Runs sluggish when rpm's are below 3,000?

Hello and thank you for using 2CarPros.

This could be the result of a lot of different things. With that, have you checked fuel pump pressure? Have you checked for engine vacuum leaks? Is the catalytic converter original? It could be starting to plug. Is the check engine light staying on when the engine is running?

Lets start with those things. First, if the check engine light is staying on, the computer should be scanned to identify trouble codes. Here is a quick video showing how that is done:

https://youtu.be/YV3TRZwer8k

I realize most people don't own a scanner. If that is the case, most parts stores will do it for free, so have it done if the light is on.

Next, I need you to first make sure there are no engine vacuum leaks. Here is a link that shows how that is done:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

Take a look through these links. They discuss the symptoms of a bad catalytic converter and how to check one.La

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/bad-catalytic-converter-symptoms

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-a-catalytic-converter

Last is a fuel pressure test. Here is a link that shows in general how one is done:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Here are the specific directions for fuel pressure testing. The attached picture correlates with these directions.

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COMPONENT TESTS AND GENERAL DIAGNOSTICS
Inspection
1. Relieve fuel pressure.


picture 1

2. Remove the service bolt on the fuel filter while holding the banjo bolt with another wrench. Attach the special tool.
3. Start the engine. Measure the fuel pressure with the engine idling and the vacuum hose of the fuel pressure regulator disconnected from the fuel pressure regulator and pinched. If the engine will not start, turn the ignition switch ON (II), wait for two seconds, turn it off, then back on again and read the fuel pressure.

Pressure should be: 260 - 310 kPa (2.7 - 3.2 kg/Sq.cm, 38 - 46 psi)

4. Reconnect vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator.

Pressure should be: 200 - 250 kPa (2.0 - 2.5 kg/Sq.cm, 28 - 36 psi)

If the fuel pressure is not as specified, first check the fuel pump. If the fuel pump is OK, check the following:
- If the fuel pressure is higher than specified, Inspect for:
- Pinched or clogged fuel return hose or line.
- Faulty fuel pressure regulator.
- If the fuel pressure is lower than specified, inspect for:
- Clogged fuel filter.
- Faulty fuel pressure regulator.
- Fuel line leakage.

__________________________

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe

I don't know if it will make a difference in your suggestions, but there are no warning lights on the cluster. I barely bought the car two months ago and no engine light or anything has came on since i have owned the car.

Welcome back:

Do me a favor. When the key is first turned to the run position, the light should come on for a few seconds and then go off. See if it does.

Let me know what you find.

all the warning lights work.

Okay, then the light is working. I would start with checking the converters. If they are partially plugged, you will notice it the higher the RPM's get.

It drives good in higher RPMS. It acts up between 2-3,000 but after i get above 3,000 it drives perfectly fine.

I did a compression test and cylinder one was 150. cylinder two was 180. cylinder three was 120. cylinder four was like 175.

Welcome back:

I have to be honest. The compression doesn't look good. Standard reading should be 135-184 psi. The maximum variation between cylinders is 28 psi. You are below the minimum on cylinder 3 and the max variation of 28psi is exceeded in two cylinders. Have you tried a wet test?

No, i forgot to do the wet test, but the spark plugs in cylinder three and four looks a little burnt. I didn't do a fuel pressure test because i wasn't quite sure how to do it on my car. I looked online to find videos and what not but their was nothing showing me how to do it specifically on my car.

Welcome back:

Between all of us here, we can usually get what you need, so never worry about asking. I don't have a video, but I do have the directions for testing along with the fuel pressure specs.

First, here is a link that shows how in general it is done:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Here are the specific for your vehicle. The attached pic correlates:

Inspection
1. Relieve fuel pressure.

See Picture 1

2. Remove the service bolt on the fuel filter while holding the banjo bolt with another wrench. Attach the special tool.
3. Start the engine. Measure the fuel pressure with the engine idling and the vacuum hose of the fuel pressure regulator disconnected from the fuel pressure regulator and pinched. If the engine will not start, turn the ignition switch ON (II), wait for two seconds, turn it off, then back on again and read the fuel pressure.

Pressure should be: 260 - 310 kPa (2.7 - 3.2 kg/Sq.cm, 38 - 46 psi)

4. Reconnect vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator.

Pressure should be: 200 - 250 kPa (2.0 - 2.5 kg/Sq.cm, 28 - 36 psi)

If the fuel pressure is not as specified, first check the fuel pump. If the fuel pump is OK, check the following:
- If the fuel pressure is higher than specified, Inspect for:
- Pinched or clogged fuel return hose or line.
- Faulty fuel pressure regulator.
- If the fuel pressure is lower than specified, inspect for:
- Clogged fuel filter.
- Faulty fuel pressure regulator.
- Fuel line leakage.

