1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

Any advice appreciated. Own a 1996 Honda Odyssey with 170k that is idling real low RPM and has started dying frequently when slowing to a stop, or turning while not under acceleration.

Replaced: All tune up components and new wires.
Fuel filter.

It runs well under acceleration and while cruising. No missing or rough running under any condition except idle. I'm having to keep one foot on the brake and the other on the gas at traffic lights to be safe.

Thanks in advance for advice. Another site recommended the EGR valve, but wanted to seek other opinions.

ME

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

IAC valve is worn out or stuck. On the very back of the intake manifold, has two coolant lines and one connector with two 12mm bolts. Take it off and clean it out good with throttle body cleaner and see if it works better. If not time to buy a new one.

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

@Ross - Thanks for the reply. I actually was surfing You Tube just now trying to find a video showing EGR and IAC location/cleaning on a 2.2 NON-VTec engine like the one in my 1996 Ody. Since the problem got gradually worse over the last year, I'm assuming carbon build-up of some sort.

Does the entire throttle body need to come off to get to the IAC?

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...3sx001_e01.png

It's #18 in the diagram, its on the backside of the intake manifold.

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

@sivikvtec - Thanks for the daig. I actually have the exact same shot from the dealership. They printed it for me when I picked up TB, EGR, & IAC gasket/o-rings.

I actually pulled the IAC first [very easy], but it looked good even after 170k miles. Cleaned IAC, put is aside and removed the TB. TB was fairly dirty, but probably nothing that would hinder performance. Then it got fun. I removed that fuel rail [sorry, we lost our camera so no pictures] thingy with the fuel injectors attached. That allowed me to access the EGR port cover(?) and expose the totally carboned up EGR ports beneath. I also removed the EGR valve and tested/cleaned it. Put everything back together clean with a new PCV valve for good measure.

RESULT: 1996 Honda Odyssey idles like a champ and runs like a rocket...again.

** Remaning issue: BEFORE the 100% bad idle, the van would drop idle real low when you turned the A/C compresor on AND the compresor would CYCLE. This problem is still happening, but not ALL the time. One stop & wait, it does fine....the next one the compressor kicks on, idle drops and it cycles. Any ideas??

[it still runs fantastic now!!]

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

It still sounds like the IACV is the culprit. on the 96 i believe it's a pulse width modulated solenoid. i had to replace it recently. it was clean but the diaphram inside was torn. it was hard to pick without close inspection. although in my case the damaged diaphram allowed unwanted air through and therefore raised the idle. but a stuck iacv could cause the engine to not raise the rpm when the ecu commends it to when required, i.e. when turning the steering at idle, turning on A/c, electrical load such as fans/headlights.

worth testing with another iacv. i had trouble finding an odyssey one day after christmas day. i found one off a 92 accord. same plug and flange but different water line locations and directions, so had to run new water lines, but its been on since then and the car has idled beautifully. on the F22A 92 accord it was on the front of the plenumb, not back like the odyssey.

hope that helps

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

@trahmah - Thanks for the post. Interesting. Now my IAC seems clean, moving freely, and very simplistic in design. Still, I'm not getting any ideas anywhere else.

Maybe when Spring rolls around I'll check on the price of an IAC if I haven't figured anything else out. Definitely an easy component to change. I don't recall any electronics [plug] going to my IAC.

Chaz.

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

It should definitely have a two-pin plug. can you attach a photo to this post? i've got the unit in front of me, happy to send you a pic to compare

Re: 1996 Honda Odyssey - low idle and dying
 

@trahmah - Unfortunately, I've missed the opportunity to snap a good photo and the weather has finally gone kaput. Quite frankly, I'm sure you are correct about the connection, because I have only even seen the IAC one time...and that was when I cleaned it.

When Spring rolls around and the temp improves I'll tackle the cycling idle with A/C issue again. Just so darn happy the van is running so good with the EGR ports cleaned out, hard to complain.

Chaz