[Gurgus]

My 97 Integra, which I have had and taken very good care of since it had 17,000 kms, has developed an odd problem recently. The car now has 268,000 kms and generally runs like a dream. I drive the car to work and back, a round trip of 140 kms. When I'm not working, I generally drive my Pathfinder because it's my family car. So the Teg ends up sitting in the garage or in the driveway for a couple of days. When I leave for work after a few days not driving it, the teg runs awfully. Hesistation, misfiring, stalling, chugging, you name it, all in the 2-3000 rpm range. After about 30-40 minutes driving it usually runs great again. I usually leave the car with an almost full tank of gas, if not full. I let it warm up for about ten minutes before I leave. The motor is a non-vtec dohc. It's normally a very strong runner. I just want some ideas as to what might be the problem. Thanks alot for an input you guys and gals might have for me. Sorry about the lengthy post. Gurgus.

 

[Integraoligist]

17,000 kms and now... 268,000 kms

when was the last time you had a tune up? oil change, tranny fluid change... timing belt... fuel pump... pretty much everything changed?

 

[integra366]

First questions so nobody else will ask. Have you changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor?

 

[Gurgus]

To answer both questions; I've changed the timing belt twice, last tune up was last spring before my emmissions test, tranny fluid changed last year, never changed the fuel pump but the fuel filter was changed last year, cap and rotor have both been changed within the last couple years, new wires at the same time. I was thinking along all these same lines, but nothing here would lead to an intermittent problem(I think). I've done most of the work on this car myself, and this is a recent problem. It puzzles me. Yeah, a quarter of a million kilometers in six years. Not bad, eh?

 

[Furious05]

Well the cap and rotor should really be done every 2 years.

Your IACV may be acting up. You can run a search here on it to find out what you have to do. You should check the gap of your spark plugs.

Check and adjust your timing, that could be causing the spudder. If it wont hold timing then the distributor is probably shot.

 

[Gurgus]

Well the cap and rotor should really be done every 2 years.

Your IACV may be acting up. You can run a search here on it to find out what you have to do. You should check the gap of your spark plugs.

Check and adjust your timing, that could be causing the spudder. If it wont hold timing then the distributor is probably shot.

The timing is always dead-on with this car. The problem started when we had a giant snow storm here in ontario and I left the car in the garage for a week and drove my Pathfinder because four wheel drive vs. front wheel drive in two-three feet of snow is a no-brainer. I drove the car after that week and it gave me the affor mentioned problem and then ran perfect after about a half hour. The next day it was fine, drove it for three days and it was perfect. Left it alone for two days in the driveway, started it up tonight to come to work and it gave me the same symptoms. Half an hour of highway driving and it was fine. I'm curious to see what it will do tommorow moring at the end of my shift. Time will tell, I guess.
This car is going to get some well deserved TLC this spring as I have no time or money right now, my new kid taking all my cash and time, but I don't care.

 

[The95GSR]

Well, since I still am learning about my teg, I cant be application specific, but when i had my 78 F150, i had a problem like that once caused by moisture/condensation in the dist cap. a little silicon spray usually takes care of this. hope I was of some help.

 

[Gurgus]

Well, since I still am learning about my teg, I cant be application specific, but when i had my 78 F150, i had a problem like that once caused by moisture/condensation in the dist cap. a little silicon spray usually takes care of this. hope I was of some help.

Thats a great idea I hadn' thought of. Thanks man. Heh, you went from a 78 Ford to 95 GSR? Thats funny, I've got my 97 Teg and this spring I'm likely picking up a 78 Dodge van. My vehicular tastes are kinda like my musical tastes, all over the damn place.

 

[Gurgus]

Well, just like I figured. The car ran perfectly on the way home today. I think the problem might be condensation in either the tank or the distributor. I'm going to get some silicon spray and give er a shot. Question is, silicon spray, does it go on or in the distributor cap? I'm thinking on it and the wires. Some help would be ppreciated. Thanks gurgus.

 

[The95GSR]

I would pop off my cap and spray it inside, but im sure it wouldnt hurt to take the wires off and hit a shot in there as well, but I've never sprayed it anywhere but in the cap itself.

 

[TOteg]

i had the exact problem...i let my car in the cold for 2 weeks without it running....turns out there was a problem with my alternator and my spark plugs were no good. my car was running perfect til i left it sitting on my drive way for two weeks in the cold