SH!TBOX needs YOUR HELP

This has been happening for a while now, i have been trying to avoid it, but i fear my SH!TBOX is in too much pain :(

Well when the fuel gauge shows the fuel level at 1/3 remaining. The car sometimes goes into a spasm, it is an automatic car, but it feels like the car is stalling.

More detail:

I begin to slow down as a near a red light, in the process of slowing down and coming to a complete stop, the engine shakes and stutters and feels like it is going to turn off, but it eventually quietens down and settles. If you continue to use up the fuel, the problem becomes worst and the engine has even stopped on me before.

Problem:

I therefore have to always keep the fuel above 1/3 or else i fear for my life.

Solution:

Any help would be great thanks.

I heard it might be the fuel pump so i got a quote from this site for an aftermarket fuel pump priced at $176:

http://www.petroject.com.au/performance.html

Are there any other parts of the car that would be causing the problem? Please don't speak in real technical language as i am just a beginner when it comes to cars.

Thanks, Chris

I think you could have water in your fuel tank - I had the same problem in my old Mazda 626. Water sits in the bottom of the tank - that is why you notice the problem when low on fuel. You can try pouring 500ml of methhylated spirits into your fuel tank and putting in fresh fuel. The meth spirits absorbs the water and then is burnt. You may also need a new fuel filter but try the meth spirits first. It worked for me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yfin

I think you could have water in your fuel tank - I had the same problem in my old Mazda 626. Water sits in the bottom of the tank - that is why you notice the problem when low on fuel. You can try pouring 500ml of methhylated spirits into your fuel tank and putting in fresh fuel. You may also need a new fuel filter but try the meth spirits first.

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Tuesday is my weekly fill day, so i will try the 500ml of meth then.

How much would it cost to change fuel filter, and are they easily available for all cars?

As i had problems with finding OEM fuel pump ($900 when i called Honda), OEM fuel filter will be cheaper?

Thanks, Chris

Quote:

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Originally Posted by guwarkjay888

Tuesday is my weekly fill day, so i will try the 500ml of meth then.

How much would it cost to change fuel filter, and are they easily available for all cars?

As i had problems with finding OEM fuel pump ($900 when i called Honda), OEM fuel filter will be cheaper?

Thanks, Chris

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Hmmm, not sure about cost of fuel filter but they are not expensive. I wouldn't expect them to cost more than $50 but it varies from car to car. You will be able to get one for your car no problems.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yfin

Hmmm, not sure about cost of fuel filter but they are not expensive. I wouldn't expect them to cost more than $50 but it varies from car to car.

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Sweet i would be willing to pay that much to get this problem fixed, as it is the last remaining problem of the car.

Thanks for the quick help yfin

Appreciate it, Chris

Clean up the throttle body and intake manifold while you are at it...

First call would be the fuel filter and pre filter (in tank if FI) and crap in the fuel tank

fuel filter from cost me $31.99 from pepco

i use to have that problem too just farts and carries on like a looney

mainly traffic lights

im still yet to flush or something like that to my fuel tank

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Drew

Clean up the throttle body and intake manifold while you are at it...

First call would be the fuel filter and pre filter (in tank if FI) and crap in the fuel tank

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Yeah my friend Encor3 has helped me clean the throttle body twice now, and intake manifold? i don't know what that is but i am assuming it is the whole air intake setup? he has also helped me clean that too, and recently replaced the panel filter for the car.

[EDIT] Oh just googled what intake manifold was, and have totally no idea how to clean that part, don't i need to take out the engine or something?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Riviera

fuel filter from cost me $31.99 from pepco

i use to have that problem too just farts and carries on like a looney

mainly traffic lights

im still yet to flush or something like that to my fuel tank

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Sweet i will go purchase one on Tuesday as well.

Since i have got some people reading the thread at the moment, just wanting to add a quick question without making another thread.

