1996 Honda Accord

[McGyver]

Hello,

My sister owns a 1996 Honda Accord and the problem is this:

-RPM gauge fluxes during driving, from 1 to 4 grand and then sometimes goes
to zero and stays.
-Check engine light is on.
-the car stutters, loosing power, and then it clears up. Repeats but then
gains power back again. The suttering is normally during the time the RPM
gauge is fluxing.
-Has new battery and just got oil changed.

It is (at this very moment) at the garage but I was curious as to if anyone
here could give me a "headsup" of what to look for in the diagnostic of this
problem. I am going to guess it is a combination of things, such as a fault
RPM gauge and a bad sparkplug and/or something even worse, perhaps it is a
timing belt problem although I have to admit I have no knowledge of timing
belts. I was trying to think about what could cause the RPM gauge and the
engine to act up at once and I figured perhaps the belt is slipping or
something but then again it might just be 2 simple things (gauge / spark
plug) instead of one complex thing (timing belt/chain).

Anyone have an idea of what I should be expecting (of course they will call
soon with their answer, I was just wanting to have an idea before the phone
rings).

Thanks for any input,

McGyver (Joseph)

 

[PILOT]

I doubt its the tach (rpm gage) because the vehicle is stuttering. The CEL
is on so the ECU senses the problem. My guess is that the RACV is stuck.

 

[Michael Pardee]

Hello,

My sister owns a 1996 Honda Accord and the problem is this:

-RPM gauge fluxes during driving, from 1 to 4 grand and then sometimes
goes
to zero and stays.
-Check engine light is on.
-the car stutters, loosing power, and then it clears up. Repeats but then
gains power back again. The suttering is normally during the time the RPM
gauge is fluxing.
-Has new battery and just got oil changed.

It is (at this very moment) at the garage but I was curious as to if
anyone
here could give me a "headsup" of what to look for in the diagnostic of
this
problem. I am going to guess it is a combination of things, such as a
fault
RPM gauge and a bad sparkplug and/or something even worse, perhaps it is a
timing belt problem although I have to admit I have no knowledge of timing
belts. I was trying to think about what could cause the RPM gauge and the
engine to act up at once and I figured perhaps the belt is slipping or
something but then again it might just be 2 simple things (gauge / spark
plug) instead of one complex thing (timing belt/chain).

Anyone have an idea of what I should be expecting (of course they will
call
soon with their answer, I was just wanting to have an idea before the
phone
rings).

Thanks for any input,

McGyver (Joseph)

Not necessarily the most likely thing, but probably the easiest to check:
electrical weirdness in cars always makes me think of the engine ground
first. In the '96 Accord it is probably a wire that runs from around the
radiator to a valve cover nut on the front of the engine. If the wire is
there and tight, well, at least it was easy!

Mike