its nice durring the summer though.

How long does the drop in rpms last? does it immediately go back up or does it take some time?
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By 92_eghatch
#239914 last for maybe 5-10 seconds then pops back up to about 9-950. it's probly a power surge of some sort, but i have no idea where it's coming from.
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By ghskid06
#239915 And is the whine always there too?