Misfire between 2000 and 3000

[docgeebee]

I'm the second owner (from my Uncle) of a bone stock 89 Integra with 140,000 original miles on it.
I replaced the fuel pump and battery at the same time, and now the engine won't run between 2000 and 3000 rpm. It sputters and practically dies.
When I'm starting off at low RPMs, when it's warmed up, it's smooth to about 2000 RPMs then it stutters very badly and won't go any higher.
If I shift into each gear before 2000, I can give it full throttle and it will smoothly go up to 40 miles per hour in 5th gear; at which time it stutters when any throttle is applied, and won't go any faster.
If I shift from 5th down to 3rd at 40 miles per hour, that brings the revs up to 3000 RPM and the engine smooths out, runs perfectly and accelerates up to red line in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears.
If I take my foot off the accelerator when it's sputtering, the engine smooths out but still won't go above 2000 rpm, in any gear.
When the engine is sputtering the tachometer becomes very erratic and even drops to zero at times.
I have replaced the ignition control module, twice, the coil, distributor cap, rotor and all the spark plugs and wires.
The car starts right up and runs perfectly up to 2000 rpm. Once I'm above 3000 rpm it runs perfectly all the way up to red line.

 

[Samurai_Blue]

try a valve adjustment or make sure all grounds are tight

 

[awright3331]

I'm the second owner (from my Uncle) of a bone stock 89 Integra with 140,000 original miles on it.
I replaced the fuel pump and battery at the same time, and now the engine won't run between 2000 and 3000 rpm. It sputters and practically dies. If I go through the gears and take it to 2000 in 5th, I can then downshift to 3rd, which pulls the engine above 3000 and everything is fine
If I take my foot off the accelerator, the engine smooths out but won't go above 2000 rpm, in any gear.
When the engine is sputtering the tachometer becomes very erratic and even drops to zero at times.
I have replaced the ignition control module, twice, the coil, and all the spark plugs and wires.
The car starts right up and runs perfectly up to 2000 rpm. Once I'm above 3000 rpm it runs perfectly all the way up to red line.

i would say try the main relay behind your fuse box under your dash on the driver side. Other then that if you got the pump from the junk yard, id say replace it with a new one as well. But I see youve replaced your coil pack? Did you replace it itself or the hole distributor, is there a bright white spark occuring at each spark plug at those RPM's? A good way to test it is A) Take the number one plug out of the motor and plug it into the wire, start the engine and rev it(Ease into the rev dont slam the gas) and see if theres a white spark at that plug and keep doing it that way till you get to number four or B) Take the number one plug wire off the plug and put a long screwdriver in it, ground it out and start the engine if its sparking white at each plug wire then its not the issue. let the engine warm up to normal operating temperature, cuff your hand and apply pressure for 2 seconds on the exhaust outlet and let go does it make a suction sound and does the motor bog down? If so your compression is good. Test your fuel pressure with the tester gauge, a fuel injection system requires so much PSI (pounds per square inch) of pressure to be pumping through the system for the fuel injectors to pop off and shoot that fuel into each cylinder, I wouldnt say timing jumped if the car is running smooth upto those rpms.

 

[enoch723]

Yeah I would check your fuel system and your cat. Your cat might be plugged up cause it sat for soooo long. Ive seen a rats nest behind the cat that had gummed it up to the point of no return, had to replace the whole exhaust system. Other thing is because it sat so long the gas in the lines could have gummed up and werent properly cleaned out.

Yeah I always tell people if they are having problems with their G1 to check the main relay and at least the roto cap. The main relay for some reason has a lot of problems in the G1's especially if it sat for awhile. I havent seen a G1 that sat and didnt need a new main relay

 

[docgeebee]

Thanks for the reply.
I've checked the spark and it is fine; as it seemed to be before I replaced the plugs and wires. I only replaced them because I wanted to eliminate that from the list of possibles.
I've replaced the ignitor module and the coil, and it still misfires/stumbles exactly as it did before I replaced them.
The fuel pump is a brand new pump.
The problem is directly related to throttle position. When I back off the throttle, rather than trying to acceclerate, the engine smooths out and the bucking stops.
I did not replace the entire distributor because there are more than one version and I didn't know how to specify the correct one. I purchased what seemed like the correct distributor from a salvage yard, but found that it had a slightly different electrical plug connection and I couldn't connect it.
Is there one or more sensors that could cause this? From time to time, at no specific interval, the "Check Engine" light comes on, but it doesn't stay on, and every time I start the car, the light is off.
Thanks again for all your help.

 

[enoch723]

I would really check the exhaust system then if the check engine light is coming on. There really is only a few sensors that could throw up a check engine. One of which being the o2 which might explain why is goes away, You might be getting too much back pressure. The tps is right on the throttle body though drivers side. As for the plug for the distributor, there are little converters ive seen online somewhere specifically for our G1's. We use the same dis as other hondas be we dont get the same plug

 

[96LSteg]

If you floor it when it sputters what does it do?

 

[awright3331]

I agree with enoch, You may want to check your cat, oh and enoch, my G1 sat in my neighbors driveway for 5 and a half years, took 9 months for me to replace it. Try using a bottle of Lucas gas treatment, it may clean out all carbon build up in your fuel lines and your compression chamber that may cause it.

 

[docgeebee]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm going to locate one of those distributor connector adapters and install the "new" distributor.
I'm going to get some Lucas gas treatment, and I already have the O2 sensor and a new temp sending unit ordered.

I have one more question:
If the car runs flawlessly from 3000 rpms all the way up to red line, wouldn't that indicate that the CAT is not clogged and the engine's getting enough fuel?

Again, THANK YOU, ONE AND ALL.

 

[enoch723]

I thought you ment it had trouble getting above 300. Thats my fault for reading it wrong. Yeah most likely not clogged. Does it only do it when your idling or when your taking off too?

 

[docgeebee]

When I'm starting off at low RPMs, when it's warmed up, it's smooth to about 2000 RPMs then it stutters very badly and won't go any higher.
If I shift into each gear before 2000, I can give it full throttle and it will smoothly go up to 40 miles per hour in 5th gear; at which time it stutters when any throttle is applied, and won't go any faster.
If I shift from 5th down to 3rd at 40 miles per hour, that brings the revs up to 3000 RPM and the engine smooths out, runs perfectly and accelerates up to red line in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears.

 

[Samurai_Blue]

oh hey did you check i dont know your valves ?

 

[enoch723]

^ Agreed

 

[docgeebee]

Thank you, one and all. for all your helpful suggestions.
I've tried the gas treatment, the ignition timing, the CAT, and the ground connection.
Next I'm trying a new distributor and valve adjustment.
I haven't received the sensors I ordered, so I haven't replaced them yet, but that's also next.
Thanks again, EVERYONE!!

 

[96LSteg]

I had a similar problem to this and it turned out to be my primary o2 sensor. When the heating element went bad the ecu was basing th AFR off of the MAP sensor instead of the o2. The misfire only occurred when the car was hot though. Does yours occur when cold? Hot?