Engine hesitation

I have a 99 Honda CR-V 5-speed manual. Mostly at low speed around

town, the engine seems to hesitate for less than a second, causing

the car to slow suddenly and then pick up again. The engine doesn’t

cut out, just hesitates. It does this several times in a row on one

journey, then might not do it again for a week. This has made it

impossible for the mechanic to diagnose. The plugs and plug wires

have been replaced to no avail. Help! I love this car but it is

making me crazy. During a ride when it is doing this thing I drive

with my foot hovering over the clutch so when it hesitates I can jam

my foot down to stop it lurching.

Can only make guesses, but my suspicion is a fuel delivery problem.

Fuel filter? Dirty injectors? Weak fuel pump?

The fuel filter was replaced. Can injectors be cleaned? What about the electronics that control ignition and fuel injection?

Have your mechanic read the diagnostic steps at this website: http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html Click on the type of problem category like: “Starting/running problems”.

Thanks, that is a great resource. There are some tests I’ll run on the EFI main relay and the igniter tomorrow.