_____________________________

Let me know if this helps.

Joe

Im not sure what is the engine displacement on my civic. All the while, I thought it was 1.6L. Only lately I have seen on the internet 1.5L,1.8L,2.0L engine sizes.I bought the car used.No owners manual,no underhood sticker.Trunk has only the honda logo and civic attached to it, no model indicated(lx,ex, SiR,vti).Are there any way to determine the displacement aside from measuring the bore and stroke?
I need the info for purchasing spare parts.tnx.
P.S. Car has no power steering,no power windows,no central lock and alarm. Top speed 190kph/118mph.RPM max,around 6000.

The engine code would tell you the engine model.

At front of engine near the transmission you would see the engine code and serial number.

D15?? = 1.5 L

That was very helpful.
It was there, D15B.
On my spare engine, it was D15Z4.
whats the difference between the two?
If I replace the engine with a higher displacement,say 1.8 or 2.0,what are the other parts I need to replace?

The engine wire harness, ECM/PCM, transmission and drive axles are the items you have to contend with.

the engine currently mounted on the car is D15b.
it seems my engine was changed before i bought it.
the link states that rev limiter is 7200rpm,
I have installed an aftermarket tachometer and i could reach only 6000rpm.
Do i need to change the ECU same as the model from which that engine came from so that i could reach 7200rpm? or other civic models will be enough to do the job.

So I'm having a problem with my 96' Honda Civic, MB1 model. The car starts as well as normal car. But a few days ago, while I'm driving, the car starts loosing power until is dead, and then don't start again for a while (a long while, sometime I just think that it starts again by pure luck). I don't think there is any problem with the electrical part of the car because, well, it starts! So I'm supposing that is the injectors or the fuel pump. If you could assist me on where might be the problem and how to solve it, I'd be very grateful.
Sorry for the lack of technical language, if there is any additional information that I can provide, just ask me!

The PCM is the controlling component for rev limiter and you need the correct PCM to get the desired results. There are various DB15 engines and their PCM might differ.

What you need is a PM5 or P04 ECU to have the rev limiter at 7200.
If the PCM on vehicle is the correct one, you would need to check the TPS adjustment.

When it dies and won't restart, I need you to check fuel pump pressure and check for spark. Whichever you check first isn't working, there is no need to continue. If you need directions on how to do this, let me know or go to our homepage under the repair and service and select either video or guides for directions. Once you do it, tell me what you find.

Tnx again for all the valuable info. Next weekend ill check the PCM and TPS.

You're welcome.

Have a nice day.

I have a '96 Civic EX w/ 105K, 1.6L DOHC. I had a CEL for an upper O2 sensor, and the O2 sensor was too tight in the exhaust manifold to get out, plus the manifold was cracked, so I replaced the manifold as well. The CEL is gone, but now I have a bigger problem.

The car is experience a strangling sort of power loss. At low RPMs it struggles, then "breaks free" and jumps forward, powering almost normally through the upper RPM range.

I'm concerned I screwed up the exhaust line when I was moving the downpipe to clear the manifold. I also wonder if it could be a bad O2 sensor, but I figure that's less likely.

There's also a funny burnt smell.

What do I need to look for?

Thanks,
Billy

Restrictive exhaust usually doesnt clear up in the higher rpm range.Is that the correct sensor for the position it is in(upper or sensor 1)? Could be a bad sensor if nothing else but an exhaust manifold was done to the car. Ran better before, just had the CEL?What was the exact code that you got out of the comp?

Right you are, it was a bad sensor. Replaced and all is well. Thanks!

my car seems to lose power when engine cooling fan turns on or when a/c or heater is turned on.it happens when i come to a stop light or simply when car is on and i'm at at a stop.i recently did a tune up oil,plugs,iar and oil filters.I also replaced the intake temperature sensor.what can it be?

Your car will be down in power when there is a high electrical load on the engine, or if the a/c is on.

You probably just have an older motor that can't keep up anymore. Do a compression test, the numbers are most likely a tad low across the board.

1996 Honda Civic Manual

my car was driven through a huge puddle and immediately afterward the check engine light came on. i can tell the engine is bogged down when i accelerate and the car is shaking bad while idling. how do i check for water in my engine? is there any way this is not going to be an expensive disaster?

Remove the spark plugs and intake tubing. ensure ALL the water has evaporated, then I would do a compression test to check if it did do any damage. You may need a new motor.

hi
i have read on some articles that oil additives are bad for hondas. I have been using oil additives almost every oil change for the last 100K miles. what could have been the disadvantage to my engine?at least for now the major problems have not yet arrived,but maybe soon it will. i agree i feel a little loss of power, maybe due to the thickier oil,but i ignored it because i can attain higher top speeds with oil additives on. pls share some of your knowledge about oil and additives.

