Rep Power: 0

So ive been having this problem lately. i drive a 95 integra LS. This problem can randomly happen, i will be driving and all of a sudden my rpm needle will shoot down to zero, then literally 1 to 2 seconds later it will pick back up and return to correct rpm. Sometimes it will shoot down to zero and stay at zero for 5 to 10 seconds and when i press the gas its like it doesnt pick up that im pressing the gas. I just leave it alone for a few seconds and it normally picks back up to normal rpm. Its very hard to explain. Sometimes it will happen and all of my dash lights come on, my engine cuts off and i loose power steering. So i have to pull over and cut the car off and restart it. Then normally it will start fine. All of this is very random and sporadic and can happen at any time. Car can run fine for a month or two,then start acting up again. Recentlly it was happening so bad to a point that it wont even start now. It will crank but not turn over. Please help

 
Rep Power: 156

Is the CEL on? Have you check the battery/charging system? If you have a dead battery or battery that doesn't hold charge it can have some crazy side effects.

Worst case scenario I'd say our ECM is crapping/crapped out.

You loose power steering because typically the power steering pump is on a belt with the crankshaft. So if the engine isn't spinning then neither is the power steering pump so therefore you don't have power steering. So that's most likely with the engine shutting off and not a separate problem if that's what you were thinking.

 
Rep Power: 0

My battery has always been fine no problem with that. And what is CEL? And by ECM do you mean my ECU? I was thinking it might have something to do with my distributer. Idk. I have no clue what it could be it's so. Hard to explain. It's not my engine. Definitely something electrical. Maybe my throttle position sensor. When the RPMs shoot down to zero my engine still stays on but when I try to press the gas it won't register that im pressing it. I can't give it gas until my rpms go back to normal, then it is fine.

 
Rep Power: 519

Start at square one:
Does it have compression?
Does it have the correct amount of fuel being squirted into the engine to burn?
Does it have spark?

Figure out which is not correct and chase that direction.


Check Engine Light.
Check for codes.
Samey-samey. Also PCM.
Got spark, or not?

 
Rep Power: 0

Nope my CEL has never came on so I've never thought to put it on a scanner. And my friend checked it out and he said when I was trying to start it I didn't have a spark. So I'm going to do a full tune up plugs, wires, distributer cap. And see if that does anything. Just if it doesn't do anything Idk what to do from there. What's the next step I should take

 
Rep Power: 156

They don't stay fine. Would still be worth checking, especially if you've tried cranking it a few times without it actually firing up. That means you've pulled a charge off of it without it recharging.


Is it not your car?

Most sensors will give you a CEL if they are malfunctioning.


Did you pull a spark plug and look at it while someone tried to crank it? That's about the only way to know for sure.

Do what ezone said and check for compression, fuel, and spark.

 
Rep Power: 519

Stop.


Remove dist cap, see if the coil can produce spark, use a grounded screwdriver as a spark gap test probe.
And see how large of a gap that spark can jump


If it can throw a lightning bolt a half inch or better, then continue with tuneup parts.

If it can only make a spark like 1/16 inch and no more, that's a bad coil.

If absolutely no spark at all, then do you have a dwellmeter available or a meter that can read duty cycle?

 
Rep Power: 519

And FYI, aftermarket rebuilt distributors are crap.



HTH

 
Rep Power: 0

I will try the dis cap thing. I don't have a dwell meter or anything of that matter, honestly I don't even know what that is. If I pull my spark plug out and try to crank and I'm still getting a spark then I'm guessing it's not my plugs and they aren't worth replacing? When you say proceed to fuel do you mean like my fuel pump and filter, or the main fuel relay? And how do I go about checking compression if my car won't start? I don't want to take it to a shop because half the time they don't know what's going on a fix **** that doesn't even need to be fixed and ide get charged a arm and a leg. I appreciate yalls help alot

 
Rep Power: 0

Could it be my alternator?

 
Rep Power: 519

Your buddy already said it has no spark, that's probably where you need to concentrate. Figure out why it has no spark.

Get your buddy back in there to help?

Ermmmm, no.
I think you are going to need some help on this.

You're going to need a crash course in understanding how an ignition system works in order to figure out why yours doesn't. From the spark plugs, backwards to the distributor, back to the coil, and to the items that control the coil operation, how to figure if each part is working or not, and what/how to diagnose each step of the way.

That's why I asked about checking for spark right at the coil.


You could try tossing a distributor at it and see if that gets spark again and gets it to run......? But you'd need to be able to time the new unit upon installation too.

And if that doesn't get spark again, what next? Is it a problem elsewhere or a bad new reman part?
Not all are like that....but sadly there are many that are. Very few shops can afford a full staff of top gun talent, and many don't seem to want smart people at all.

There are many techs that do know exactly what they are doing, and know what that talent is worth.


HTH

 
Rep Power: 0

Thankyou. I'm sure I'll figure out the problem and get it to start. I'm just more concerned about the engine studer and why my rpms shoot to zero and then go back up to normal. And why when I press the gas pedal it doesn't do anything when they shoot to zero. Because my engine is still on and running whenever that happens. I don't get what that is. There are only a handful of things it could be why my car won't start. I'm sure I can fix that. But idk what the problem I'm describing is

 
Rep Power: 519

Because the ignition (spark) went dead.

Same effect as shutting the key off while driving.... The engine was still turning only because it was physically coupled to the transmission through the engaged clutch--- and the car was moving. Then turning the key back on and the engine runs under its own power again.

 
Rep Power: 0

I think you just saved me a ridiculous amount of trouble.

My '97 Civic decided to crank but not start the other day out of nowhere. Got it towed home and checked everything you can in the ignition system. Everything tested fine until I got to the wires, which don't spark. The ignition switch is fine and the coil generates a yellowish spark while cranking, but you have to come pretty close to touching the spring to the coil to get that spark. Ohm tests coming out to spec with the spark (albeit barely a spark) had me figuring the coil was still good; however, I did notice a bit of what looked like heat damage on the sides of the coil.

I wish I had a new coil to pop in and see if it's really that easy. I apologize for this coming out of nowhere. Do you think a new coil would do the job? At this point I might pick one up anyway to just see what happens...

 
Rep Power: 519

Bad coil.

The coil will pass your ohm testing because that part is still ok and it actually is still working internally.
The usual problem is secondary insulation breakdown, and it may have been sending the majority of spark generated out through the side of the coil to the nearest ground (usually that metal plate that covers one side of the coil) instead of out through the tower where you have that spring.

The fact that there is still a hint of spark produced tells me the coil controls (ECM and igniter) are all still viable and working at this time.



tl;dr
Replace the coil.


Bad insulation causes spark to go to the wrong place.

You may find the engine is flooded now and you may need to hold the gas pedal to the floor while you crank it in order to get it dried out enough to start on its own again. Once it runs, go drive it around the block a couple times to get it cleared out and warmed up.



HTH