92 Honda Accord Jerking/Surging Problem

Joined: Jun 14, 2005 Posts: 2

Has Anyone Experienced This Problem Before. I have a 92 Honda Accord automatic transmission with 236,000 MI, all the original Honda parts (except for spark plugs, etc.). While driving, car will begin to jerk slightly (skipping; surge; slight hestitation), then go back to normal, then after driving a few more miles, jerk again. It is not continuous while driving, but it occurs every time I drive and frequently. It feels like when someone is learning to drive a manual transmission and they let up off the clutch, but the jerking motion is not quite that "jerky". I also noticed that the Tach. needle bounces slightly when the car is jerking. It does it at various speeds: 45mph, 60mph, 75mph, etc. The only time it doesn't jerk is if I slow the car down and shift to gear D3, then it stops. Have taken it to the 2 Honda mechanics and the computer will not provide any code to indicate the problem. One mechanic said it may be the Distributor. Another one said it appears to be the Torque Converter in the transmission. But neither was really sure. Please advise if you have had this problem or know someone who has. Thanks.

External Since: May 18, 2004 Posts: 288

LoveMyHonda wrote:
> Has Anyone Experienced This Problem Before. I have a 92 Honda Accord
> automatic transmission with 236,000 MI, all the original Honda parts
> (except for spark plugs, etc.). While driving, car will begin to jerk
> slightly (skipping; surge; slight hestitation), then go back to
> normal, then after driving a few more miles, jerk again. It is not
> continuous while driving, but it occurs every time I drive and
> frequently. It feels like when someone is learning to drive a manual
> transmission and they let up off the clutch, but the jerking motion is
> not quite that "jerky". I also noticed that the Tach. needle
> bounces slightly when the car is jerking. It does it at various
> speeds: 45mph, 60mph, 75mph, etc. The only time it doesn’t jerk is if
> I slow the car down and shift to gear D3, then it stops. Have taken
> it to the 2 Honda mechanics and the computer will not provide any code
> to indicate the problem. One mechanic said it may be the Distributor.
> Another one said it appears to be the Torque Converter in the
> transmission. But neither was really sure. Please advise if you have
> had this problem or know someone who has. Thanks.

If you've changed your tranny fluid twice, recently, and that didn't
help, it's probably your Throttle Position Sensor. It's terribly easy to
diagnose. Put an old-fashioned 'needle' Ohmeter accross two of the pins
in the TPS connector and SLOWLY open the throttle. If needle spikes,
you've found the open spot. It will correspond to 'cruising RPM', which
makes sense, right?? Search this group for previous helpful posts about
how to replace your TPS for less than an arm-and-a-leg.

'Curly'