Engine hard to start, when up runs ok, rough idling and stalls

Honda Accord 1992 2.2l.


The car worked flawlessly until yesterday when I came back from one
month vacation. The car started up with no problem at all. It ran for
another 5 kms or so. After I parked (in deep snow), shut off the
engine and another 30 minutes the troubles began.

Since then the car was difficult to start. When started up I had to
keep pressing gas pedal to keep it running. From 1500RMP up, the
engine didn't experience any troubles at all - responsive, full power,
no choking, all ok. Bellow 1500RPM it quickly got worse - the idling
was rough, unresponsive to the gas pedal and was hard to keep up.
After an hour of trying to start up the car it got to the point when
it wouldn't start at all.


Other observations

* No strange sounds when starting up, except - 2-3 dull sounds/clicks
during the ignition process (fuel lines, intake?)
* The car was sitting for 1 month with almost empty gas tank (clogged
fuel system?)
* The symptoms worsen quickly in half an hour

 

My mechanic called me today that the engine gives random sparks all
over. I'm not exactly sure what he meant but it doesn't make sense
when the car ran ok on 1500RPM and up.

 

wrote in :

bad plug wires? maybe it needs new wires,plugs,distributor cap/rotor,and
some dry gas/injector cleaner in the gas tank.(for the next 2-3 fillups)
a new fuel filter,too.

heck,maybe a mouse made a nest in your air intake.

 

What's really puzzling to me is that the engine would run great over
1500RPM - but only after some hard time to start it up and get over
the first 1500RPM.

 

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

Fill the gas tank with fuel that has some ethanol in it. Make sure the
coolant reservoir is full to the MAX mark. My CR-V gave multiple
misfires after a long winter storage. If it goes OK on highway DON'T
replace the fuel filter. It's not necessary.

Is there a possibility of sabotage?

'Curly'

 

Do what I used to do with an old Ford. Get a shop light with a 40 watt
bulb minimum , turn on and put it under the hood until everything is
dry.. Then try and start. Your mechanic checked the car in semi
darkness and saw the sparks from the plug wires no doubt.

 

And that's NOT kosher.
Considering the age of your car,the plug wires are probably breaking down.
I'd surely check the rest of the ignition system while you're at it.

 

In Honda of 3rd (with EFI) and 4th generations, hard statring and poor
throttle response at low rpms is most likely ignition problems
Give her a tune-up, new plugs, new wires, new dist cap & rotor, and
even a new igntion coil