jaxacura

The facts of the problem:

• '97 Acura 2.2CL 37k
• Hesitation or RPM fluttering
• RPM falls by 1000 or more, sometimes to 0 when driving or stopped in gear, in park, and in neutral
• At speeds of 70 or more, RPM does not fall
• Problem occurs with no grade, up grade, and down grade roads
• Acura dealer tech diagnosis: Torque Converter (TC) is failing
• Service rep explained that the technician is seeing electrical problems, causing RPM flutter, with TC as the root cause
• Service rep says he cannot tell me what piece of the TC is failing because 'they do not open up TC's at his shop'
• Tech used a 'load test'

I stopped the car, applied hand brake, shifted to Neutral, and opened the hood. The RPM still dips, and the engine shakes at that time. Holding a piece of paper to the exhaust, I see the exhaust also gives an extra puff at the same time as the RPM falling, blowing out slightly harder, not sucking in.

My specific question:
Can I rule out the TC as the cause of the problem, considering the RPM flutter in Neutral? Could this be bad spark plug/wires?

Thank you for any help!

jaxacura

I just realized I posted this in the Second Gen forum. I am re-posting in the First Gen.