[cisasteelersfan]

Hi guys,

I've read a ton on this forum about the herky jerky problem. Mine occurs under light load (maybe 75 MPG or so on the instant) and seems (luckily) to only occur at low speeds, maybe 35-55. On the highway there is very little herky jerky except sometimes it feels like I have no power going up a hill.

Car has 197k, this is only my second tank of gas with the car. The jerkiness is definitely getting worse though, when I bought it it was not as noticeable. Read that it could be the injectors so I dumped a can of Sea Foam into it. Later today I'm driving ~150 miles so I'll update the post with how it ran.

I'm averaging just under 60 MPG but I was getting 65 on the highway. Previous owner said they cleaned the EGR plate once but I don't know how recently. I've thought about disconnecting the EGR and seeing how it runs: good idea?

I have the Torque Pro app and a bluetooth dongle plugged into my car. Something interesting I found was that when the car is very herky-jerky the 'timing advance' seems to be all over the place. When I really step on the gas or completely let off, the timing advance is steady and the car runs smoothly. I've attached a picture. Is this normal??? I have no CEL on but maybe one will be thrown soon?

http://i.imgur.com/yymkziE.png

Any ideas? Thanks guys!!

 

[firehawk618]

Hi guys,

I've read a ton on this forum about the herky jerky problem. Mine occurs under light load (maybe 75 MPG or so on the instant) and seems (luckily) to only occur at low speeds, maybe 35-55. On the highway there is very little herky jerky except sometimes it feels like I have no power going up a hill.

Car has 197k, this is only my second tank of gas with the car. The jerkiness is definitely getting worse though, when I bought it it was not as noticeable. Read that it could be the injectors so I dumped a can of Sea Foam into it. Later today I'm driving ~150 miles so I'll update the post with how it ran.

I'm averaging just under 60 MPG but I was getting 65 on the highway. Previous owner said they cleaned the EGR plate once but I don't know how recently. I've thought about disconnecting the EGR and seeing how it runs: good idea?

I have the Torque Pro app and a bluetooth dongle plugged into my car. Something interesting I found was that when the car is very herky-jerky the 'timing advance' seems to be all over the place. When I really step on the gas or completely let off, the timing advance is steady and the car runs smoothly. I've attached a picture. Is this normal??? I have no CEL on but maybe one will be thrown soon?

http://i.imgur.com/yymkziE.png

Any ideas? Thanks guys!!

Disconnect your egr and go for a drive.

You will get a CEL light if you leave it disconnected too long.

If your problem vanishes then it's either the passages are clogged or the EGR position sensor is malfunctioning. Both are extremely common.

An EGR from a 1998 Accord 4 cylinder fits perfectly and is much cheaper.

 

[cisasteelersfan]

I just finished doing just that! I disconnected the EGR valve and drove ~2 miles up the road. No jerks (no CEL yet either) and the Torque app showed a smooth, continuous timing advance.

Stopped and re-connected the EGR. Immediately, even while I was accelerating up to speed, I could tell it was herky jerky.

Looks like I'll be driving without EGR for awhile. My county doesn't even have emissions testing; are there any negative consequences to MPG or to the engine if I don't replace the EGR valve?

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Fuelish]

Your MPG will suffer some. There are replacement EGR valves around $60. Search for the thread.

 

[rlay1]

I had this herky jerky problem and fixed the egr just yesterday. The solution for me was flipping around an electronic component in the egr. I don't know what it's called, a potentiometer maybe, but inside the egr there is a white flat square with three black (carbon?) strips on it. Some small metal fingers with sharp tips and a bend near the tip rest compressed onto two of the strips and move up or down to change resistance (maybe?). Apparently one forum member noticed that the contact point on the fingers is sharp and looks to be dragging along the black strip making grooves instead of the bend in the fingers sliding along the surface. Somehow in the dynamics of the system, the electronic component may be jumping from point to point (possibly from catching on points in the groove) Following instructions in another thread, I opened the egr, bent the fingers such that their initial angle stayed the same but the bend near the top was reversed. Reassembled and reinstalled, the egr performed without any jerk. <www.insightcentral.net/forums/problems-troubleshooting/15583-egr-valve-internal-repair.html> that's the link

 

[firehawk618]

#1, pull your intake and clean the EGR plate.

#2 test drive again. If problem is gone congrats. If not goto #3.

#3. Buy an EGR valve for a 1998 Accord 4 cylinder.

If you decide to try and rehab your EGR valve that's your choice. Taking it apart is an absolute nightmare.

If you want to try the lubricant / hole method then go for it. I am the type to just replace a part that's this difficult to repair. It's not like they're extremely expensive or anything.

If you leave it disconnected you will get a CEL and your mileage will suffer a bit but is otherwise harmless.

 

[Edward Dawes]

Disconnect your egr and go for a drive.

You will get a CEL light if you leave it disconnected too long.

If your problem vanishes then it's either the passages are clogged or the EGR position sensor is malfunctioning. Both are extremely common.

An EGR from a 1998 Accord 4 cylinder fits perfectly and is much cheaper.

I cleaned my egr plate and the passage from the egr as far as I can get... I do think this... I think there is crud inside the head that a person can not get to without removal of the head and hot tanking. I am a new owner - mine has 145k and has the slight hesitation around 2000 rpm in 4th and 5th gear. After cleaning the egr plate a lot of it went away , but not all... so I think the head needs to be removed and hot tanked.... But I am guessing ...I truly do not know.

 

[eq1]

^ I wonder if your 'slight hesitation' is entry into lean burn. Are you familiar with what it's like to go into (and out of) lean burn? One could easily mistake that normal, slight warble/hesitation of lean burn entry for being a problem...

 

[Edward Dawes]

^ I wonder if your 'slight hesitation' is entry into lean burn. Are you familiar with what it's like to go into (and out of) lean burn? One could easily mistake that normal, slight warble/hesitation of lean burn entry for being a problem...

That could very well be.... I am very very new to this world, so no I don't know ... Thank you for that. It is suttle enough that I think I can live with it....

 

[eq1]

^ When you get up to your target cruising speed and ease-off on the throttle, say in 3rd, 4th, or 5th gear, the engine will typically slip into lean burn. Keep an eye on the instantaneous fuel consumption display (the little bar meter), at these junctures it will typically bump-up to the 100-150 MPG range (or whatever it was + at least about 25 MPG) -- IF you've entered lean burn. There's a slight hesitation, a little less power.

 

[Edward Dawes]

^ When you get up to your target cruising speed and ease-off on the throttle, say in 3rd, 4th, or 5th gear, the engine will typically slip into lean burn. Keep an eye on the instantaneous fuel consumption display (the little bar meter), at these junctures it will typically bump-up to the 100-150 MPG range (or whatever it was + at least about 25 MPG) -- IF you've entered lean burn. There's a slight hesitation, a little less power.

Ok... thank you... that seems to be what is going on...thinking about it. Ok... I feel very lucky, I stumbled into what I think is a very decent / un molested version... and a group of owners that are very cool as well....

 

[driscotj]

Check for clogged or damaged cat