I have a 92 Honda Civic. I start the car and it just shuts off followed by a
strong gas smell. I do not push on the gas to get it started because I know
it can flood the car. Sometimes when I am driving it will just cut off on me
no matter how fast I am going. Could somebody please help me. Thanks

Does it cut off only after the car has been driven, say, for 20 minutes?

Any revving (up or down of the engine RPM when at stoplights?

First blush guess is the distributor coil is dying. How old is the one in
your car?

Also, when was the last time you had the following changed:

fuel filter
air filter
spark plugs
distributor cap
distributor rotor
spark plug wires
distributor ignitor (not a manual-specified routine maintenance item, but
probably should be)

No it just won't stay started some times. I have had everything changed
except the fuel filter. What scares me the most is I never know when it is
going to cut off while I am driving.

I would change the fuel filter first. It's due every 60k miles or 4 years,
whichever comes first, anyway. It's not an expensive maintenance item;
should cost under $75 total even at the dealer, I figure. If you're handy,
you could do it yourself.

Again, though, how old (in miles and years) is the distributor coil?

Do you know how to use a voltmeter (ohmmeter, etc.)?

Does it start right up after you stall out?
When it does start does it smell like gas?
Does the car buck and hesitate when it stalls or does it just stall
without any warning what so ever?

It could be any of the things already mentioned. You may want to run
some injector cleaner (a gas additive) through a full tank of good gas.

Also check all the connections to the distributor in that they should
be properly seated.

Remco

Just one more thought: when it stalls, does the radio cut out? Do the idiot
lights on the dash come on?
(asking to see if perhaps the ignition switch is bad)

Remco

Your symptoms point to a failing igniter. This could account for the strong
fuel smell as well, since raw gas will get dumped out the tailpipe.

What, SPECIFICALLY, item by item, has been done to this car in the last
year or so? The word "everything" tells us nothing.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

As an owner of a 2004 civic what is an igniter and where is it located?
Bob

Probably on top of the spark plugs, along with the coils.

I don't think you have a distributor.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/start...tml#badigniter

See other message for where yours is.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/