Expert: Jeb S. Orr - 12/6/2002

Question
I have a 1993 Integra 1.8 that loses power on occasion. This is accompanied by the tac needle bouncing wildly. The car cranks back after a few minutes and runs perfectly otherwise.  I have on occasion caused it to stumble by flooring it on straightaways. THe car belongs to my 17 year old daughter who is afraid to drive it due to this problem.
Don

Answer
Don,

This sounds like an ignition problem. I would start by replacing the inexpensive parts of the ignition system, which include plugs, wires, and the distributor cap and rotor, and see if the problem disappears. Ensure that the ground strap from the engine to the chassis is secure.

Is the check engine light on? This could indicate the problem immediately, and usually will tell you if the problem is related to a sensor or not (like the crank angle sensor). If not, the distributor/cap will probably correct the problem.

--Jeb