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Engine Shudders

4K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  Ralph 
#1 ·
Any suggestions for of what type of problem I may have (possible solutions as well?)?

01 MT w/ 62k miles. No real problems have occurred in its history, maintenance has been kept up for the most part and only air/oil filters have been replaced.

From about 1.6-2.4k RPMs my engine shudders when I am just barely accelerating yet almost coasting to the ordinary driver. When I give it more gas and get the RPM's higher no problem, when I take my foot off the pedal completely the problem lingers a little then goes away. When I push the clutch in it goes away. If I move up OR down a gear the problem goes away to (adjusting RPM's below).

When I drive I can completely avoid having the engine shudder but about 2.5k miles ago I noticed the problem between 4th and 5th gear but rarely. As time has gone on its slowly gotten wrose and has spread to between 2nd & 3rd & 4th & 5th. I cannot induce the shuddering in first. When I say between it means the lower end of the higher and middle range of the lower gear.

I have two thought processes.
First my lean burn engages and performs greatly (73.3 MPG for the last 10k miles) but it seems to occur when I'm on the verge of engaging into it, but once im in lean burn, I dont notice the problem. What could cause that I have no idea.
Second could be misfiraes and I need to check things like arc from the spark plugs, the spark plugs, wires (if any), distributor and cap.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks,
Joe
 
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#2 ·
engine shutters

What is the SOC showing on the IMA battery at the time of surging? If it is low, less than 3/4 full, may be the "hidden charge" acting up. Also EGR, also o2 sensor #1.
Any codes on the CEL (MIL) showing?

Willie.
 
#3 ·
SOC reads full most of the time. the shuddering seems to occur when I'm giving the engine enough gas to accelerate, or trying to keep a speed with minimal pedal pressure.

coasting I am fine, accelerating decently I am fine. Going up hills with assist, no problem. going down hills..even better.
 
#5 ·
Engine Shuddering - Question

Well as tempearture warmed my engine shuddering seemed to go away. But the last week or so Fall is definity back as temperatures dip into the high 50's at night and get to the high 60's for the day. The problems are back. They started last fall and were minor until Spring and went away. Now its back and seems a little worse...

Still the same symptoms with shuddering between 1.6-2.4k RPMs. It has the feel of being in too low of a gear. But 52MPH in fifth gear isn't too low of a speed, yet the shuddering starts. Has anyone experienced this?

I've had a few thought processes like changing the spark plugs or checking the ingition system. It also seems as lean-burn is about to engage it shudders until it does engage... then i'm fine for the most part.

Any thoughts
 
#8 ·
Engine shudders, and they don't know why.

Shortly after Honda recalled and the dealer replaced a part related to the IMA, our 2002 CVT Insight (53,000 miles) began shuddering (or bucking, chugging etc.) during acceleration. The problem happens usually between 20 mph and 35 mph, and the rpms are usually below 2500. We took it back to the dealer, who reprogrammed something related to IMA. That didn't work.

So we took the car to our very competetent mechanic, who replaced our plugs (one was arcing). When that didn't work, the mechanic cleaned and replaced our EGA, which I see from other posts is implicated sometimes in the chugging. That didn't work either.

We took the car back to the dealer, who reprogrammed the unit. But we've still got the problem. Can anyone offer advice?

Thanks.
 
#9 ·
Talbott,

A CVT transmission is a horse of a different color. From what you've already tried I'd start thinking along these lines.

1st try:

CVT 'Slip Clutch'(Start clutch) Reset Procedure
http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=3404

then change the fluid using GENUINE Honda CVT fluid.

If the fluid is more than 30,000 miles old you may need 3 changes back-to-back (while on the lift with a short run-up in between) for the maximum effect.

See:

Honda reintroduces CVT specific ATF
http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=3364

HTH! :)
 
G
#10 ·
engine shuddering

My engine will shudder, a harsh jerk once or twice. Seems to happen whenever the car is going in or out of lean burn mode. Happens more in warm weather when the car is using lean burn to the fullest extent and has to purge more frequently. My dealer wants me to believe this is normal, but I'm not convinced. Has anyone noticed any jerking or shuddering that seems to happen when lean burn kicks in or out?

-JRH
 
#12 ·
Redluvr & Insightful Trekker
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The engine shudders the car goes through isnt just the transition from lean burn to 'normal'. It seems to happen during that small window of time however. The shudder feels like the car is choking and if you keep giving the same amount of gas it gets worse. Versus letting off the gas or punching it (both of which treat the symptom/problem instantly).

LoNOx 1
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I may try looking at the EGR Value, but its been over a month since I've noticed the problem (but I've been gone all but 3 of those days...). Its really moody, but its easy to tell when it happens.

-----------------
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to keep more posts on this, just been busy...
 
#13 ·
Engine shuddering or jerking

I've had a similar problem. I notice it between 1500-2000 rpm, usually in 5th gear, trying to maintain a constant speed; the engine acts as if the idle is fluctuating, and in fact sometimes the tach oscillates between one speed and another. I think my problem is different than hesitation on entering lean burn mode. It's as if I were pushing the accelerator, letting off, pushing again etc. about two movements per second (one push, one pull), only my foot isn't moving. If I in fact push the accelerator enough to add IMA assist at least 1/2 way, it goes away; or if I let off the gas or downshift.
I replaced the plugs at 105K miles (wow, was that expensive!) and it didn't make a difference. The O2 sensor's been replaced, back when I was having muffler issues, but I've never checked the EGR valve. Any suggestions (EGR or others) would be appreciated.
Thanks--

Steven Lovestrand
 
#14 ·
I have a 2001 Insight (#1642) and I have been having the same problem for years. It has been my experience that it is connected to the car trying to decide if it needs to be in lean-burn mode or not. (My experiences sound the same as Steve's.) It is worse this time of year, because of the cool temperatures, which makes it harder for the car to go into lean-burn mode. In fact, about a month ago, my shuddering got so violent that it set off the check engine light. Initially, the light just flashed, but then stayed on constant. Fortunately, this happened the day before it was scheduled to go to the dealer for service.

The dealer checked the code, which indicated that the engine was misfiring. They kept it a few days for the issue (along with draining IMA batteries), and traced the misfiring to exhaust valves that were too tight. They adjusted the valves, which has kept the check engine light off, but the shuddering remains... :?

-Ralph
 
#15 ·
Personally I think it's a programming error in the 5 speed ECMs. My car started doing the same thing after the ECM was updated several years ago. If you get the pedal to just the right position out of lean-burn at exactly the wrong time (just as IMA was about to kick in but then back off) the MPG creeper will indicate about 60 MPG and the car will buck violently. Tap the pedal and it goes away.

If this was any other car I would say it was a TPS issue, but our TPSs are integrated into the throttle body and are thus not replacable (way to go, Honda).
 
#18 ·
How many miles are on your car?

At least the dealer was in the right solution group. If the valves had been too tight as long as you mentioned, you would have had permanent valve damage.

I think it is your egr valve. I dealt with mine for 1.5 years and finally bought a new one. It hasn't stuttered since.
 
#19 ·
I have just over 58,000 miles on the car. Approximately 22,000 of that was put on during the first ten months while the remaining 36,000 has been put on since April 2002.

The next time I'm in to the dealer for service, I'll ask about the EGR valve and see what they say.

-Ralph
 
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