Do these symptoms sound familiar?

[Batoutahell]

My car has been running amazingly well for almost a year, so I figure I'm past due for another "issue" with my car. Here's my problem. The car occasionally "hiccups" at any/all throttle positions. That's the best I can describe it. The car will for between 1/2 a second to 2 seconds just lose all power, and then "catch" itself and power will be restored. I can definitely feel it "miss" in the seat of my pants, the car surges back and forth, not really violently, but very noticeable. When it happens, I can usually hear sharp backfiring (popping) sounds coming out the back of my thermal exhaust.

It's a little disconcerting because I can be accelerating from a stop, at maybe 1/2 throttle. When the "hiccup" happens, the car surges forward a bit from the abrupt cut-off of power, but my foot will still be on the throttle. This studdering problem happens on the average 2-3 days a weeks, and on those days a couple times a day.

I dropped the cat to inspect for blockages (I'm always blowing out gaskets which I fear could block the cat), and there are none. There are no exhaust leaks (until I blow another gasket). I replace the fuel filter less than 3,000 miles ago, with a valve adjustment about that same time. As soon as the engine cools down tonight, I'll pull the plugs.

Does any of this sound familiar? I'd appreciate some guesses to get me looking in the right direction. Thanks all!

[exciv2000]

It sounds like similar symptoms I was experiencing for a while with my setup. That is, until I got the map controller, and that seemed to solve all the hesitation problems like you are describing.

[Batoutahell]

Instead of going with the JR map controller, I have a piggyback computer (Unichip) that controls the fuel mapping and timing under various loads.

One thing I noticed while pulling the plugs. The boot of the spark plug wire #4 was very very loose. It wasn't at all snapped down onto the spark plug, just kind of floating. I may have found the culprit. In fact, wire #1 barely snaps down anymore. Sounds like I need new plugs wires.

I'll be a little embarrassed if that's the problem I've been so concerned about, but glad if it's as simple as the spark plug wire not making a good connection.

[CROM]

I was going to say check your plug wires [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Batoutahell]

I'll know as soon as I replace the wires. If it is the wires, then I am sofa king we-todd-did! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[JT98CivicEX]

Well, I had the exact problem awhile back and it was caused by the MSD setup. The problem went away as soon as I removed the MSD 6AL. If you have some type of igniton upgrade, you might want to check it out. The symptom was kind of like the MSD rev limiter kicks in at ramdom interval. It didn't happen all the time, but enough to drive me crazy... HTH

[Batoutahell]

Stock ignition here. At times, the "studdering" does feel like a rev limiter kicking in, but many times, the car stalls (loses power) for 1-2 seconds before regaining power. Any more ideas?

[exciv2000]

eh, I don't know anything about unichip, but it might be some form of tip-in detonation that you're experiencing, and I'm not sure if the unichip can tune that out or not. It sounds so much like the problem I had, and I didn't want to get the map controller, but I finally broke down and got it and have been happy every since (so has my car).

[MartyMarGSR]

that happens on my car when its still cold in the morning and i start driving.
anything past 2800 rpms or so on low throttle it'll stop and surge. Once my car is warm, it doesnt do it anymore tho.

I'm just running timing set back to 7 degrees and a 92 octane. I dunno, maybe thats the dreaded tip in detonation ive heard of it. It seems to be the only thing wrong with my car at the current moment.

[Batoutahell]

That's a good analogy, my car surges like when it's real cold outside and you floor the throttle before the engine is warmed up. Most cars "surge" under those conditions.

I hope the problem isn't tip-in. My unichip controls a/f ratios and timing based on various conditions, like throttle position and boost. I tuned it pretty thoroughly about a year ago. I guess it's possible there's something wrong with the piggy-back computer, but I'd be happier to isolate a mechanical problem first. I've heard a vacuum leak can cause the same symptoms, so I'll fish around for a vacuum leak next.