Detail:

You know that smell you get when your at the petrol station (well just standing around the people station) fuel smell? Well when i am driving along and have the sunroof open or the window open, i am pretty sure i can smell the exact same smell coming from my car. Is my petrol burning "rich"?

Problem:

Think this is causing my accord to eat up as much fuel as a Holden Monaro, as i am coming close to the 15L/100KM (maybe exaggerating but yeah you get what i mean)

Solution:

Any help will be good, because this problem is costly :( and as much as i love my SH!TBOX i won't be driving it for long if this problem persists.

Thanks, Chris

might be completely unrelated but my firends civic had the same petrol sniffing problem. reason being was that the guy who installed his amp at JB hifi drilled the earth straight into his petrol tank. absolute dumbass. hence, the petrol smells coming into the cabin. He also had a sony 'Xplod' subwoofer. bass-bass-bass-BOOM!!!

We only discovered this when we took out al the back seats for go-fast looks and lighter performance. haha.. funny what some can discover with a bit of light hearted fun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SiReal

might be completely unrelated but my firends civic had the same petrol sniffing problem. reason being was that the guy who installed his amp at JB hifi drilled the earth straight into his petrol tank. absolute dumbass. hence, the petrol smells coming into the cabin. He also had a sony 'Xplod' subwoofer. bass-bass-bass-BOOM!!!

We only discovered this when we took out al the back seats for go-fast looks and lighter performance. haha.. funny what some can discover with a bit of light hearted fun.

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LOL alright, i will go around looking for holes in my car, but i am pretty sure its stock everywhere, no mods near the fuel tank. stock sound system ftw (pitty front driver side speaker broke down on me :o)

Alright i did what everyone told me to do today.

- Poured 500ml of methylated spirits into the tank before i filled up.
- Installed OEM Fuel Filter

Hopefully the stalling like problem when 1/3 petrol left disappears, *fingers crossed*

Anyone got any other solutions to me constantly smelling fuel from my car?

Take it to a mechanic and get him to look at it?

Probably a leak

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Drew

Take it to a mechanic and get him to look at it?

Probably a leak

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DOH.. should of asked the mechanic when i was there today getting the fuel filter fixed.

I'll ask next time, i am just scared he'll do a whole service on me to try find the problem then get charged for not fixing the problem.

When was the last time your car was tuned? (it is carby yeah?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by guwarkjay888

Think this is causing my accord to eat up as much fuel as a Holden Monaro, as i am coming close to the 15L/100KM (maybe exaggerating but yeah you get what i mean)

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as mentioned, it could be a leak (hence the smell and the higher L/km

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yfin

When was the last time your car was tuned? (it is carby yeah?)

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Fuel Injected (PGM-FI i believe)

http://www.redbookasiapacific.com/au...p?key=HOND89AO

There is my pride and joy, and according to redbook

"Fuel Delivery Multi-Point Injected"

I thought it was a waste of money to tune such an old car? :o But yeah i would be happy to tune it somewhere, where abouts can you do this?

The only place i would know of is UltraTune (hehe from what i've seen on TV)? Any other recommendations?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeffske

as mentioned, it could be a leak (hence the smell and the higher L/km

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True.. i'll definitely ask my mechanic to check for a leak in the fuel tank then.

yea those babies are fuel injected, A20A4's were FI

A20A
The A20A is probably the most plentiful of all the Honda A-series engines. It was available in both carbeurated and PGM-FI versions. They were found in both Accords and Preludes throughout the 1980s.


A20A1 & A20A2
The A20A1 and A20A2 were the carbeurated versions of the A20A engines. It was available in the 1984-1987 Honda Preludes as well as the 1982-1989 Accord DX and LX. They are the same engine, the only difference between them being that the A20A2 has no emissions components, so it has a slightly higher power output (hp and tq numbers for A20A1 only).

