'94 Civic VX inconsistent idle / hesitation
#1
'94 Civic VX inconsistent idle / hesitation
Hi, I bought a 94 civic VX this summer and I've been lurking on these forums collecting tips and ideas. I've been slowly tuning this car up and addressing a hesitation/inconsistent idle. I have read many tips on various forums about where to check and I'm only partway through the list. The car is all stock except for a cobbed on muffler that I'm about to replace. I recently replaced the plugs and wires with the recommended ones, as well as the cap/rotor, air filter. Timing belt, water pump and associated parts were just replaced, and valve timing that was off by a tooth was set right. The melted catalytic converter was just replaced, too.
The idle is not usually hunting or surging, though sometimes it is a little. Mostly it's just inconsistent -- in the 400 to 1000 range when warm or 1200 to 1500 when cold. The Hesitation is when I am cruising with little gas, there is a subtle but quite noticeable hesitation when you begin to accelerate. As in give it some more has and it sputters, then accelerates. Sometimes when going harder, too, there will be a stumbling and it almost seems like moving the gas pedal will change it -- not jus giving more gas but going back and forth a little. It's drivable, but annoying to me and I'm getting milage around 25 to 35. only a little better on highway.
If any of this points to something in particular, I'm happy to get suggestions even though I haven't exhausted the list of things to check.
One thing I have noticed while driving, however is that if I put the clutch in when I am coasting toward a stop and the engine goes to idle, it will actually surge quite a bit, then right when I come to a complete stop, it settles to an even idle--where ever that will be. As thought some condition in the engine management is changing when I actually stop. Does this sound normal, or point to any particular fault?
Thanks in advance. I've enjoyed reading all of your helpful hints so far.
The idle is not usually hunting or surging, though sometimes it is a little. Mostly it's just inconsistent -- in the 400 to 1000 range when warm or 1200 to 1500 when cold. The Hesitation is when I am cruising with little gas, there is a subtle but quite noticeable hesitation when you begin to accelerate. As in give it some more has and it sputters, then accelerates. Sometimes when going harder, too, there will be a stumbling and it almost seems like moving the gas pedal will change it -- not jus giving more gas but going back and forth a little. It's drivable, but annoying to me and I'm getting milage around 25 to 35. only a little better on highway.
If any of this points to something in particular, I'm happy to get suggestions even though I haven't exhausted the list of things to check.
One thing I have noticed while driving, however is that if I put the clutch in when I am coasting toward a stop and the engine goes to idle, it will actually surge quite a bit, then right when I come to a complete stop, it settles to an even idle--where ever that will be. As thought some condition in the engine management is changing when I actually stop. Does this sound normal, or point to any particular fault?
Thanks in advance. I've enjoyed reading all of your helpful hints so far.
#2
Honda-Tech Member
Re: '94 Civic VX inconsistent idle / hesitation
WELCOME,
Well as I don't have a solution for you, I have a 93 vx with ~220K on the clock and it does the same thing.
right around 2K-2300 rpm there is a surge like what you described and i do the same thing, on/off/on the throttle.
I thought it was an ignition issue so I swapped spark plugs/wires and adjusted valves as well.
a friend of mine that is a tech at BMW said there could be a bad injector and that could be causing it to stutter a bit. So I will be replacing injectors next, but not until i get some other things going so i don't have any down time. (this is my DD)
and I'm averaging between 39-45 mpg (been getting ~418-425 miles per tank)
Well as I don't have a solution for you, I have a 93 vx with ~220K on the clock and it does the same thing.
right around 2K-2300 rpm there is a surge like what you described and i do the same thing, on/off/on the throttle.
I thought it was an ignition issue so I swapped spark plugs/wires and adjusted valves as well.
a friend of mine that is a tech at BMW said there could be a bad injector and that could be causing it to stutter a bit. So I will be replacing injectors next, but not until i get some other things going so i don't have any down time. (this is my DD)
and I'm averaging between 39-45 mpg (been getting ~418-425 miles per tank)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Nando68
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
1
11-26-2017 09:09 PM