I can't win with this car, it seems. I go out today and crank it up, I was planning on taking it for a drive up the road and back. I get it started and go around the front of the car to put the hood down (I have to disconect the battery when not in use because the brake lamps being stuck on will drain it), and by the time I made it back to the driver's seat, there was smoke pouring out of the dash registers and from around the "center stack' (where the HVAC and radio controls are). I shut the car off and disconected the battery. The smoke smelled like an electrical fire. I ran inside for a fire extinguisher (sp?) but it was not neccessary. After the smoke cleared, I decided to remove the radio. It hasnt worked well since I got the car, and it makes loud popping noises sometimes, even when turned off. Once I got the radio out, my suspicions were confirmed: It has a black spot on part of it and smells very strongly of that awful electical burn smell. I put the battery cable back on and restarted the car. No smoke.

This was the stock Honda tape deck, and in my haist to remove it, I broke the front face of it off. Anyway, I threw it away, obviously I'm not going to try to fix or reuse it in anyway. Burning the car to the ground is a GREAT way for me to lose everydime I've spent on it.

I wonder what would have caused the radio to short out, even while not in use (it was turned off and has been since it quit working)? Why didnt it blow a fuse before self-destructing? These are not important questions, as I've already said I removed and disposed of it.

 

It could have been exposed wires touching or wires touch the back mount and grounding out. Drive the car now that you removed the stock unit and see if you have any more problems. It sounds like you found your problem since the stock unit use to pop.

 

I drove the car about 15 miles today, and the runability problems are still there, but no more smoke or popping noises.

I was told by two people now that the Fuel Pressure Regulator is most likely causing the car's surging.

 

FPR is not likely related to surging. Is Check Engine Light on? Any tune-up work done recently, or never?

If the surging occurs at steady speeds, it could be transmission lock-up solenoids hunting on/off. This would cause a surging feel and rpm would go up/down 200-300 rpm. Some trans faults do not set D4 or S light flashing, so check for trans codes.

good luck

 

Well, the car surges a lot more than 300-500 RPM. When you crank it up, it zooms up to about 3500 RPM. Then down to about 950, then back up, all very quickly. When it zooms up, you hear a popping noise almost like a backfire, which is why they suspected a fuel problem.

The trans shifts fine. The other day, I was on a test drive with my cousin and it started acting very weird. The Check Engine light came on for the first time and it was running especially bad.

I noticed that the oversized battery that the car lot had stuck in it was grounding out on the hood. I tookmy 1995 Accord's battery out and put it in the '91, and corrected that issue. I drove it yesterday and the check engine light was not on, but it was still doing the surging.

When in gear, it doesnt surge as badly but it is very noticable. You'll be going along at about, say, 55 MPH and you'll feel a sudden loss of power, and the RPMs will drop about500-1,000 RPM, almost like the throttel has cut out. Within a few seconds, it picks back up and starts going again. When trying to stop the car at a red light or stop sign, it's like you're holding the gas pedal down (I have to maintain FULL pressure on the brake pedal and sometimes even pull up the hand brake to keep it from moving forward).

Also, I've noticed that if I floor it at a given speed (say again at 55 MPH), the trans wont downshift for more power. I can manually place it in "D3" and it will down shift then and accelerate properly.

Recent work done to the car:
Valve cover gasket replaced
all 4 spark plugs replaced
one coolant hose replaced
radio shorted out and removed

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

The large idle surge (w/ throttle closed) suggests a very large air leak into the intake system somewhere. Is PCV hooked up correctly and functioning? Check brake booster vaccum line. Check Fast Idle Valve (FIV) which could be stuck open (remove cap and feel for any air flow when engine is warm. Should be none). Air boost valve which is supposed to only open during starting may be open full time (ruptured diaphragm).

good luck