88 Accord LX shutting off after warming up

Discussion in 'Accord' started by Tanner, Aug 1, 2006.

  1. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Ok, thanks. Weekend was too hectic to work on it, I'm gonna wake up
    early tommorow and see what I can figure out. I will update if I get
    anywhere with it, I have to make a trip to NY on sunday to look at a
    turbo CRX :) So it will be awesome if I can drive it there.

    I'm going to replace the coolant, ignition coil, re gap plugs, and if
    both fail replace TW sensor. If this doesn't solve it I'm gonna take it
    to a shop because I'm NOT taking that carb off lol. Thanks
     
    Tanner, Aug 8, 2006
    #21
  2. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Thread not dead YET haha I replaced the ignition coil and purged the
    coolant and it didn't help. What I did figure out however is that after
    it stalls it is definitely getting NO spark but I'm eluded as to why.
    ignition coil is definitely good and it still starts after letting it
    sit for a LONG time, Thanks in advance, Tom
     
    Tanner, Aug 18, 2006
    #22
  3. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Another update*
    I just took it for my first spin around the block and it did just fine
    for about 12 laps then died like usual, had LOTS of power too not
    doggin it. Only things I noticed during the ride were
    I would hear an electrical clicking noise in the middle and left side
    of the dash and the battery light would flicker at the same time also
    looked like the high beam indicator would flicker red REALLY quick at
    the same time too. Other thing which is the bigger problem, the
    headlights and a few other things would flicker off and on every so
    often only doing it once at a time. Also keep in mind I was driving it
    with no battery. I stalled right before my driveway too aren't I lucky
    :p THANKS!
     
    Tanner, Aug 18, 2006
    #23
  4. Don't run the car without a battery - the battery stabilizes the voltage.
    Without the battery all sorts of bad things can happen... mostly damage to
    the alternator and electronics. No wonder you had such weirdness.

    Mike
     
    Michael Pardee, Aug 18, 2006
    #24
  5. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Alright she has a new batter, ignition coil, cap/rotor/, I gapped the
    plugs and it still quits after 10 minutes.

    No spark at all after stalling
    Red powder inside ditributor

    Should I replace dizzy as next step?
     
    Tanner, Aug 22, 2006
    #25
  6. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Dizzy shaft bearing isn't it....
     
    Tanner, Aug 22, 2006
    #26
  7. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Bump^
     
    Tanner, Aug 25, 2006
    #27
  8. Tanner

    nm5k Guest

    I'd do a bit more checking before you bought any more
    parts. It could be the distributor, but on a hunch, I pretty
    much doubt it. Are you totally sure you are actually losing
    spark? How is the ignitor? Radio noise cap? A flaky radio
    cap can cause problems like that from what I hear.
    It would be nice if you had a scope so you could watch the
    spark, etc as it happens. I've had cases where I thought I was
    losing spark, or say injector voltage, but was being fooled.
    I went through that on the camry that had the carbon problem.
    At first I could swear I was losing spark, but nope... It wasn't.
    But it took some decent test gear to be able to make sure.
    In my case, I have both scopes, and also a RMS peak reading
    voltmeter. They really come in handy in a case like this..
    I may be all wet, but it still smells like a fuel problem to me.
    Either that or that nasty carbon keeping the valves open
    when it gets hot.. Just curious... Thats a 88, so should be a
    carb... When it cuts out, check the carb for the power valve
    making a squirt when you move the throttle. If it sprays, the
    fuel delivery is probably ok. You'll have to look down into the
    carb to see that spray. Or...As a 2nd quicky option. When
    it cuts out, spray a bit of gas, or ether, carb cleaner, in the carb
    and see if it fires right back up. If so, probably fuel. If not, it
    may be losing spark. Do you have a timing light? If so, it can
    be used as a spark indicator. Watch the light blink when it runs.
    If it quits blinking on that particular wire, it's losing spark.
    If not, the spark is ok.. But make sure not to confuse the
    engine quitting , with an actual lack of spark. IE: they may
    happen at the same appx time, and fool you into thinking
    it lost spark, when actually, it just quit fast nuff to quit sparking.
    I would think you should get a slow blink even just cranking the
    motor over.
    MK
     
    nm5k, Aug 25, 2006
    #28
  9. Tanner

    nm5k Guest

    BTW, if it did turn out to be a lack of compression due to
    carbon, it will not start even if the fuel is present. In that case,
    you should see a "slow" blink of the timing light indicating
    spark, and fuel at the carb, but still no run. I think the best way to
    verify
    carbon holding the valves open would be to do a quick compression test
    *before* it gets a chance to cool off. If indeed you saw a lack of
    compression
    from carbon, it should slowly return as it cools back off.
    The problem you are having almost mimics the carbon problem
    on that camry to a tee.. Not saying it's that, but it sure could be.
    BTW, if it is carbon, it will appear semi gradual as it warms up.
    Cold, it will run perfect usually. But as it warms up it will start to
    develop flat spots in the acceleration, and seem kinda boggy.
    Then it will start to have little power, and seem like it's slowly
    running out of gas. Finally. It's kaput, and stays that way until
    it cools off, and the cycle repeats. What makes me semi doubt
    your dizzy is bad, is that it conks out at the same time, every time.
    I would expect a flaky dizzy to be a bit more sporadic, unless it was
    some kind of thermal problem. I guess it could be, but I sorta doubt
    it's the problem really. If you lose your timing blink totally, I'd
    start
    checking everything from the plugs back until I got to the flaky part.
    But you'd probably need to do it while it's hot and acting up to find
    it.
    Once it cools, it probably won't show up from the way it sounds.
    MK
     
    nm5k, Aug 25, 2006
    #29
  10. Tanner

    Tanner Guest

    Thanks a ton for the advice, reason I suspect it is the distributor is
    because once it quits I cannot get any spark at all from the ignition
    coil and plug wires, also the red dust in the dist is accompanied by a
    decent amount of grease though I don't really feel much play in shaft.
    Also right before it quits it's running perfecly, no power
    loss/bogging. Got a used dizzy off of a 3geez.com member for $60
    shipped so we'll see how that goes, if not I will look at other
    ignition components I haven't checked and after that take it to a
    freaking shop lol. Thanks, will update. Tom
     
    Tanner, Sep 3, 2006
    #30
  11. Tanner

    nm5k Guest

    Hope that does the trick.
    MK
     
    nm5k, Sep 3, 2006
    #31
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