Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
Thread Starter
3rd Gear Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 614
From: Richmond, VA
Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
Ok everyone, my friend lives in Falls Church, VA, and she is having some car problems. She has a 98 Honda Civic (manual) and this is what it's doing - when she is shifting from 1st to 2nd gear (and when she shifts out of 2nd), the RPMs go way down and in order to go into the next gear, she has to rev it up. Also, it shakes a little bit in 1st & 2nd gear and before she comes to a complete stop. She describes it as needing more "umph" or gas in order to get moving. A mechanic temporarily fixed this a year ago, but it started happening again recently. He told her she might want to get a new cap and rotor, ignition wires, and possibly spark plugs. To me, the spark or combustion made by this combo of parts wouldn't seem to have an effect on shifting between gears - am I wrong? Sounds to me like a computer problem. Any advice is grealty appreciated, especially if you're a mechanic that lives in or around Northern VA (NOVA). Thanks!
Gentleman's Relish
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,189
From: AZ
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
A basic tune-up is never a bad idea...especially if you can't remember the last time it was done. What you're describing sounds like a misfire. In a 4cyl car that really kills the engine. The 'fix' the mechanic did was probably check, clean, and regap the plugs. Being a 98, plugs, wires, cap, and rotor is a good place to start. Fairly cheap fix if that's all it is.
Make sure to inspect the plugs as you take them out. They should look the same as new just worn out. Any oil or caking on the plug is a sign of a problem with that cylinder. Also, next time you fill up, run a concentrated fuel injector cleaner through it after you change the fuel filter.
If everything goes smoothly with the tune-up and fuel related stuff then you can say with confidence it's getting in to other more 'computer' related stuff. (TPS, bad injector, etc) Start with cheap and go from there.
Make sure to inspect the plugs as you take them out. They should look the same as new just worn out. Any oil or caking on the plug is a sign of a problem with that cylinder. Also, next time you fill up, run a concentrated fuel injector cleaner through it after you change the fuel filter.
If everything goes smoothly with the tune-up and fuel related stuff then you can say with confidence it's getting in to other more 'computer' related stuff. (TPS, bad injector, etc) Start with cheap and go from there.
ORIGINAL: cepowers18
Ok everyone, my friend lives in Falls Church, VA, and she is having some car problems. She has a 98 Honda Civic (manual) and this is what it's doing - when she is shifting from 1st to 2nd gear (and when she shifts out of 2nd), the RPMs go way down and in order to go into the next gear, she has to rev it up. Also, it shakes a little bit in 1st & 2nd gear and before she comes to a complete stop. She describes it as needing more "umph" or gas in order to get moving. A mechanic temporarily fixed this a year ago, but it started happening again recently. He told her she might want to get a new cap and rotor, ignition wires, and possibly spark plugs. To me, the spark or combustion made by this combo of parts wouldn't seem to have an effect on shifting between gears - am I wrong? Sounds to me like a computer problem. Any advice is grealty appreciated, especially if you're a mechanic that lives in or around Northern VA (NOVA). Thanks!
Ok everyone, my friend lives in Falls Church, VA, and she is having some car problems. She has a 98 Honda Civic (manual) and this is what it's doing - when she is shifting from 1st to 2nd gear (and when she shifts out of 2nd), the RPMs go way down and in order to go into the next gear, she has to rev it up. Also, it shakes a little bit in 1st & 2nd gear and before she comes to a complete stop. She describes it as needing more "umph" or gas in order to get moving. A mechanic temporarily fixed this a year ago, but it started happening again recently. He told her she might want to get a new cap and rotor, ignition wires, and possibly spark plugs. To me, the spark or combustion made by this combo of parts wouldn't seem to have an effect on shifting between gears - am I wrong? Sounds to me like a computer problem. Any advice is grealty appreciated, especially if you're a mechanic that lives in or around Northern VA (NOVA). Thanks!
I ♥ Acer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,287
From:
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
Hey if i had more time i would check for you. But check TSB's and RECALLs on this first. I work on hondas sometimes only because of kids around me have them. And if i remember there is a recall on the Honda ignition coils. I hope i could help.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 614
From: Richmond, VA
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
A misfire, huh? Yeah, I personally don't know what's wrong with the car, but I may see her tomorrow, and if I do, I'll drive it and see if I can diagnosis it further. But it sounds as if maybe a tune-up & checking out the ignition coil might do the trick. Thanks Derf and Casper - any futher help from anyone else is also appreciated. I'll try and let you all know the status once it's fixed.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,524
From: Sacramento, CA
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
Personally it sounds like a combination of the engine needing a toon and mainly the gear problem is the Throwout bearing sounds like its dead, another problemlem could be that her sycros are worn and thats why she is having trouble getting it into gear. A new throwout is only about 20 bux or so but a tranny rebuild is obviosly alot more. I have had this problem with my 5spd and it was a conbination of the throwout and the sycros, so I got a new Cobra clutch, throwout and tranny
1st Gear Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 83
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
I don't know if it is any help but a friend of mine just put a distributor in his early '90 civic. This is his second one and according to him a weak point in the civic design. If I talk to him I will find out what the symptoms were. You said the mechanic fixed the problem, what parts did he replace?
Thread Starter
3rd Gear Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 614
From: Richmond, VA
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
ORIGINAL: aamilo
I don't know if it is any help but a friend of mine just put a distributor in his early '90 civic. This is his second one and according to him a weak point in the civic design. If I talk to him I will find out what the symptoms were. You said the mechanic fixed the problem, what parts did he replace?
I don't know if it is any help but a friend of mine just put a distributor in his early '90 civic. This is his second one and according to him a weak point in the civic design. If I talk to him I will find out what the symptoms were. You said the mechanic fixed the problem, what parts did he replace?
4th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,245
From: Hoth
RE: Car problem - need feedback quickly, please!
all that advice you've gotten so far is good. but it all misses the bigger problem that she's having. it's a fairly serious problem.
SHE DRIVES A CIVIC! the only way to fix this problem is to sell or junk it. even if it means she has to walk.
seriously though i'd bet a tune up would do wonders for her. a tune up on a 4 cyl shouldn't cost much and they change all the plugs,cap and rotor, oil and fluids things liek that. if it's a good place they'll probably include the wires too. if not they probably cost less than 15 bucks.
SHE DRIVES A CIVIC! the only way to fix this problem is to sell or junk it. even if it means she has to walk.
seriously though i'd bet a tune up would do wonders for her. a tune up on a 4 cyl shouldn't cost much and they change all the plugs,cap and rotor, oil and fluids things liek that. if it's a good place they'll probably include the wires too. if not they probably cost less than 15 bucks.
