help! 98 Accord LX idles low in neutral and it stutters!
03-12-2008, 09:20 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Brentwood, MD, USA
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
help! 98 Accord LX idles low in neutral and it stutters!
Hey guys. I have a 98 LX 4 cyl Manual w/ 200K miles. I noticed last night that whenever I put the car in neutral, the rpm dips real low, close to the first tick mark above 0 and the engine sounds like its about to cut off. I can replicate this everytime the car is in neutral and i rev it up... and then the rpm needle will do the same thing and fall right on that first line above 0 (500rpm?). The CEL came on also and it said the fuel is thin...
I had this problem a couple of weeks ago and my mechanic suggested that I use some fuel injector cleaner since he thinks its either my fuel filter that needs to be changed or my fuel injectors. The problem actually went away after using 2 bottles of STP w/ 2 consecutive fill ups. But now that I've stopped using it, it started up last night.
Do you guys think its the IACV at all? If that was broken, wouldn't the CEL say the fuel is thick?
another problem I have is the car stutters when I first start it up cold and run it. The car revs up until about 3000rpm when then it won't go any higher even tho I'm pressing on the gas... kinda like when you downshift going down a hill and the speed stays the same even tho you should be accelerating. Then the car starts jerking/stuttering like its trying to rev up but it can't... (by jerking I mean if you're at 5000rpm and you let go of the gas, then press on it again, that sudden jerk motion.) I put it back on neutral and coast for a sec and then try again. Usually it works after that and this usually only lasts like 30 seconds and the rest of the drive is fine.... I took it to the dealer for a diagnostic and of course, they can't replicate the problem. But they told me I need a new distributor car, rotor, and wires...
Could that be the problem?? I added too much oil (6 qts) about 2 months ago and after a couple of weeks all this started happening. I replaced the oil and its still happening. I noticed there's some burnt oil on the side of the oil cap and close to the #1 spark plug well... that I think resulted from me pouring the oil in w/out using a funnel. Maybe some oil got into the spark plug well and messed up the wires?? totally guessing tho.
Sorry for the long post... i'm trying to be as detailed as possible. My lovely Accord is starting to be a money pit!
Any help would be great!! Thanks!
I had this problem a couple of weeks ago and my mechanic suggested that I use some fuel injector cleaner since he thinks its either my fuel filter that needs to be changed or my fuel injectors. The problem actually went away after using 2 bottles of STP w/ 2 consecutive fill ups. But now that I've stopped using it, it started up last night.
Do you guys think its the IACV at all? If that was broken, wouldn't the CEL say the fuel is thick?
another problem I have is the car stutters when I first start it up cold and run it. The car revs up until about 3000rpm when then it won't go any higher even tho I'm pressing on the gas... kinda like when you downshift going down a hill and the speed stays the same even tho you should be accelerating. Then the car starts jerking/stuttering like its trying to rev up but it can't... (by jerking I mean if you're at 5000rpm and you let go of the gas, then press on it again, that sudden jerk motion.) I put it back on neutral and coast for a sec and then try again. Usually it works after that and this usually only lasts like 30 seconds and the rest of the drive is fine.... I took it to the dealer for a diagnostic and of course, they can't replicate the problem. But they told me I need a new distributor car, rotor, and wires...
Could that be the problem?? I added too much oil (6 qts) about 2 months ago and after a couple of weeks all this started happening. I replaced the oil and its still happening. I noticed there's some burnt oil on the side of the oil cap and close to the #1 spark plug well... that I think resulted from me pouring the oil in w/out using a funnel. Maybe some oil got into the spark plug well and messed up the wires?? totally guessing tho.
Sorry for the long post... i'm trying to be as detailed as possible. My lovely Accord is starting to be a money pit!
Any help would be great!! Thanks!
03-12-2008, 03:44 PM
#2
Member
Re: help! 98 Accord LX idles low in neutral and it stutters! (aye5882)
Pul off the IACV and blast all the soot out of the screen with Berrymans B-12.
While you have the Berrymans in hand, borrow your room mates toothbrush and scrub the ring of crud out of the throttle plate area and the throttle plate as well.
While you have the Berrymans in hand, borrow your room mates toothbrush and scrub the ring of crud out of the throttle plate area and the throttle plate as well.
03-13-2008, 11:57 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Brentwood, MD, USA
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: help! 98 Accord LX idles low in neutral and it stutters! (hondadude)
ok great. i'll check that out this weekend. how about the stuttering? i did a search and someone recommended a cylinder leak down test? would that be something i should try to do? i already ordered some OEM distributor cap, rotor and wires just in case those were the problem....
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
