1989 Civic Starting/running problem
 

This is an 89 Civic with 145K miles, autotrans. It started out as an acceleration problem hesitating a little but has gotten much worse. It idles OK but once it shifts into third gear it will start to hesitate sputter and die. (Very dangerous on the freeway !). Then it is real hard to start back up again. I kind of think its fuel related but you guys are the experts. Tonite on my way home from work it stalled 5 times mostly when going up a hill. I've checked most of the posts for this type of problem but none seem to fit. Any ideas will be appreciated.

welcome to the forum: Items to check, air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs for conditon, catalitic for deterioration ( falling apart and plugging up the flow ) muffler plugged up.
If you have a carb, it might be fuel flow, dirty carb.

Thank you for the welcome and the tips. The convertor is good. This is a 1500 with Dual Point Fuel Injection. I kind of suspect the fuel filter. Please forgive my ignorance but is this the fuel filter?

viewing hondaautomotiveparts.com it looks very much like the filter, and no one asking questions is ignorant, we learn by asking. I always tell my self, the stupid questions are the ones not asked. So continue to ask and research to verify.
If you go to autozone.com you can sign in for free, put your car into in, and order parts from them or get repair info and wire diagrams.

1989 Civic Starting/running problem
 

Well, I replaced the fuel filter and I still have the problem. It is very hard to start and once its running it idles fine about 800-1000RPM. But once you start driving and the engine reaches about 2000-2500 RPM it starts to sputter and dies. Then it is hard to get started again.

Any more ideas?

did you check your exhaust system to make sure your cat did not fail and that the exhaust path is clear. failed cats can cause what you discribe.

Welcome to the forum. here is a quick cat test. get a thermomoter that can go upwards of 600 degress.. place it on the pipe before the cat and write down the temp then let it cool just a little bit and place it on the pipe after the cat.. the temp of the pipe after the cat should be hotter and ideally atleast 10% hotter.