***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
11-29-2012, 03:17 AM
#352
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I don't get an error code when I put the jumper, the CEL just stay ON.
Edit: ECU code diagnose video
Edit: ECU code diagnose video
Last edited by rafael_vti; 11-29-2012 at 03:47 AM. Reason: Added video of the CEL Code
12-08-2012, 01:47 PM
#353
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
Thanks for this post, think I'm gonna need to do this.. at cold start my Idle goes to 100rpm and my engine stalls.. and when warmed up it goes to 1500/2000rpm 
12-11-2012, 02:17 PM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
great write ups and pics. i have an 88 crx with idling problems as well and it starts fine then sounds like it drops a cylinder. any suggestions other than cleaning out the IACV. thanks
12-19-2012, 01:09 PM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
Hi, in your third picture, it shows basically the IACV up close. well to the right of the valve, there is a black cap like piece, is that the fast air control valve? i hear opening that and tightening the rotating piece inside the fast idle valve can help with IACV malfunctions(IACV check engine codes) too, is this true?
12-19-2012, 05:06 PM
#358
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
The function of the IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve is to adjust the idle based upon the amount of air entering the engine, then the computer reacts to this information by adjusting the cars rpm.
Reasons why you should take it apart and clean it:
-High idle after your car warms up
-Lumpy idle
-Roaming idle
-Hunting idle
-Fluctuating idle
Tools Needed:
Ratchet
12mm Socket
Pliers
Brake Cleaner or Simple Green
Paper Towels
A cooled down engine for at least 2 hours
1) Now you got to locate where the IACV is, pop your hood and it’s located directly behind the intake manifold. It’s actually connected to it. Remove your intake and strut tower bar. (If applicable)
2) Place a couple of rags underneath to catch the coolant spill. Loosen the two hoses running to the IACV with your pliers by squeezing the two clips and moving them away from the end, circled in yellow. DO NOT cut the hoses as they are the exact length and you will have to buy new ones if you do.
3) After doing that remove the harness connected to the IACV on the driver side, circle in blue.
4) Then to finally remove it from the intake manifold, remove the two 12mm bolts, circled in red.
Now that the IACV is removed from the intake manifold make sure that you do not lose the rubber gasket as you need this so that it does not leak after you re-install the IACV.
5) Take your brake cleaner or simple green and start to clean up the inside of the IACV by spray inside the two holes. Continue to do this until no more dirty fluid comes out. Should take anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes. This depending on how old and dirty your IACV is. The gasket can be seen in this picture as well.
6) Once you’re done cleaning out the IACV let it air dry. I let it air out for 20 minutes while I did other maintenance on the car.
Now your ready to re-install it back on the car so follow the steps backwards from 5 – 2
Good Luck
Reasons why you should take it apart and clean it:
-High idle after your car warms up
-Lumpy idle
-Roaming idle
-Hunting idle
-Fluctuating idle
Tools Needed:
Ratchet
12mm Socket
Pliers
Brake Cleaner or Simple Green
Paper Towels
A cooled down engine for at least 2 hours
1) Now you got to locate where the IACV is, pop your hood and it’s located directly behind the intake manifold. It’s actually connected to it. Remove your intake and strut tower bar. (If applicable)
2) Place a couple of rags underneath to catch the coolant spill. Loosen the two hoses running to the IACV with your pliers by squeezing the two clips and moving them away from the end, circled in yellow. DO NOT cut the hoses as they are the exact length and you will have to buy new ones if you do.
3) After doing that remove the harness connected to the IACV on the driver side, circle in blue.
4) Then to finally remove it from the intake manifold, remove the two 12mm bolts, circled in red.
Now that the IACV is removed from the intake manifold make sure that you do not lose the rubber gasket as you need this so that it does not leak after you re-install the IACV.
5) Take your brake cleaner or simple green and start to clean up the inside of the IACV by spray inside the two holes. Continue to do this until no more dirty fluid comes out. Should take anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes. This depending on how old and dirty your IACV is. The gasket can be seen in this picture as well.
6) Once you’re done cleaning out the IACV let it air dry. I let it air out for 20 minutes while I did other maintenance on the car.
Now your ready to re-install it back on the car so follow the steps backwards from 5 – 2
Good Luck
01-06-2013, 12:41 PM
#361
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
Did this today and it pretty solved my problem. I only went around for about 20 minutes. Mine was dirty as all hell. Thanks! :)
)
01-08-2013, 06:14 AM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I have a 94 accord lx non-vtech.
Car was hard to start, when it did start seemed fine until I gave it gas then started surging real back and throwing cel code 14. I cleaned the iacv and still didn't help. I bought one off eBay and cleaned it and still the same thing. All wires seem fine and plugs are intact. Any ideas?? Please and thank you
Car was hard to start, when it did start seemed fine until I gave it gas then started surging real back and throwing cel code 14. I cleaned the iacv and still didn't help. I bought one off eBay and cleaned it and still the same thing. All wires seem fine and plugs are intact. Any ideas?? Please and thank you
01-13-2013, 07:18 PM
#363
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I have fluctuating idle,when it warms up it stops,i swiched the iacv ,it still didi it,i cleaned it,it didnt work.i unplug it it stopped,but now i slighty give it gas and it fluctuates.wierd.what else should i do.
