crazyhouse2011

Yeah so normally when I cold start the engine it goes up to 2 grand then slowly over time brings it down to idle speed. Normal, right? But the if I drive around for 10 or 15 minutes and stop and shut off the car (like to go in a store for a few minutes) then come back outside and start it, it fluctuates for about 8 seconds, revving from 1000 revs to about 1600 then drops to 1000 then jumps again, cycling for roughly 8 seconds. Then it drops to normal. It can be embarassing sometimes because I don't wanna look like an idiot revving my engine (I have a VERY loud catback exhaust). I've gotten used to it and attributed it to the fact that the FITV needs cleaning.

Note: I bought the car in January, so I have only had it during the cold months so far.

Now today I drove a few places, stopped at AutoZone and picked up a wrench, then went home and shut off the car. Its about 14 degrees Fahrenheit right now, and a little windy. I opened the hood and took off the upper timing belt cover to inspect the belt. (By the way it looks fine). The hood had been open for about 30 minutes, so the engine components must have been cooled off considerably. I went to start the engine just to see if I hadn't broken anything, and it did, BUT it was fluctuating idle again, and this time it was revving a little higher, say 1300 to 2000 revs. But this time it DIDN'T stop! I revved the engine, but it fell back into that pattern. After about 20 seconds of this crap I went over and knocked real hard on the throttle body with my fist and it stopped. I then took it for a 10 minute drive around town and it didn't act up again.

I'm not sure if it was the cold weather affecting the FITV. I'm also not sure if me hitting the throttle body stopped the problem, or if the engine corrected itself making me think I did. I'm pretty sure it's not going to do it again, but I do know that the FITV needs cleaning, and the IACV probably does too. Does anybody have any input about this situation? Thoughts? Thanks H-T.

Vtrp082808

I have 94 civic ex and i just took off th whole FITV off and put a steel plate in its place cuz mine was doing same thing...hadnt had a problem since

Former User

What car and engine?

JuggerNaut-CTR

Yes...take apart the fitv and clean it...clean the iacv...

You pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Kinda curious why you havent already done that before making this thread? Neither of which are hard to do (cold or not)

crazyhouse2011

It is a 1995 Honda Civic EX with the D16Z6.

Doesn't it show under my name what car I have? LOL.

Former User

Thanks for using the Garage feature. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the car in a member's garage doesn't always match with the car in their thread.

Click the IACV and FITV links in my signature.

crazyhouse2011

Can you explain how you did that? So now when you cold start the engine does it just idle normally (like 800 revs)? Has it given you any trouble still?

crazyhouse2011

Would you PLEASE tell me how you did that and how much it cost? Also, when you cold start does it just idle at regular idle speeds rather than fast idling? I really want to try this.

mitchh29

I love the brute force method you used to try and fix the problem. I'm picturing fonzi punching a throttle body and going "ehhhhhhh"

crazyhouse2011

I remember from earlier research on Hondas that tapping the idle air control valve when it is fluctuating like that will tell you if it needs cleaning. If you hit it and it stops that bullshit for a moment or two then starts up again then it needs cleaning. It was either that or the FITV, can't remember. Anyway, I was in a kinda panic so I knocked on that mothafucka and it stopped. Hasn't done it since.