Hi axis,

7 out of 10 Honda engines that I have replaced or overhauled are due to failure of the oiling system, the other 3 are due to overheating.

This problem affects all makes and not Honda alone, Toyota have a sludging problem with a judgement against them. This is most likely aggravated by use of oil tretment.

Just had a Toyota Camry with 80 k on the meter with oil pressure light showing when engine is running. Used some engine flush but only managed to get the light off for a few seconds. Camshaft were running dry. Removed the oil sump and there was a layer of sludge at bottom. Oil strainer was 80 % clogged. Cleaned the strainer and retested, light immediately went off. Any longer and the engine would be history.

When oil treatments are used, they would form a layer on any surface that oil splashes onto. Moving areas would be scraped off but those areas that do not have any friction or movement would have sludge buildup as the supposedly protective layer is sticky. Over time this buildup would increase in thickness.

Regular oil change would prolong the process of buildup but if the oil change interval is far in between and with sporadic driving, it is is going to build up rather fast.

When engine is started regularly, problem might not occur but when it sits without moving for prolonged periods, the caking of sludges dries up and the next time the engine is started, the dried layer flakes off when oil splashes onto them.

This dried up sludge then becomes sticky semi-solids which would clog up the oil strainer as the strainer holes were already partially clogged by now.

Why can't you attain top speed without oil treatment? Only reason is if the engine condition is bad. For a new engine, with ot without, I don't see any difference, unless you are using low quality oils.

tnx a lot.it has been very informative.all the while i thought oil treatment would prolong engine life and prevent costly repairs,just as the product claims. For the top speed,im not sure,maybe because it has 300K on it. Im only using Castrol 10W-30.oil here in saudi arabia is cheap.16 US dollars/gallon for Castrol, cheaper for the other brands. from now on, I will not use oil treatment.i'll take the advice of the pros.

Castrol is a branded oil and I have been using their product for more than 20 years. I have never had any engine failure due to their product and I do not recommend oil treatments.

A good engine oil would help to remove the sludge from the engine and oil should be drained immediately after running the engine. this would prevent the sludge from sinking to the bottom of the oil pan.

Not many mechanics would tell you not to use oil treatments as it would reduce their source of revenue.

1995 Honda Civic 4 cyl Automatic 146000 miles

I recntly bought a 1995 Honda Civic, It was working fine until i had the timing belt done. Now the car seems to lack with acceleration. I have to push the gas pedal completely in to go a mere 30mph for about 20-25 seconds, after it hits 60mph it seems to be fine but as soon as I slow down to about 50mph, I get the same problem.

Hi Jaimecar7,

I believe the timing belt has not been correctly installed and you need to recheck/realign it.

Use a timing light to confirm if the ignition timing is way off the markt

Engine Performance problem
1995 Honda Civic 4 cyl Automatic

can anyone help me?? i have a 95 civic with an aftermarket exaust on it, sometimes when i am driving the engine lacks power its like i push the gas peddle and the car doesnt want to go past about 5 miles an hr...it moves a little if i take my foot off the gas, and when i turn the car off then on it seems to reset it, it doesnt happen all the time but when it does the rpms drop and it feels like if i keep pushing the gas it will backfire or something, the rpms also move up and down when i release my foot off the gas like the engine is surging i guess??? any help will be great?? thank you!!!

Well I was googling away and tested my codes by sticking a paperclip into my two prong connector and got the reading of TDC so I went online and read all about it and everyone seems to have the same problems and symptoms as me, so I suppose as soon as I have the time I will try the tdc sensor, thanks so much for your help!!

when i accelerate half way it goes but not like it should. when i give it more gas it makes a light whistle sound from the left of the engine and feels like its held back. i just got it rebuilt it has 800 miles. not sure if the sound is what makes it slow. i did drop the distributor before i installed it? also when im in 5th gear and try to accelerate it bogs and has no power then when i give it more gas it opens up and goes like it wasnt gettin gas or something? again it always feels like it should be much faster?? i have new spark plugs and wires. any advice will help thanks :)

Hi dro85,

Did you check the igntion timing?

If it is bogging down at high speed, check the fuel filter and pressure.

As to the whistling noise, if it is being produced while engine is being revved, check the belt tensions, overtensioned adjustment can produce such noises.

Try to locte the source with the aid of a hose acting as stethoscope.

thank u! i will check these out asap :)

i did drop my distributor on the ground when taking it off would that damage it enough to act like this???

Engine Performance problem
1995 Honda Civic 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 100k miles
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95 honda civic b16a motor great power loss changed plugs wires cap rotor coil igniter but no power