89 honda accord, couple problems

Hey guys, i have a couple problems, hope you guys have some
suggestions... I have a 89 honda accord lxi that does a couple things.
When im driving, the temperature gauge goes up and down, and if i have
the heater going i can feel it blow on me cold when it getgs almost to
overheating then to hot when it goes to the normal stage.... I believe
that it is just a normal thermostat problem which i hopefully will get
fixed tomorrow..... I also have a weird stuttering problem with my
car... .Whenever i first drive it for the day, does not matter if it is
morning or afternoon. The car will normally stutter when i press on the
gas. It is usually noticeable in first gear, but when i was driving
hoime tonight, it was noticeabloe all the way driving home on the
freeway. Usually the rest of the day the car will run normally, even
after letting it sit for only five minutes..... I feel like my car is
possessed sometimes..... Help!!!!

 

once you've fixed your coolant level problem, the stuttering problem
will probably disappear also. report back after.

 

Make sure an OEM ( = genuine Honda) thermostat is used.
After installing the new thermostat, make sure the system is
properly purged of air. That means running it per the
procedure for a purge so the radiator fan comes on twice.
That may take over 30 minutes of sitting with engine idling.

What is the status of routine maintenance on the car? That
is, when were plugs, igition wires, distributor cap and
rotor, air filter, and fuel filter last changed? Were OEM
parts used? When was ignition timing last checked?

After these are checked and/or replaced, then I would
consider the oxygen sensor or ignition coil. How old is
each?

 

plugs were done within the past 18 months, ignition wires just changed,
distributor cap just changed, air filter 3000 miles ago, same with fuel
filter, oem parts were used. The themostat i bought was from autozone..
i am going to get it changed tomorrow, should i exxchange it for an oem
part?

 

I don't know if you'll find an OEM thermostat at AutoZone. You can get
one at the parts department of any Honda dealer.

 

Right, and for just a few more bucks, Nick.

Get the OEM thermostat from your local dealer. A non-OEM
thermostat may, for one thing, not regulate in the correct
temperature range.

I wouldn't drive this car if it's at all overheating. That's
risking serious damage to the engine.

After the new thermostat is in, report back on whether the
stuttering continues.

Maybe buy a bottle of Chevon Techron fuel injector etc.
cleaner and add that to an empty fuel tank, fill up, and see
how it runs after a week.

Reinforcement of many of these points appears at
www.tegger.com/hondafaq , under "running/starting" problems.

Is the car showing any idle problems when it's stopped at a
stoplight?

The distributor rotor may be due. Also, an ignition timing
check as well.

 

------------------------------

Another tip: Be aware that you may have to top up the reservoir two days
in a row after changing the thermostat, since air will burp out and be
displaced overnight when engine 'sips' from the reservoir. Use Honda
premix, never tap water.

'Curly'

 

I concur.

I wonder sometimes how people take these diagnostic
approaches that just don't nail the problem after one post.
I have spent a day or so trying to resolve some computing
issues with my poor beat up li'l ol' home PC, with the help
of folks at one of the computer hardware newsgroups. Try as
I might, and aware as I am that troubleshooting inevitably
consists of going down many wrong paths before the right one
is found, I still found myself being one b-tchy customer
over there, or else just cussing right and left to myself at
what a random process computer problem diagnosis seems to
be. (People were still gracious, thankfully. OTOH, I may
have ended up doing what more than a few older Honda owners
do: Saying to hell with it and just replacing darn near the
whole damn thing.)

So all yous suffering with non-functioning cars: Hang in
there. Persistence pays. One always learn something new from
these experiences.

 

computers are cheap. in the past, ive built my own, but with systems
going for $600 including a 17" LCD display, its not worth it. the
display alone is worth almost $200. $400 *might* buy me a mobo/CPU
bundle, a 512MB stick of SDram, a hard drive, and a beige box to put it
all in.

 

That's good to hear, because it supports my research of the
past few days on the subject. This morning I decided to buy,
as a package, a new mobo/cpu, case/power supply, and some
other upgrades. Buying them separate was going to cost more.
Though I was looking forward to assembling it all.

This will be the first time I have a computer without a
fancy name brand on it like "Compaq" or "HP."

I do think computer component manufacturers add on ever
"improving" bells and whistles to the detriment of "basic
driving," in the same way that auto manufacturers do with
cars. Duh?

I wish I could get a basic computer that would last as long
as and be as trouble free as my 91Honda Civic.

 

i could build you a great basic computer for under 500, if you are
interested, let me know...

 

Thanks, Nick, but I just today bought a new motherboard,
case and power supply, CPU, and Windows XP in a package, all
local.