Daniel

My '97 Y8 has developed a funny idle problem. When I start it up in the morning, it idles normally at 1500-1700 rpm, but as I drive right afterwards, the engine idles around 550-600 rpm at the first few stoplights, according to my VAFC. The needle on my stock tach looks like it's resting on the line right above 0. If I keep driving, the engine will idle at 900 rpm and gradually drop to maybe 680-740 rpm after twenty or twenty-five seconds. When fully warmed up, it will either idle very low or do that thing I just described (start at 900 and then start falling down).

The range for my Y8 is supposed to be 620-720. Does this sound normal? Because it used to always idle around 650 rpm, steady as a rock. This only started happening maybe three weeks ago. Bad IAC valve maybe? I can't detect any vacuum leaks, and I cleaned/oiled my ICEMAN airfilter like five days ago. I also reset the ECU, but that didn't seem to help much. Thx for any help.

blackhatchy

i think a lot of us have the same exact problem, me included
i ajusted the idle, and it worked(for a little while)
im still kinda stumped as to what the problem is.

Daniel

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blackhatchy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i ajusted the idle, and it worked(for a little while)
im still kinda stumped as to what the problem is.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Seriously. I'm stumped, too. I fiddled with the idle adjustment screw, and I thought, I'm cured! But then the problem came back after a week. I was like, "Argh, **** this. . . ." I'm worried the engine's going to stall, though, because the battery light has flickered a few times as if the engine wanted to stall (also bogged/shook a little, too, while doing so).

EX-T

take your IACV off and clean it out...how many miles do you have on your car?

blackhatchy

if you turn the fan on to 3 it will keep the idle up, and you will not stall.

Daniel

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DSeriesBKilla &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">take your IACV off and clean it out...how many miles do you have on your car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

About 65500. I changed the cap/rotor at 60K and also recently put in new plugs about 1000 miles ago. The wires are a little on the old side but look alright. My timing is good, too.

blackhatchy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DSeriesBKilla &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">take your IACV off and clean it out...how many miles do you have on your car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i have to try that, see if it works

EX-T

also, your fuel filter is recommended to be changed at 60k...a new one is like $15 from the dealership....

blackhatchy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DSeriesBKilla &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also, your fuel filter is recommended to be changed at 60k...a new one is like $15 from the dealership....</TD></TR></TABLE>

ive got 174000 on my car, and for some reason, i dont think its ever been changed. i will check that out

Daniel

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DSeriesBKilla &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also, your fuel filter is recommended to be changed at 60k...a new one is like $15 from the dealership....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmmm, I did NOT know that. Thx!

Daniel

So I drove to pick up some brunch, and I noticed another problem. The engine makes this weird sound at idle. I popped my hood, and it sounds like it's coming from the intake manifold. The only description for the noise is it's like a muted seal bark. I don't know if this is attributed with my idle problem, but I know it's not normal. Doesn't sound like a vacuum leak from around the manifold gasket, though ... more like that muted seal bark sound. Anyone else w/ insight, post up please. I know I'm not the only Civic owner with this idle problem. (A sales guy at my local shop has the same problem in his 5G hatch. )

blackhatchy

im not too sure what a muted seal bark is, but i dont think ive heard that in my car yet

Daniel

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blackhatchy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im not too sure what a muted seal bark is, but i dont think ive heard that in my car yet </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL! It's kind of embarassing. When I pull into my complex at night, I'm sure people can hear it ... arf arf arf arf. This is the 3rd Honda I've had that has an idle problem. First was an '84 Accord LX; sometimes it would idle fine, other times it'd keep dying at stoplights. Second was an '88 Accord LX that would shake like a bitch and almost die. The dealer adjusted the carbs and everything, which helped for awhile but not fully. And now my '97 Civic has this problem. My friend's '99 Civic has this problem, too, except hers is a BONE STOCK automatic that dies for the first few stoplights. Weird ****. . . .

paradise57

I know this thread is a couple weeks old, but I want to see if anyone else has any new ideas...