Specifications

Exhaust: 4-1 Cast Manifold
Induction: Carbureted 2bbl Keihin ( Feedback Carb )
Displacement: 1955 cc / 119 CID
Bore:
Stroke:
Power:
98 hp
109 ft/lb at 3500 rpm

A20A3 & A20A4
The A20A3 and A20A4 were the fuel injected versions of the A20A engines. They were run by Honda's PGM-FI system on a partial OBD-0 computer. Again, there is no real difference between the A20A3 and the A20A4 besides the A20A4 having a slightly higher power output because of not having emissions components (hp and tq numbers for A20A3 only). The A20A3 was offered in the 1984-1987 Honda Prelude 2.0Si, the 1985 and 1989 Honda Accord SE-i, and the 1986-1989 Honda Accord LX-i.

Specifications

PGM-FI
Displacement: 1956 cm³
Bore:
Stroke:
Power:
1986-1987: 110 hp @ 5500 rpm & 114 ft/lb @ 4500 rpm
1988-1989: 120 hp @ 5500 rpm & 122 ft/lb @ 4000 rpm

(Off Topic)

The aftermarket for the Accord and Prelude A series engine has died out. Below is a list of some previous backers.

GUDE: Head package, Header, Cam Grind
DC SPORTS: Stainless Cat-back, 4-2-1 Header
PAECO: Full Engine Build, Header
S&S: 4-1 Header
PACESETTER: 4-2-1 Header
HOTBITS: 4-2-1 Header
LIGHTSPEED: 4-2-1 Header
MOSSELMAN: Log Turbo Manifold
Most upgrades and modifications to the A-series engines are of the DIY variety, with one of the more popular being a turbo set-up. Because of their closed-deck iron block design, they're especially well-suited for handling boost. A VTEC version of the A-series engine was never produced, so swaps akin to an LS/VTEC or "mini-me" aren't doable because no VTEC head bolts to the A-series block. However there has been attempts to bolt DOHC heads to the A-Series which are not at all as easy as bolt and go, holes are not perfectly aligned nor does the cam and crank sprocket have the correct diameters.

All information sourced from

en.wikipedia.org

Sadly to say yfin, Drew and others that helped.

The problem is a little bit better, but it still suffers from the same problems as it did from the very start of this thread.

Anymore suggestions.

More detail:

When I'm driving on low fuel everything is fine, it is only when i am slowing down around 1000RPM or coming to a stop that it starts to stutter and go crazy and shows signs of wanting to turn off the engine.

Today, the problem was so bad that the engine stopped, and i tried to start it again but with no luck, i had some bystanders help me push it to the side. Then had to wait around 5-10 before i could start the engine again, and quickly went to the closest Mobil store to fill up $10, even with that amount of fuel in it, it was still showing some signs of stutter. As the fuel gauge was around the 1/3 full mark. Which is now known to me as the "your engine could die anytime" mark.

Also and it bounces from like 600RPM to 1000RPM up down up down up down then settles at 1000RPM if not.. it turns off engine oh and when its bouncing from 600RPM to 1000RPM.. the accelerator doesn't work

:( Someone help revive this SH!TBOX, I've fallen in love with it and don't want to be forced to put it down :eek:

Thanks, Chris

Sounds like you tried the cheap options - now you need to work out whether you want to pay to leave the car with a mechanic to diagnose the problem. How long are you planning to keep the car? Can't you just keep the fuel above 1/3 at all times if you don't want to pay a workshop?

The best thing to do if you want to keep the car is to get a major service. Plugs and all. Then get them to diagnose the problem with the idle. It could be something simple like a bad lead or something major like the distributor.

As your car is EFI they might find an error code too - eg o2 sensor.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yfin

Sounds like you tried the cheap options - now you need to work out whether you want to pay to leave the car with a mechanic to diagnose the problem. How long are you planning to keep the car? Can't you just keep the fuel above 1/3 at all times if you don't want to pay a workshop?

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I guess, mechanics don't know what is wrong with the car. If a mechanic guaranteed he would be able to fix it for me, say for like $200-$300. I'd be glad to. Anyone know A grade mechanics? Most of them just say, oh change the fuel pump and it "might" help.

