the "reverse detonation" they speak of could have heated the plugs and caused the tips to melt off, or the gap to open. I cant be sure of the sequence of events, but from what they say they are replacing, it seems as if the misfire getting worse was from damaged plugs, and the clutch was probably glazed badly or shocked cracking the disk material or causing scoring between the metal surfaces on the pp and flywheel.

I would go to that dealer, and ask to see the plugs that came out of the motor, try to find someone with a borascope and look inside the pistons, request a compression test, then a leakdown test, for valvetrain leaks.

It seems they might possilby be looking over some stuff, but maybe not.

flashing cel is almost always continuous single, or random cylinder misfire. Even on different manufacturer cars.

 

and on my part of it picking up off of third gear i didnt pay attention to what i wrote it is a magnetic pick up off of the counter shaft for third gear not third gear itself.

 

Here is the money question: have they done a compresion or leakdown test yet? Ask them to if they have not. This will save you alot of time in trying to locate the problem.(sorry if i missed this earlier.)

 

DP

 

Update.
Service place is reallly trying to get me to stay with them.. but, I just went ahead and had them do the compression test ( 20psi to the 4th cylinder ) but the others were fine and it passed the leakdown test as well. I'm having the car towed to a Honda specialist instead of using America's Service Station for further diagnostics and maybe cheaper labor ( not a Honda dealer ), plus it's a friend of a friend so i'm not going to be lied to etc.. Thanks for all the help

 

How did I 'pass' the leak down test with that big of a compression problem? :\

 

With only 20 psi in #4, I can't see how that one could have passed so much as a kidney stone.

 

One cyl with low compression or 4, doesn't matter. you've got major engine issues. Something I guarantee a clutch will not cure.

 

yeah, the clutch would be the least of my worries. good luck man.

 

time for jesus now