I have the same problem, complete with the "muted seal bark," that is sometimes more like a "muted seal moan."

My feeling is that it has something to do with the IACV, but I don't know....

SOHC_MShue

i'm in the same boat as you guys

Daniel

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by paradise57 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know this thread is a couple weeks old, but I want to see if anyone else has any new ideas...

I have the same problem, complete with the "muted seal bark," that is sometimes more like a "muted seal moan."

My feeling is that it has something to do with the IACV, but I don't know....</TD></TR></TABLE>

My problem is fixed. After ******* around with ****, checking the IACV, vacuum hoses, etc., I got fed up and took it to a local Honda dealer. Turns out the idle problem was due to the valve lash being too tight. They did a valve adjustment, put in some kind of engine treatment, and reset the idle (although they set it a little higher than Honda's specs for safe measure). So far so good. It cost me $155.25, which is expensive for what they did, but I'm just glad that ****'s fixed now.

Oh, and I finally figured out what my muted seal barking was----turns out it was from my intake. When it sucks in air, it makes the noise. I could've sworn it was from my intake manifold, but now that I listened again, it was definitely coming from the airfilter. It's an ICEMAN intake, so the noise must be due to its tapered design. Very annoying but now I know where it's coming from and know nothing's wrong. My old AEM intake whistled, and my ICEMAN intake barks.

HndaCvcRcr

I know this forum is getting old, but i figured I'd just add onto here instead of starting a new thread. I've had this same problem ever since I got the car over a year ago. It's a 99 civic LX with 74k miles. It was stock when I got it, did it then, and after the mods I've done, still does it. It's had new distributor cap and rotor, fuel filter, msd wires, denso iridium plugs, aem cai, and skunk 2 mega exhaust for engine work. I ran techron fuel system cleaner through it awhile back, and am doing it again right now.

Just this past weekend I pulled off the cold air, thottle body, intake manifold, and fuel rail and injectors. Cleaned it all THOROUGHLY. The runners on the IM and the injectors had a lot of buildup on them. The throttle body had a good amount of black desposit in it. especially where it leads into the idle air controller. I figured after doing all this it'd drive ALOT better. Unfortunately the idle problem was still there, if not alittle worse. It does run alittle smoother, but I was atleast hoping it would fix the idle.

I haven't tried checking the valves yet, so idk. I'm not expecting anyone to tell me what's wrong, I just felt like sharing my problem that everyone else seems to be having!

2lua

there is a procedure how the reset the idle speed. it in the honda manual.
how to
1. make sure you have no mil or cel. if you do take care them first.
2. start the engine and hold at 3000 rpm with no load. til the radiator fan come on then let it idle.
3. cut the engine off.
4. disconnect the 2p connector for the iac.
5. start the engine with and hold the rpm at 1000 and slowly release the pedal til the engine idles.
6. check the idle in no load conditions= no headlights, ac, radio...ect.
7. b18b, b18c m/t = 480 plus or minus 50. a/t same in park or neutral.
8. adjust the idles speed, if necessary, by turning the idle adjusting screw.
9. turn the engine off.
10. reconnecte the 2p connector on the iac.
11. restart and idle the engine with no load conditions for 1 minutes, then check the idle speed.
12. the idle speed should be for b18b, b18c1 should be at 750 plus or minus 50 for m/t or a/t in part or neutral.
13. idle the engine for 1 minutes with headlights on low and check idle speed. it should be at step 12.
14. turn headlights off idle engine for 1 minute with heater fan switch on high and on ac on high if you have ac. if not humm... you have to a load on the car some how i think you would turn every things for have a load condition.
15. idle speed should be at
b18b= 820 plus or minus 50 for m/t.
840 plus or minus 50 for a/t.
b18c1= 850 plus or minus 50.

the end.

i hope this help you guys out. it's work for me!


Modified by 2lua at 6:47 PM 10/6/2003