I just finished installing the charger in a 99 civic si and when i start the car, the idle revs all the way up to 5k and a couple of seconds later starts to surge down and back up to 5k.

Now, I am sure that all of the vacuum lines are installed correctly and so is the pcv valve lines (i did install a new pcv valve though), so that is not the issue. Also, i disconnected the throttle cable, thus the throtte butterfly is completely closed when it is doing this.

I used all new gaskets, the only gasket that i did not replace was the tps.

I am not throwing any engine codes.


Things that I think may be causing this....can anyone please tell me if the following are possibilities:

1) I did not bleed the coolant after i put in the new coolant. I did not even put the temp on hot or anything, i simply poured distilled water in (to do a flush) and closed the cap....can this cause the behavior?

2) I used RED permatex gasket maker on all of the surfaces where the gaskets met. I even let the gasket maker sit overnight to dry on the gaskets going from the blower to the manifold, the throttle body to that connector piece and the connector piece to the charger itself. The gasket maker dried without me tightening the other ends, thus, could the red permatex have dried leaving voids where air can seep in through, or when I torqued everything to spec does the dry red permatex not cause any leaks?


btw, I did not install the charger belt yet, thus disregard any ideas regarding the belt.

ANY SUGGESTIONS? I am dying to get the car on the road!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blue00sifun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
1) I did not bleed the coolant after i put in the new coolant. I did not even put the temp on hot or anything, i simply poured distilled water in (to do a flush) and closed the cap....can this cause the behavior?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Air in the system can.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blue00sifun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2) I used RED permatex gasket maker on all of the surfaces where the gaskets met. I even let the gasket maker sit overnight to dry on the gaskets going from the blower to the manifold, the throttle body to that connector piece and the connector piece to the charger itself. The gasket maker dried without me tightening the other ends, thus, could the red permatex have dried leaving voids where air can seep in through, or when I torqued everything to spec does the dry red permatex not cause any leaks?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Instructions clearly say to install the gasket maker then apply gasket to engine and other surface, letting it sit could of created an unequal surface. You are suppose to compress the gasket maker while its wet so it can seal.

 

How do I make sure that it actually is the permatex causing the problems? Can "air in the system can" actually cause this?

Thanks for your help!

 

Bleed air, then go from there

 

i think you should let it sit for like maybe an hour, then tighten everything. not let it sit overnight then tighten everything the next day.

 

hmm, but is this enough to let enough air into the motor to cause 5k rpm idle and then subsequent surging?

 

its a pita to take everything back apart to then clean off the permatex and put it back together, which is why im so skeptical as to whether or not my mistake with the permatex can cause this. Would I need new gaskets again if I were to do this? Moss motors tooke so long to send me the brand new gaskets that I just installed

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blue00sifun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hmm, but is this enough to let enough air into the motor to cause 5k rpm idle and then subsequent surging?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, a light vacuum leak at possibly all four intake ports would do that. Why didn't you torque down the manifold while the gasket maker was still uncured?

 

good question....out of stupidity I guess. How do I make sure that this is the cause though? Is there something that I can do before taking the whole thing apart and finding out that this was not the cause....that would suck!

 

spray starter fluid

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blue00sifun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">good question....out of stupidity I guess. How do I make sure that this is the cause though? Is there something that I can do before taking the whole thing apart and finding out that this was not the cause....that would suck!</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can spray some water or fluid (like senpai mentioned) and see if there is a vacuum leak. But a surging idle can only come from a few things -- vacuum leak, leaky or stuck idle valve or fast idle valve, and some serious air pockets in the coolant system (only when the engine is fully warm though). The air bubbles at fast idle sensor could cause the valve to stay open and draw in more air causing a high idle.

 

thanks...ill give this all a try tomorrow...so at startup with the engine cold, serious air pockets in the radiator will not cause the rpm to remain at 5k?

 

OK guys, I took the whole thing apart today and am in the process of cleaning all of that permatex red crap off. Now ive got to wait on Moss motors for my new gaskets.

Do I have to put hondabond on the manifold to charger/casting to charger gaskets or can I just put some light oil on the gaskets to hold them in place? Im kind of afraid that if I use that permatex stuff that I would get the vacuum leaks again.

TIA!

 

BTW, is there any other place to get these gaskets from? Screw moss motors and their 11 dollar shipping for 3 gaskets

 

I use Hondabond on everything but the IM gasket, and I use OEM for that. You just need a thin layer of Hondabond and it needs to be torqued right away or youll have a rediculus idle