Car stumble

Tiny
ZEMORZEMOR
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 HONDA ACCORD
  • 232,000 MILES
Hello

I have a 96 honda accord non vtec 2.2 liters automatic 235000 mile. The first start in the morning or it could be in the afternoon too the car stumble at stat up same like in this video on youtube if you enter in youtube "91 Accord Cold Start Stumbling" you will see the video.

the second problem is my car shift hard in the city but if I drive the car in the freeway the car shift smoothly after that. There is no shifting problem when I drive the car in the freeway. There is no check engine light on.

Thank you for helping me
Monday, April 29th, 2013 AT 10:31 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
What have you done/checked so far?
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Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 AT 6:59 AM
Tiny
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I checked the resistance of the lock up solenoids and shift solenoids 17.9 ohms. Ignition coil resistance was fine, spark plugs wire resistances they were below 25kohms. The resistance of the main shaft sensor it was 460 and I removed and cleaned it . It was on it like black staff not metal shaving but I think clutches material oh by the way when I bought the car the transmission fluid was dirty it does not smelling like burnt but just dirty and the previous owner did not use Honda transmission fluid so I changed twice with Honda fluid.I checked the resistance of oxygen sensor was fine.I checked the kick down cable it synchronized with the throttle valve. I cleaned the throttle body and replaced the gasket. I cleaned the intake air temperature sensor. I cleaned the EGR passages and the EGR valve. I checked the battery before cranking the car 12.4 v and when cranking the car 10.4 volts.I wanted to check the ECT sensor but I could not take the connector it was oil on it because the distributor o ring was leaking.I checked the clicking of the transmission solenoid valves I think but not sure the shift solenoid clicks less than the lock up solenoids. I wanted to clean them but I worried about leaking gasket I tried to buy some but I could not find them. The car has conical K&N filter.I did not check yet the fuel pressure because in these cars you have to connect the gauge on the filter and its hard to get to it. The car has new spark plugs v power NGK.I replaced distributor rotor and cap.I forget to tell you but the car does a long crank when the weather in cold like 3 to 4 second before it starts up but it starts the first time I turn the key and in the morning at the first start I smell raw gas coming out the muffler when the car is warming up. The car does not consume any oil

Thank you for your help
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Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 AT 1:40 PM
Tiny
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I am listing all the possible scenarios I can think of and you can start with the easiest of them.

The fuel pressure gauge can be attached to the fuel rail side with the correct adapter. If the filter had not been replaced, you should consider it.

If you have coolant losses issues, the initial stumbling is a possibility of a failing head gasket. Tight valve clearances would also cause this and having them adjusted would be good idea. 0.25 mm for intake and 0.30 mm for exhaust, adjusted with cold engine. I would recommend this to be done as the top priority.

Harsh or erratic shifting with no codes can be due to the TPS. Check the TPS resistance and its movement with slow and gradual opening. It should move smoothly from fully closed to fully opened. Your problem if caused by the TPS would be the readings at minimal opening. Have seen many TPS fail without throwing any codes.

A bad TCM is another possibility. You mentioned no problem with highway driving but does the problem recur when you go back to city driving after engine is warmed up?
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Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 AT 4:11 PM
Tiny
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When I go back to the city from the freeway the car shifts fine.
I did not replace the fuel filter since I bought the car. In my car I do not have fuel adapter at the fuel rail I have to check the pressure at the fuel filter.
I will check the TPS.
Today I found the front engine mount is damaged the center bolt of the mount moves up and down when I put the car on drive or reverse and rev the rpm could a damaged mount make a transmission to shift hard. Also when I put the transmission from park to drive or reverse the car jerk the worst is when I shift from park to reverse
how can I check if there is coolant looses?

Thank you
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Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 AT 6:46 PM
Tiny
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The front engine mount can affect the shift quality into reverse but would not affect the shift into drive much unless reverse has been selested fiest.

If the front is bad and shifts a lot while shifting, the rear mounts should be checekd as well. It most probably is bad. Put one hand on the rear mountrubber and use your other hand to pull the engine forward from the manifold. If you feel the rubber parting as you pull at the manifold, that would mean the rear mount is bad.

Bad engine mounts would affect initial shift but if driving is gradual, the upshifting should not have much affect on it.
When engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and check the coolant level, if it is at or very near the neck, it means coolant level is good.
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Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 AT 8:17 PM
Tiny
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Hi sir
Today I check the voltages of the TPS sensor. At fully closed throttle the voltage is 0.39 V at the fully open the voltage is 3.41 V is this voltages are within specification. It was a smooth transition between 0.39 to 3.41. The reference wire is 4.99 V.
Thank you
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Thursday, May 2nd, 2013 AT 8:04 PM
Tiny
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The TPS is out of adjustment.
At fully closed it should be 0.5 volts and at fully opened about 4.5 volts.
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Friday, May 3rd, 2013 AT 5:32 AM
Tiny
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So what I have to do because I think those TPS are not adjustable they dont have screws to hold it on the throttle body they have rivets.
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Friday, May 3rd, 2013 AT 11:07 AM
Tiny
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Riveted type are non adjustable and you would have to replace the throttle body which should be easily available at junkyards and would not cost much.
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Friday, May 3rd, 2013 AT 11:14 AM
Tiny
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Hi sir
Sorry I forgot to ask you the important question about my low TPS voltages. Is a low TPS voltages causes harsh engagement Transmission gears? Because my car shift harsh between all gears
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Saturday, May 4th, 2013 AT 11:24 PM
Tiny
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Yes, the TPS is a important sensor for shifting. It provides the signal to the Transmission Control Module.
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Sunday, May 5th, 2013 AT 1:46 AM

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