Need help with 88 Accord intermittent stumble

My engine (carb, AT) starts rapidly cutting out and in after 20 mins of driving. I lurch down the road with steady throttle but tach oscillating regularly between approx. 2000 and 2500, on a 1 second cycle.

This will go on for several seconds, then it might run perfectly smooth for 100 yards, then resume. Putting it in neutral makes no difference. Eventually it starts to stumble and I have to pull over. I don't have to be cruising; first appearance was when it died at a red light.

But if I shut off the engine, wait a couple minutes and restart, it goes away. I've already replaced the igniter/coil and ignition wires. The cap and rotor are recent, and I swapped the ECU. No dice.

I'm thinking radio condenser next. It's unlikely, I know, but it's the last ignition component unchanged. If that's not it, I'll have to start looking at vacuum leaks. It doesn't seem like a fuel supply problem.

Any other suggestions?

TIA, Joe

Reply to
JoeBeets
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Not familiar with this ignition system, but there's probably some kind of Hall-effect sensor or TDC sensor or something that provides an RPM signal, which may be bad.

Reply to
Robert Hancock

Thanks for the suggestion, but that's the already-replaced igniter, inside the distributor. I'm thinking ignition switch now, since turning the car off, waiting, and turning it on again seems to buy me another 15 minutes of driving.

Reply to
Misterbeets

The 88 Accord uses a reluctor and stator as trigger mechanism for the igniter. When the trigger goes off twice than normal for a millisecond, it displays as a quick upward jerk on the rpm gauge. Check for a loose distributor shaft or for bearing play. Normally, I would swap a new distributor housing and recheck.

I once use to bench test these NEC igniters. Static discharge from carpets can trigger these sensitve igniters. The satic can switch the igniter on on for 5 miliseconds as view on a scope.

Reply to
Indiån §ummer

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