01-21-2013, 01:58 PM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I did exactly as it was posted on the FORUM. However, as i was waiting to let the Idle Air Control Valve dry my sister needed to move the car from the Drive way and cranked the car on. Thats when she noticed something wrong and came and got me. I put everything back and tried moving the car out of the drive way as i was almost out of the drive way the car suddenly TURNED OFF. SO, i thought maybe the some of the cleaner was still in the system and needed to dry further. Came back an hour later and the idle is SMOOTH but now the OIL LIGHT is FLICKERING intermittently. PLEASE HELP.
1) Checked the oil and its PERFECTLY FINE.
2) No OIL LEAKS at all.
3) Drives PERFECTLY
PLEASE HELP. How can i fix the Oil LIGHT.
Did her cranking the car with the Idle Air Control Valve OFF affect it ?
I dont know what to do.
1) Checked the oil and its PERFECTLY FINE.
2) No OIL LEAKS at all.
3) Drives PERFECTLY
PLEASE HELP. How can i fix the Oil LIGHT.
Did her cranking the car with the Idle Air Control Valve OFF affect it ?
I dont know what to do.
01-23-2013, 11:35 AM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
94 Vtec has had idle problems since I purchased it, so info here is great, will try. But it has developed a worse problem: exhaust pipe broke just before muffler and right after, when it gets to operating temp it sputters from a stop on takeoff and doesn't run smooth until it gets to higher rpm. Fixed exhaust and still does same, getting worse. Opinion?
01-23-2013, 04:53 PM
#366
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
Cleaned my IACV on my 99'' supercharged ITR, never really had a big idle issue but i cleaned it out with brake cleaner and it runs better, idles great! and seems to settle to down to idle great when getting in nuetral. It made a diffrence i can tell which is good. braught my idle down from 999-1000 to 895-900 steady. Also i see a bit more leaner in part throttle so im saving a bit more gas i can tell. before i was at 14.5-15.5 now its about 14.5- 16.5 pt. and still 14.5- 15.5 on freeway.
Last edited by wunfstgsr; 01-24-2013 at 03:38 PM.
01-28-2013, 02:02 PM
#368
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I cleaned my iacv and it still fluctuates idle,ive changed it three times still nothing.i think ill change out the whole intake
02-04-2013, 06:14 AM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
Before you do that,try topping off the radiator coolant while its running and then bleed the system. There are many videos on YouTube under "fluctuating idle" or "hunting idle". I had the same results as you with my 99 Accord EX after cleaning the replacing IACV then I saw Eric The Car Guy has a great video about this idle bounce from 1000-2000-1000-2000 nonstop. After I topped off my coolant it stopped. The valve uses the warmed coolant to decide the idle speed and it sits higher than the rest of the system,so if coolant to is low there is air in the IACV causing it to act improperly and it fights with other sensors that are getting the correct info. IACV sets idle faster and other sensors that correct the idle and this cycle repeats. Watch Eric The Car Guys up video on Honda idle problems,he explains it well and show how to fill and bleed the air out. Hope this helps. Sorry I don't have links to the videos but if you search YouTube for Honda idle problems his video will come up. Good luck.
02-06-2013, 11:03 PM
#370
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
It was my day off today wish I read it last night and not tonight. Well I am going to clean mine tomorrow before work. Thanks for the write up very informative.
02-18-2013, 05:26 PM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I have a 1991 Honda Accord LX with a F22b1 and it starting doing the surging idle. I replaced the IACV, FITV, that thing on the far right near the driver side door, and air filter. I've checked the PCV valve and yet when I run it it only surges in Park and Neutral. Btw when I plug up the hold for the IACV its the only one that sucks air badly. After replacing the FITV the top hole in the TB stopped. What else could it be?
02-25-2013, 12:08 AM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
Try bleeding and filling your coolant. Not the reservoir,the whole system. Unless you have a Check Engine light on. You have to make sure the code has nothing to do with it before doing anything. If not then try filling the system completely and bleeding any air out. The two idle valves and low coolant with air in the system are really the main reasons for the consistent bounce from 1000 to 2000 like that.
02-26-2013, 09:43 PM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I had a very low rough idle at cold start up (500-600) then pick up to about 1000 after a min. Or two. I read the write up and did so. Now it stays at (500-600) no idle up. When it gets to operating temp. Idle drops and wants to die. 
anyone got any ideas? Thx you.
anyone got any ideas? Thx you.
02-27-2013, 05:07 PM
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Re: ***How-To Clean*** Your IACV a.k.a. Idle Air Control Valve
I reset ecu today. Back to square one. Low rough idle start. But no more 500 or less at operating temp. Anybody else had this problem?