So I've got a 94 accord (2.2L 4cyl I believe) here, and sometimes the engine cuts in and out at low revs. Basically it's like the cylinders stop firing and the car shudders. At the same time, the CEL will blink along with a sound kinda like the rattling of a blown light bulb. [EDIT: Sound was the main relay flicking on and off rapidly.] The sound and CEL go away when the car starts firing again. Effect seems to be tied somewhat to rainy cold days, but we've had the trouble on dry warm days too. The vehicle also has trouble starting because of this.

I've heard of various possible issues including distributor. We had someone check the distributor recently and it looked fine to them. Other than that we tried swapping the fuel pump main relay because it seemed to be damaged. We also had the fuel pump replaced. (not sure why we did, I didn't make the decision)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

welcome to the forum. check spark plugs for condition, check all vacuum lines for leaks ( starter fluid ) possible fuel rail clog.

 

Alright, spark plugs look fine, gaps are ok. Couple of the vacuum tubes seem a bit loose, idk if that's a problem. Haven't checked the rail yet.

Might this be an issue? (torn hose)

 

not sure but replace the duct and see if it helps.

 

Haven't had a chance to replace the hose, but we did notice that whenever the engine is sputtering, the fuel pump cuts out and the main relay goes crazy. Any idea about that?

Also cleaned the throttle body and IACV. Was pretty dirty.

 

Alright here's an update.

Did a bit of googling, found that the issue with the fluttering Main Relay is usually caused by a problem with the wiring going to it, specifically mentioned was thermostat ground g101. It wasn't loose, but I disconnected it anyway, and sanded the surface a bit. I then tightened it back on as tight as I dared to for fear of breaking the bolt. Anyway it started up and it runs just fine now.

To summarize,
Bad Connection at g101 > Fluttering Main Relay > Pump Not Staying on Consistently> Engine Sputtering/Dying

Anyway now I just gotta fix my starter that seems to have decided to die now....RIP

 

check spark plugs for condition