Power loss between 4-5000Rpm

[SIObsesst]

Hello

i own a 92 si civic sedan with the d16a8 engine,when i push the car hard and it hits 4000rpm the engine is reving hard and it feels like the car is not being pulled, until it hits 5000Rpm dats when i can feel the car move and it goes hard.It almost feels like it looses power in between 4-5000Rpm.Can sum1 plz give me some thoughts on this please thanks.

[EuroDude]

Did this happen recently or has it always been like that?

Have you added anything such as an aftermarket exhaust?

You could try resetting the ECU to see if that helps.

Or it could simply be that you need to service the engine. Maybe get new filters, sparkplugs, clean the throttle body, adjust tapets, etc..

[civiceg9]

Have you repair or change anything recently?

[ECU-MAN]

could be your leads, rotor button or cap, I like to blame the leads 1st, useually the neck of the lead that goes down the plug chamber is at fault.

[SIObsesst]

I have an after-market cone filter on with no heat shield, could this be the case? If so would you be able to post me a DIY on how to make one, thanks

[MrJDMCivic]

first, i'd get injector cleaner, normally if you get bad fuel, this happeneds, if the problem stays for after 50kms, then id replace the spark plugs/leads, and do the timing, that should fix it, but the best thing is injector cleaner, cause not only can your filter in your tank get blocked, but also the filter in the engine bay, and the injectors them selfs.

[sivic]

this sounds more like ignition though. check the plugs first as they could just be in need of replacement. but as said its also often the leads.
i had this prob and it was pretty much solved with new leads.
if its fuel system you'll be getting noticeable hesitation

[SIObsesst]

Thanks heaps for your help. :)

[Omotesando]

I have an after-market cone filter on with no heat shield, could this be the case? If so would you be able to post me a DIY on how to make one, thanks



This is possible. I have had this problem happen to me before with pod/cone filter, the car lost power at mid-high end rev range, but got more highend power.


Think the computer doesn't like it?

[TheSaint]

i have had this problem REALLY bad
i get a complete flatspot in 2nd to 3rd gears @ about 3000rpm
i have a 93 sedan civic with a 1.5 efi motor
had a full injector and carbon clean, full service and a pod put on and it still happens,

i have been extremely desperate on info on how to fix it - a mechanic once shruged and said that hes had a few hondas do it and 'it must be a honda thing' - and im like 'and your a mechanic - paid to fix things'

im gona get the leads changed and get the mechanic to check my ignition, timing, and fuel pressure, and put a heat shield on my pod - hopefully this will fix it

[aaronng]

Have you checked your spark plugs? Were they white, brown or black?

[TheSaint]

well it did have a full service.... duno ill check in the morning and report back

[Omotesando]

well it did have a full service.... duno ill check in the morning and report back


Yeah depending on the colour of the spark plugs - it can tell u if ur car's running a bit lean or rich somewhere.. so its important!

Both can give it some kind of flat spot.

I guess it is running rich, u'll be blowing out more black smoke and can smell it!

:o

[CUL8R]

yeah i had this exact same problem, does it backfire when u off the accel from WOT during this range of no power? does it feel like u drop a cyl?

i went from the plugs and leads and then got a 2nd hand distributer (will get other one fixed) and finally the problems fixed.
then it happened again but slightly differently, got a CEL code to be injectors, just a loose injector.

so check all ur CEL codes and run some nulon full fuel system clean through a tank of petrol (30 bucks from autobarn), Check all ur injectors, Check ur plug colours (black= rich, white = lean) then check ur leads, hopefully its not ur distributer (dont get a new one, honda will sting u over 900)

[TheSaint]

would an automasters injector and carbon clean be the same as this fuel clean? (it certainly cost alot)

is there a preffered type of plug and lead to buy for better performance and durability? and i dont know if this is a noob question or not (im still learning a bit about my car) but what is the cel code?

i dont get any backfiring or anything just a really nasty pull on the engine and then it lets go and the car slingshots into normal acceleration again, i really ticks me off cuz me and the missus keep getting a bit of whip lash from it and it makes it hard to control the car in some cases - especially if u accidently pull out infront of some1 going faster than you or something and you really need to get going and the car doesnt do anythin =(

[aaronng]

would an automasters injector and carbon clean be the same as this fuel clean? (it certainly cost alot)

is there a preffered type of plug and lead to buy for better performance and durability? and i dont know if this is a noob question or not (im still learning a bit about my car) but what is the cel code?