If the problem can't be solved i guess I'll be forced to keep th fuel at above 1/3 at all times, it's just a hassle. Most of the times 2/3 of the tank does not last a whole week, i just want to be able to last weekly, so i can fill her up every Tuesday, instead of a weekend where its soaring high.

Also i was planning on keep this car for the rest of my university degree. So around 4-5 years more.

Lol, ull save money in the end with a newer more reliable car... Lol...

just buy a eg or somen :) will be better off :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by guwarkjay888

I guess, mechanics don't know what is wrong with the car. If a mechanic guaranteed he would be able to fix it for me, say for like $200-$300. I'd be glad to. Anyone know A grade mechanics? Most of them just say, oh change the fuel pump and it "might" help.

If the problem can't be solved i guess I'll be forced to keep th fuel at above 1/3 at all times, it's just a hassle. Most of the times 2/3 of the tank does not last a whole week, i just want to be able to last weekly, so i can fill her up every Tuesday, instead of a weekend where its soaring high.

Also i was planning on keep this car for the rest of my university degree. So around 4-5 years more.

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I can recommend a trusted mechanic I have dealt with for over 10 years. I would be very surprised if he could not diagnose the problem. Solved a fuel cut problem on my ex's Barina in 15 minutes. 3 other mechanics including a Holden dealership couldn't fix it permanently.

if you want a guarantee on price that is impossible. You will pay an hourly rate until they diagnose the problem. Whether you proceed with the recommended solution is up to you. The guy to speak to is Ian Wakeman.

***
Wakeman Automotive Services

Workshop 380 Reserve Rd Cheltenham 3192

(03) 9583 0647

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SHIFTY

Lol, ull save money in the end with a newer more reliable car... Lol...

just buy a eg or somen :) will be better off :)

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LOL mate, want to give me $5000 for a car then?

$200-$300 is a big difference from $5000+

I know that after this problem is fixed. That the car will be as brand new. Like my dad said, why pay $5000 for a second hand car that you don't know the problems of. Its like you start all over again, finding out new problems here and there. But with this Accord we've had it since the first day it rolled out of Eastern Honda, and know where we stand as in problem wise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yfin

I can recommend a trusted mechanic I have dealt with for over 10 years. I would be very surprised if he could not diagnose the problem. Solved a fuel cut problem on my ex's Barina in 15 minutes. 3 other mechanics including a Holden dealership couldn't fix it permanently.

if you want a guarantee on price that is impossible. You will pay an hourly rate until they diagnose the problem. Whether you proceed with the recommended solution is up to you. The guy to speak to is Ian Wakeman.

***
Wakeman Automotive Services

Workshop 380 Reserve Rd Cheltenham 3192

(03) 9583 0647

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I'll give him a call during next week. What's your name? So i can say i was referred by you. Guess I'll be paying him a visit if i want this problem fixed. You have been ever so helpful to the SH!TBOX. Thank you yfin.

Will send you a PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS-L_...&feature=bz303

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 95civic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS-L_...&feature=bz303

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ROFL.. funny.. but no idea why you revived a dead thread.. anyways update on car.. it's slowly dying :p but for some reason dad is falling back in love with the car.. after i made it look/feel better..

engine swap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crapdaz

engine swap.

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lol.. no point now.. i think my brakes are ****ed.. caliper loose or some crap.. problem after problem after problem.. wish it didnt have the brake problem or fuel problem.. i would be perfectly happy with it otherwise

soundz like my cord lol fix one problem another one comes up

Try this one - reco engine + trany for $199

from where???

I forgot to paste the link..It was on eBay and it is gone! No wonder for that much money

i had similar problem lik this b4......all i did was take it to a mechanics and got him to clean the injectors....new leads and sparks and it was all smooth again....not sure if its the same case as yours but yeah...might help you...hehe, i hope. btw this was my old car......best of luck with the problem by the way