get away from there ASAP.....go to a shop that specializes in Hondas............chk engine lite on ?? have you checked for any stored codes ? is engine missing on any 1 particular cylinder or missing across the board?? have you pulled the plugs out?? are they fuel fouled?? if so , it might be a bad TW sensor ..
make sure all injectors are firing properly? plug wires ok ? dizzy cap ? chk compression ?

try these and let us know the results

 

Desert, no check engine light on, no stored codes, brand new sparkplugs old ones didn't really look that bad but changed them anyway, Distrib looks ok along with rotor, it feels like it is missing across the board, or atleast two cyl. the car when in park, drive or driving surges and goes to extreme low rpms. Lights, ac, radio everything on cause it to drop like normal then go back to normal, car has always done this. but one thing I almost forgot to mention, I am smelling an exhaust unburt emissions smell or something from it. Not a fresh gas smell but something else.

 

humm have you checked your ICV? those things do get dirty and you can clean that sucker yourself with some goo be gone....or intake cleaner.......

 

just because the rings are blown doesn't mean you'll see burning oil to begin with because the cat converter can prevent that (for a short while), watch your oil level and make sure that it isn't "burning" or loosing oil more quickly than normal, if not then I doubt that the rings are shot and so I wouldn't believe that the engine is blown. Like desert said see if you can get a written estimate/explination for what is wrong and take it to a honda mechanic, chances are they saw the oil and assumed it pushed up from the pistons since they don't know honda motors... Just watch your oil level (check it every 100 miles or so) and if it's dropping drastically then there may be some truth to the blown rings, but if not then they're full of it.... If you have a volt meter test the output of your alternator as well and see if it drops off almost completely after revving the engine....

 

Well I check the oil pretty regularly, don't think I have a problem there. I always make sure the car has three things. Oil, Water and Gas. lol. As far as the alternator I will check that tonight but I have been reading everthing I can on the net and all signs seem to point to the fuel filter or so as I can tell. Since Sir sayed this probably needs to be replaced I will tackle that tomarrow. I am thinking the same about these mech, they just don't know the car.

 

while engine is running pull out the hose to the egr valve ..( chk engine lite will come on but you can reset it later ) ,,anyho,, make sure that there is no vacc at idle at that hose,, also hook up a vacc pump to egr valve itself ,, supply vacc at idle, engine should die,, if engine does not die,, you got a bad egr valve or possibly plugged egr ports

try and let us know

to reset the ecu pull the back up fuse 7.5 amp in the underhood fuse box for about 20 seconds ( engine and key off of course )

 

Let me say thankyou for all you have done. Thank you to everyone that posted their info. The car is back running and who knows what it was. lol. Lets say it is back to normal, not perfect, but normal. After a fuel filter, plugs, wires, distrib, cleaning this and that...etc...it is back to pretty darn good for 180k. It does bottome out after a few strokes of the engine when it is running but it isn't that noticable. I am happy, but if anyone figures out a clue as to why it does that, well................ I know it isn't new, but it is all i have. Thanks again gang.

Mjparrie