i dont get any backfiring or anything just a really nasty pull on the engine and then it lets go and the car slingshots into normal acceleration again, i really ticks me off cuz me and the missus keep getting a bit of whip lash from it and it makes it hard to control the car in some cases - especially if u accidently pull out infront of some1 going faster than you or something and you really need to get going and the car doesnt do anythin =(
The automaster injector and carbon clean is just adding additives to the fuel tank and running it. What they probably do is take out your fuel to a low level, use the injector cleaner, then add more fuel, use the carbon clean and then top up more fuel and use injector cleaner again. It's easy and cheap, but do you have the time to syphon your fuel out, run the cleaner and all that? Do you have a container big enough to hold your petrol? In this case, I'd just wait til the fuel tank is about 1/4, and buy your own injector cleaner (Automaster uses Wynn's).

I'd check your dizzy, plugs and leads first. There are normal plugs ($16 for 4) and there are platinum and iridium plugs $80-90. Platinum and iridiums are good ONLY if your engine is running well. Their selling point is a better spark and being longer lasting. But if your engine is not running well, or running rich or lean, you'll damage the platinum/iridium so quickly that you might as well have spent $55 of that $80 doing Automaster's cleaning ritual.

CEL is the check engine light. The code is given by the ECU indicating any problems that it might have detected. Check this link on how to get the engine codes and interpret them. http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8218

[TheSaint]

guys at automasters sed they run it on a machine and than go take the car out on the highway =$

it cost me over 200$

thanks for your help i will go check it all out 2moro (had 2 study 2day) and let you know

[TheSaint]

car seemed to run fine last night but in the cold this morning it suffered bad mainly at 3krpm, gona check it out wen it gets warmer outside

[TheSaint]

opend up the dizzy this morning, the contact points have all got this white stuff on em - is it suppose to be there? it looks like it could be either a build up of something or a possible corrosion - not sure

also what should the spark plug gap be?

thanx

[ECU-MAN]

scrape that crap off


plug gap should be 1 to 1.1 mm

[TheSaint]

that white stuff could also be some sort of padding - is this possible? i dont want to wreck it cuz that would cost me alot of money

[sivic]

contact points should be clean. duno why there would be padding lol

[EuroDude]

I believe that white powdery stuff is just residue caused by the electricity. Mine looked the same so just wipe it off. The new dizzy cap I bought was clean with no white residue.

[CUL8R]

yeah sounds like u got the dizzy problems i had but mine was the bearing. the problem was always worse in the cold morn just like with u. scrape that crap off, clean it up real nice and u might have an easy fix

where do u live dude, u could always go to an ignition place and they can recondition ur dizzy a bit. if ur in melb i know a place

[saleeb]

I have the same issue, and i went from running 95 caltex to 98 BP (i had to use caltex fuel cos of lease and they don't have 98 here in sa) and the problem seems to have gone away.

I know bp uses more injector cleaning in their fuel so this may have been the issue

if you replace the spark plugs id get the copper ones, coppers a better conductor than platinum so i don't really believe that platinum can give a better spark, but hey they're more expensive so ...

[TheSaint]

ill scrap that wite stuff off and see how it goes, so all the metal in the top part of the dizzy (contact points) should be clear metal?

also havnt had a chance to look at the plugs yet, havnt found anyone with a plug remover that fits lol

i run the car on caltex unleaded only, havnt tried bp but i find all the other fuels make my car grogy, drunk even lol JJ every once in a while a treat it with some premium but with the way fuel prices are thats getting less often =(

[TheSaint]

ok iv checked the plugs, from left to right, the 1st is very white with lots of black soot, the second is a little white with a little black soot and the last 2 are a browny grey colour with a little bit of soot

havnt cleaned dizzy yet but will report results wen i do, went for a good run to perth from busselton 2day and back, flat spot only gave me a little bit of hassle wen it was cold and tan occasional power losses between 2500rpm and 3500rpm

got damn good fuel economy 2, i think the air intake has made a little difference there as well

[Slow96GSR]

Didn't feel like reading a bunch of posts before work, but might be timing too. Have that checked. Hondas are picky about their timing!

For the plugs read this:
http://www.spark-plugs.co.uk/pages/technical/diagnosis.htm