Any amateur mechanics want to guess?

[Countdown]

Car: My brother's Honda Accord 2.0 GT 156bhp, 89000 miles.

Fault: Slight hesitation / misfire / stutter when accelerating in 2nd or 3rd gear at low revs. Worse when cold but apparent even when warmed up. Otherwise fine. Idles smoothly, revs smoothly, no apparent change in fuel consumptio

It's gone into our trusted local Indy for a diagnostic and hopefully shouldn't be anything more than a dodgy sensor. IIRC) it's the first problem he's ever had with a Honda (and he's owned loads).

Anybody want to hazard a guess as to what it might be?

[anonymous-user]

I will have a guess at a faulty air flow meter.

[mike-r]

Coilpack/plugs maybe.

[xxChrisxx]

With a misfire under load, I'd start with ignition (plugs and coils) before anything fuelling related (maf and injectors).

I'll put my money on coils.

[Countdown]

From a relative "noob" point of view my guess was O2 sensor, followed by MAF.

I think the MechanicBloke's first guess was Coils.

Should find out about 4'ish as I'm dropping him off.

[danjama]

Cracked coilpack.

[SturdyHSV]

I thought MAF, but am inexperienced at diagnosing faults really.

[Countdown]

Hmmm...new one on me.

Apparently oil dripping onto sparkplug - temp repair was new plug. Mech has recommended new gasket next time it's in for a service.

[thebigmacmoomin]

I thought coilpack aswell.

[m4tti]

Countdown said:

Hmmm...new one on me.

Apparently oil dripping onto sparkplug - temp repair was new plug. Mech has recommended new gasket next time it's in for a service.

Is the oil climbing up the plug under the HT lead cap?

[xxChrisxx]

Countdown said:

Hmmm...new one on me.

Apparently oil dripping onto sparkplug - temp repair was new plug. Mech has recommended new gasket next time it's in for a service.

:/ :/ :/
Sounds distinctly like a symptom and not a cause, or totally unrelated.

If oil's getting on the plug, it would be black and glazed as it gets burnt. Which means you'd be seeing blue smoke. It also means the oil's getting in somehow.

If he's talking about oil physically dripping onto the plug because that's what you see when you take it out, it's nonsense. Oil will not get past the plug seal. It does mean a new rocker cover gasket though.

[Qwert1e]

xxChrisxx said:

With a misfire under load, I'd start with ignition (plugs and coils) before anything fuelling related (maf and injectors).

Agreed. And your suggestion of coil is as good as any. But there's also plugs, leads etc

[aks7297]

crack in the coilpack...

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m4tti said:

Is the oil climbing up the plug under the HT lead cap?

I think it was dripping onto the white ceramic bit just below the HT lead. That was the bit that looked slightly charred.

[Countdown]

xxChrisxx said:

:/ :/ :/
Sounds distinctly like a symptom and not a cause, or totally unrelated.

If oil's getting on the plug, it would be black and glazed as it gets burnt. Which means you'd be seeing blue smoke. It also means the oil's getting in somehow.

Oil on the "outside" bit of the plug, rather than the bit inside the cylinder. Mechanic said it was causing a short circuit resulting in the plug not firing

xxChrisxx said:

If he's talking about oil physically dripping onto the plug because that's what you see when you take it out, it's nonsense. Oil will not get past the plug seal. It does mean a new rocker cover gasket though.

No, not past the plug seal. Just on the outside.

£20 for a new plug and IIRC £70 for a new rocker cover gasket. Could have been worse