Our Honda Civic stalls but then restarts. We cannot track down an answer.?

Question

The car has 180,000 miles and has stalled 4 times. There are no engine codes. It has had the timing belt and tensioner replaced twice, has a new fuel pump and filter, good plugs and ingition wires, a new cap and roter. It is not running hot and has a good idle. The mechanic cannot get it to stall. He cleaned the throatle body. Can you think of anything else that could cause the stall. The coil or emissions?

Thanks

Answer 1

It would help to know under what condition the engine stalls; I'm sure your mechanic would like to know as well. here's some questions that would help isolate the problem (and possible causes in parentheses):
--does is stall when coming to a stop? (idle air control valve)
--does it stall when driving? At what speed? At what engine rpm? Is the air conditioning in use? (distributor or idle air control valve)
--does it 'cut-out' with no warning and coast to a stop or does it 'break-up'/'misfire'/buck before it stalls (no warning--electrical/igniter; misfire--coil)
--does it stall at idle? (idle air control valve)
--does the car pass the 'wiggle tests' (with the engine running at idle wiggle all harness connectors to all of the engine sensors to see if you can re-create the stall from a loose connection)

keep in mind that the engine needs three things to run: air, fuel and electricity to light the mixture. engines usually stall because they have too little or too much fuel or air or there is an interruption of spark. Electrical problems are usually heat related and tgenerally would not cause the engine to start right back up; however:.

Here's my two best guesses: 1) Honda had a recall on the ignition switch on 1998-2000 civics. What you describe is absolutely charactoristic of an ignition switch failure if the car cuts out while driving and the vehicle is within those years (you didn't mention the year in your post). If the car is a US vehciel from 1998-2000 and the recall has not been done then any Honda dealer will replace the ignition switch at no charge to you.
2) if the vehicle is not a 1998-2000 then you might want to check for a sticking EGR valve.

I bet its the ignition switch.

Hope that helps

--does it stall when parking? (power steering load switch)

Answer 2

I had a 97 Prelude with the same problems. The transmission would shift erradically, the motor would stall but the mechanic couldn't find anything wrong anywhere. Turned out to be the computer.

Answer 3

Check the air filter as well and make sure your intake has nothing clogging it. You should also clean your MAF (mass airflow sensor) in the intake as that could have something in there that sticks every once in a while causing the random stalling.

Answer 4

you may run into the 6's, and your rev limiter will save it secure for the most section. save the temp down and oil replaced many times, very many times. operating it like that breaks down the oil truly speedy so which that's advisable to regulate it each 2000 miles or so, depending. At that price you do not ought to regulate the filter out every time yet use a sturdy filter out, like a Mobil One or ok&N. once you're racing, bear in options - you want the torque, torque is provided in earlier the redline in those autos - each of the HP is up accurate in the pink. discover some web content with dyno pulls exhibiting the torque and HP curves and that is what you may base your shift kinds and such on - run to the pink, shift the position the torque is peaked so that you'll boost up sturdy success, have exciting and do not kill everyone...or your self

Answer 5

Replace the distributor which includes a new ignitor.

Answer 6

it could be the air flow,take it for a standerd tune up (should cost about £30 pounds)that should do the job,,

Answer 7

Vacuum leak......
Look and listen for a small hose that came off the intake manifold.

Or, it could just be crappy gas.