I have a problem with my car when it's idling.

Let me first say the situation.
My car has a short ram intake and a basic welded on 2" inlet muffler.

SO my problem is when I start my car in the morning when it's cold, the tachometer and engine keeps on fluctuating up and down, and when it's heated up enough or after 5 minutes, the idle will lower to 500-800 RPM and then stay constant(which is what I wanted at idle). I have a regular B18 non v-tec. I don't know what else is done inside the engine since I'm not the original owner.

I'm curious what is making my idle fluctuate like that? Are there things taht can remedy it without hindering the performance?

Also another note. My ex-co-workers (Used to work for a aftermarket car parts manufacturer) and they said that my engine may have cam gears and/or cam shafts that may be causing it. ANd then another one said there may be a leak in somewhere.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

does it make a hissing noise?

 

When the engine is cold the idle air control valve is supposed to bring idle up to about 1500 rpm. If it's not doing that and it's surging then that is the most likely culprit.

 

There is no hissing...and i prolly didn't expect a leak since it did manage to stay constant in a few minutes.

And it does, when cold, idle at around 1500...which is normal...but it keeps on pulsating up and down. Like it'll stay at 1500 for 3 seconds...then the next 2 seconds rise to 1900-2000, then after 1 second drops, and then it repeats.

I really don't know what a Air control valve is, if you can explain it a little more in detail, that would be cool. Thanks for all your help.

 

I used to have an 93 civic that did the same thing. mine was cause I had a leak on the cruise control line that conects to the back of the intake manifold. I dont know if that helps or not.

 

I'll check that out...though my 94 integra doesn't have cruis control.

 

Oh wait my bad, the IACV controls idle at normal operating temp. The Fast Idle Thermo Valve is what brings idle up when cold. I've seen how-to's posted in the past few days for cleaning both of these parts.