I got this car about 10 months ago and i am stuck with issues that make me afraid to drive it.

The main issue at the moment is this:
Almost every morning I start it up and head to work sometimes it starts to hesitate and stumble at higher RPM's like its running out of gas (tapping the gas does nothing) and it finally stalls.
Before it would only do this at higher speeds like with cruise control set on 55 or 60. Back then I was also getting a Vtec Malfunction error which was a clogged Oil Pressure Sensor Screen thing in the Vtec.
After that was replaced it was running great for a while then it started cutting out again but only at higher speeds especially going flat out.
The other day after filling up on my way home it stalled and wouldn't restart for a while then when it did and I was able to get it up to like 25 it back fired and then back fired again pulling into my driveway as well as stalling.

So far..... Since I got the car early this year this has been done...

New Timing Chain / Water Pump
New right rear wheel Bearing
New Coolant hoses
New Radiator Cap
New Battery
New Belts
New Vtec Gasket & Screen (All other Vtec Parts Checked out fine)
Oil Change, Air Filter, Oil Filter (Full Synthetic High Mileage) every 3000 mi.
New Plugs (NGK) and Wires
New Cap & Rotor
New Front HO2 Sensor
New Cat Conv.
New Transmission (Not Used, 100% Rebuilt w/2 yr warranty) ($3250) yikes!

It has 181000 mi on it

What the hell is wrong with my car??
I am getting sick of driving the POS standby I have to use till this one is fixed lol.

I am getting a CEL code P0420

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...s/confused.gif
https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...milies/mad.gif

 

Hey, I am new to this forum as well, I work on my own cars out of necessity, I help my friends to an extent, I am not a mechanic, however years of fumbling in the dark has helped
I have a 2001 CRV just did the 100,000 mile tune up at 138,000 ( we just bought it ) I didn't know if it was done. But while I was worrying about the previous neglect of my car I learned that some of these Honda's burn valves if not adjusted regularly like every 40,000, this could cause backfires, also someone told me that sometimes something in the distributer can go bad but it's expensive, my own fix for your issues if it were mine would be 1st check the compression ( for burnt valve) if compression was good then I would borrow a distributer or pick one up at a upullit junk yard. now I would also wait for another response form this forum because this guy is not a mechanic.wish you the best of luck I hope it's something easy as you have already spent allot on that thing, my 88 accord has 240,000 and still going, Hondas are great.maybe at least ill bump your post back to the top, if it works that way here. again good luck

 

If the catalytic converter is new, then the P0420 would mean that something is wrong with the second O2 sensor. It will not cause engine problems unless your catalytic converter is messed up.

It sounds like there is something wrong with the fuel delivery. I would hook up a fuel pressure gauge to the adapter on the rail to see if the fuel pressure is within spec.

 

Is there a diagram somewhere online that I can use to do that myself?
and where would I get the gauge you speak of and how much would that cost?

 

the honda dealer mechanic has 1 and might hook it up cheap Id call and ask if you want to buy one check Napa tell them what you have and they will help you out, if you dont have a napa in your area find a good old boys type parts place not shucks or autozone where they hire kids but where someone has real experience they will help you get the right gauge it should just clip on to the end of the fuel rail, as far as the pressure check your book or ask the honda mechanic or maybe one of these guys could help, yours is much newer than mine.
good luck

 

I completely forgot to repost what happened but now I have more issues and am in need of more assistance,..

Strangely enough I decided to take it back to the shop to get the fuel pressure tested.
Unfortunately it only made it halfway to the shop before it stalled and would not restart no matter what I did. I ended up having to pay $76 to get it towed about a half a mile to the shop lol.

So he checked the fuel pressure it was fine. Then he did another test with some expensive diagnostic mini computer thing while it was driving and found out that the ICM was acting up. Turns out the hesitating stalling performance issue was all caused by a bad ICM so they installed a new Distributor (ICM is built into that) and It ran perfect.

