Sounds like bent valves to me. I had a few bent valves on my prelude. It would run just fine with gas, but would not hold an idle whatsoever.

Gun it and run it!
1981 CJ5,258,T-176,D300,AMC 20,Dana 30,Trxus M/T 31x10.50, Rancho 5000's, GroundPounderFab front bumper, polyethylene gas tank, aluminum dash, AutoMeter gauges

What this country needs is unemployed politicians.