I have a 1999 Honda Accord 5spd with 149xxx miles on it (owned for the past 6 years with 67xxx miles on it). I have never had to replace a clutch in either of my Hondas as I did not own them long enough (switched cars often). This car has been babied and now i'm kind of concerned.

Yesterday I got into my car and I was attempting to pass someone at a takeoff. 1st gear as soon as I hit 4000 rpm, it felt like i hit a rev limiter, wouldn't let me go any faster and just kept jerking me back and forth. When I changed to 2nd gear, i hit 4000 rpm to see if it was just first gear. So far i have duplicated the issue in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. The car switches gears just find (sometimes hard to put in first) but something is wrong. Any suggestions? Let me know if you need more information.

Edit: I was reading some other posts where transmission flushes, spark plugs, or spark plug wires could have been an issue... still looking for suggestions though.

 

Doesn't sound like a worn-out clutch to me.

Imagine you were accelerating, & you began pressing down the clutch pedal. The engine would rev high without the car accelerating. THAT's what a slipping clutch feels like.

Get a check-engine light? Go to AutoZone or someplace like that to read the error code. Give us the actual number (like P1234).

Transmission flushes are for automatics, and Honda autos don't really like flushes anyway.

Check distributor cap & plug wires by starting car in complete darkness & looking for arcing around the wires or cap.

You should have replaced your spark plugs at around 100k or something like that. What kind did you use?

Engine oil good? If your oil pressure is low, maybe the VTEC oil-pressure switch is saying that VTEC won't engage? In that case, your CEL should come on.

 

Get a check-engine light? Go to AutoZone or someplace like that to read the error code. Give us the actual number (like P1234).
I do have a car sensor plugged into the car that records milage, air intake etc. I'll pull it out and check it and post my findings around 4pm EST(i've had an emissions below threshold code popped on forever since I switched to a K&N air filter so i'll see if something is new)


Check distributor cap & plug wires by starting car in complete darkness & looking for arcing around the wires or cap.
I'll do this in my garage and post results around 4pm too.

You should have replaced your spark plugs at around 100k or something like that. What kind did you use?

I switched out the spark plugs at around 90xxx with Bosch +2 platinums. Had good luck with +4's when I had my CRX but i didn't own it that long after i switched em.

Engine oil good? If your oil pressure is low, maybe the VTEC oil-pressure switch is saying that VTEC won't engage? In that case, your CEL should come on.
Engine oil was just changed about 1000 miles ago with Penzoil 5W30. However, this could be the issue... My wife and I both drive 99 accords (hers is AT, mines MT), I changed oil at the same time, her first and put on a 3593 oil filter (part number that is supposed to be on there). I pulled hers out, put mine up, changed the oil, and pulled it out of the garage. While cleaning up, I picked up the box from my oil filter and it read 3506. It screwed on perfectly, but it is about 1/4 inch longer than the supposed to be filter on there. Could this be where my issue lies you think?

 

Arcing can be very dim, so you probably have to check that during night-time. At 4pm I can't possibly make MY garage dark enough to see it. You can make it more visible by spraying water from a windex bottle.

Lots of people have had problems with Bosch plugs in Hondas. I used Bosch Pt+4 in my former Integra GSR, they worked OK; but everyone else talks about having problems with them. Try NGK plugs. 2nd choice = Denso.

Any chance you noticed the diameter of the rubber seal on the oil filter? Also, I don't know whether that other oil filter might have a bypass valve set for a different pressure??? Besides that, check the # on the filter itself just in case it was in the wrong box.
Oil filters have quite a few things that gotta match...
Thread size of mounting pipe nipple.
Size & position of rubber seal gasket (doesn't obstruct flow).
Total size of filtration element.
Pressure drop through the filter element.
Opening pressure of bypass valve.

 

Cross-referenced the 2 oil filter part numbers on Fram's website. 3593 (the right filter) has a relief valve set at 12PSI and has a .04" OD difference while the 3506 (wrong filter) does not have a relief valve set... Drove the car out to lunch too. At the beginning of the trip the issue would not duplicate. But when the car warmed up, the issue was re-occuring.

 

Sounds like a VSS issue to me. That's exactly what happens when there's an intermittent VSS signal, but it should make the speedo jump around too. It also won't set a code.

It could also be a VTEC issue, it does something similar but it also throws a code.

 

I thought the VSS would set off the CEL...?
P0500 = VSS for manual-trans cars.
And not only that, I bet VTEC won't engage if there's no VSS signal.

P1253, 57, 58, 59 are VTEC codes.

 

You are correct, VTEC will not engage, but it isn't a problem with VTEC, thus no CEL for it, the PCM simply isn't grounding the solenoid.

From firsthand experience with an intermittent VSS signal, it will not set a CEL. I'm sure an open circuit in the VSS would set one though.

 

Alright guys, Got home and plugged in my carchip. The 2 codes I am getting from the CEL is *Drum Roll*

P0420- Catalyst system Efficiency below threshold (irrelevent as this code has been on before this issue

P1259- Unknown Powertrain DTC (Manufacture Controlled; Fuel and Air Meteri)

So...... ideas with this information?

Edit- on the way home I duplicated the problem again and the speedo does not jump, just the rpm flickering

 

The explanation that you gave for P1259 is not correct. P1259 is for the Vtec.

I don't know the test offhand, but you can download a 98-02 shop manual from the spoon site I posted in the Online Manuals thread in the DIY section that would have that information. I think that you have to burn the iso file to a CD to get it to work.