92 civic vx sputtering/slight missfire at idle normal?

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by tak209

is "best" a brand?

Bad, sorry, auto correct.

Check the timing, the marks on the cam sprocket line up with an arrow on the head, not with the top of the head like every other car.

[Stubby79]

Leaky injector? Dirty injector(s)?
As previously stated, clean/check your ground connections. And check your idle voltage.
Clean your throttle body, and possibly/carefully your IAC passages, if they're separate. Check/change your PCV valve, as a bad one will almost guarantee a rough idle...
New wires and cap don't guarantee they're not defective...check the electrical resistance from the cap all the way to the spark plug. Check your coil resistances too.
EGR might function but not be sealing completely.
Check/replace your vacuum lines.
If that doesn't do it, you can disconnect non-critical sensors one at a time, and clear the code after, and see if it fixes the issue while disconnected. Not a perfect technique, and others might say otherwise, but it can point you in the right direction...save it for a last ditch effort.
Oh, and just because it's rebuilt (like the new parts) doesn't guarantee it's not faulty...do a compression test. Heck, do it first. It'll tell you how things are.

[austingsx]

Assuming compression is fine, physical timing is proper for the Z1, and the air filter isn't obviously obstructed.

Here is the short on taking the stumble out of a vx.
1. Spark plugs NGK zfr4f-11 -nothing else
2. Plug wires NGK HE76 -nothing else
3. ignition path -take the distributor cover off, sandpaper off the flats on the 4 points and along the rotor edge, inspect the carbon button and coil spring and contact pin, if anything looks bad replace.
4. Ignition timing - jump the diagnostic plug and attach the timing lead to the #1 plug cable, start car check for diagnostic flashes indicated by the check engine light if observed reference the FSM, let idle until full warm (radiator fan cycles) look along the timing cover with the light and make sure the inner of the three lines is aligned with the pointer on the cover, adjust advance on retard by turning the distributor. Remove diagnostic jumper.
***Test drive, most problems will be resolved by now***
if problems persist...
5. Unplug the O2 sensor and drive, if the sputtering is gone replace the sensor.
If it still sputters with the sensor unplugged....
6. Let the car cool overnight to dead stone cold and adjust the valves.
7.Check the fuel pressure at the filter test port, if the fuel pressure is good, Oside Tiger is fast and fairly cheap for injector cleaning.