Now I am still getting CEL code P0420

I am also noticing I am averaging about 15 mpg per tank
as a delivery driver this sucks horribly.

Any ideas?

I have tested driving a whole tank under 4000 rpm to see if I was just gunning it too much with no change at all.

I have also tested driving a tank using sport mode frequently and still no change in mpg 15-16

The only way I get the mfg stated economy is if I drive a whole tank of highway miles
and I get 30-31 mpg.

So far..... Since I got the car this has been done...

New Timing Chain / Water Pump
New right rear wheel Bearing
New Coolant hoses
New Radiator Cap
New Battery
New Belts
New Vtec Gasket & Screen (All other Vtec Parts Checked out fine)
Oil Change, Air Filter, Oil Filter (Full Synthetic High Mileage) every 3000 mi.
New Plugs (NGK) and Wires
New Cap & Rotor (OEM)
New Front HO2 Sensor (OEM)
New Cat Conv. (OEM)
New Transmission (Not Used, 100% Rebuilt w/2 yr warranty) ($3250) yikes!
New Distributor (Needed new ICM)
New PCV Valve

It has 181000 mi on it

What the hell is wrong with my car??
I am getting sick of driving the POS standby I have to use till this one is fixed lol.

I am getting a CEL code P0420

Also would the Service Engine Soon light flash if a belt was slipping when the car is started cold or would that be caused by something else?

(It will sometimes flash and then stay on or sometimes just come on and stay on)
(This just started happening in the last few weeks)

Help ?!?

 

P0420 is "catalyst low efficiency". But that's new, and you said it's OEM, right? Aftermarket cats might cause that, & some high-flow cats are little more than a 'test pipe'.

Just to be clear about terminology, the ECM (actually PCM) is the entire Powertrain Control Module. The thing inside the distributor is the Ignition Control Module = ICM = ignitor.

"Maintenance reqd." lamp is just a mileage reminder for oilchages every 7500 miles. Not related to belts or any functional checks at all. Reset it like this:
- Key turned OFF
- Press & hold the odometer reset button.
- Continue holding that button as you turn the key ON.
- Continue holding that button forever - well maybe 15 or 20 seconds.
- Lamp will flash a few times then stay OFF.

 

ICM Oh! I didn't realize there was more than one control module like that lol
But yeah the one in the distributor was screwing everything up before.

I did follow your steps to reset the Service Engine light although it still flashes when my belt slips every once in a while,...
But that makes sense considering after my last change I started having a friend do it so the Oil Change indicator was not reset after the last few changes.

Yes the new CAT CONV. is a new Honda OEM part
I also just replaced the PCV Valve since it was cheap.

Could the EGR cause bad gas mileage and or the CEL?

 

The EGR can cause the CEL, but with it's own different error code.
It can probably cause bad gas milage, but I'm not sure whether the EGR can upset the exhaust composition enough to cause P0420?

The car uses the REAR oxygen sensor to measure catalyst operation, so P0420 might point to that sensor. Check it for dirty/loose/corroded connections. But I've been told that by 1998 the PCM (engine computer) is pretty good at telling the difference between a bad sensor (P0137, P0138, P0139) vs. a bad catalyst.

Exhaust leaks? The O2 sensors actually measure oxygen DIFFERENCE between inside & outside, so an exhaust leak blowing onto the outside of a sensor can throw that off.

When I had a 1998, I changed oil more often than 7500 miles, so I had to keep track of miles all by myself. Then the maint. lamp was a nuisance that I had to reset whenever it came on.

 

I ordered a new EGR today since its so old it probably needs it and we will see if that improves mileage enough to make it worth it,... So far I cleaned the ports it connects to and the bottom of it a bit even though it looks beat and it seems to have made an impact already on my mileage so a new one might be even better.

Would a muffler shop be able to check if a Cat or sensor is bad?

I change mine after 3000 miles but last time my friend changed it so I doubt he reset it,.. So basically I am 500 miles over so I'm doing a Oil change this weekend,....