hey all.

I woke up this morning, and noticed my check engine light came on. I was a little worried, my car has 76000 miles and this is the first time this happened. Anyway, once I got near work, I stopped at a light and my car was idling really low, like it was about to die. I had to rev it to keep it running. Once I pulled into my parking lot at work, my engine died. So I did some search, came across this sweet forum and found out I could check the ECU Code myself using a paperclip. Turns out it was error code 14 (IAC Valve). Ive read this is a pretty common problem, and the IAC valve can actually be cleaned to make it run properly. The replacement part for this was over $200. I am a newbie, is this a fairly easy process to do? TIA

 

Usually an IACV cleaning cures high idle problems because the IACV sticks open. But cleaning it to see if it cures your problem is certainly worth a shot.

Buy a can of throttle body cleaner. Drive the car around to get it nice and hot. Remove the upper part of the air cleaner housing and then remove the air filter. Do you see a hole? This hole leads to the IACV and is what you'll be spraying the cleaner into. You'll need to do short blasts and may have to help stabilize the idle by cracking the throttle open a little.

Also, what does the maintenance history look like?

Cap, rotor, plugs and wires?
Valve adjustment?
Fuel filter, air filter?
O2 sensor?

For replacement parts, do not go to your local dealer. Use an online store like slhondaparts.com or hondaautomotiveparts.com.

 

its very easy to do. All you need to do is remove 2 10mm nuts holding it (its located on the backside of the intake manifold) Once you remove it carefully remove the gasket (it looks like the number 8)... Once you remove the gasket just spray the two openings on the backside of the intake manifold and the two openings on IAC with some throttle body cleaner. Let it dry and reinstall.

You can change out the gasket if you feel like it, but I opted to re-use the original.

*Edit EE_Chris beat me to it

 

My car hasnt had a major service on it yet. Im gonna take it in for a full tune up soon (probably saturday). But if this problem persists, im gonna need to fix it sooner than that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by saxqtzk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">All you need to do is remove 2 10mm nuts holding it (its located on the backside of the intake manifold)</TD></TR></TABLE>

The Y7's use an IACV that is actually mounted on the throttle body itself. Its a 3-wire configuration - you are talking about the 2-wire configuration.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ramoer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My car hasnt had a major service on it yet. Im gonna take it in for a full tune up soon (probably saturday). But if this problem persists, im gonna need to fix it sooner than that. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Bad idea. First, ask the dealer what they are going to REPLACE and inspect. Most tune-up packages have a lot of inspection, but if something needs to be replaced, its cost is added on to the final total. Then ask how much the tune-up will cost.

Most 60k, 90k services are like a few hundred bucks - you can buy all your parts (and then some) along with a service manual and still come out ahead of the game.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EE_Chris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The Y7's use an IACV that is actually mounted on the throttle body itself. Its a 3-wire configuration - you are talking about the 2-wire configuration. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Good Info

 

thanks for all the advice guys, im gonna try to clean it up later, and see if that helps.

** Just to clarify, just leave the car on, and remove the air filter cover, and filter, and blast into that 1/2 inch diameter hole?**


Modified by ramoer at 1:53 PM 6/21/2005

 

well, i tried the short blasts through the trottle body and it didn't really help. I did what I said above with the IAC itself. I did this on a d16y8

 

I had this problem and i actually had to remove the IAC from the throttle body. It had siezed in the closed position. I unscrewed the two phillips screws and removed the plastic part. Then i used WD40 to spray and free up the valve mechanism, please be careful as the metal **** is very delicate. Just spray and use a piece of clotht hold and turn the ****. Let dry and reinstall.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The Y7's use an IACV that is actually mounted on the throttle body itself. Its a 3-wire configuration - you are talking about the 2-wire configuration. </TD></TR></TABLE>

EE chris, you mentioned that the Y7's have it on the throttlebody... could you tell me the procedure in removing the IACV from teh throttlebody? I have a 98 DX which i THInk is having an idling issue. Where is it located, and what bolts do i have to rmemove, an then what do i clean and with what later? Thanks!

-Tony

 

regardless of where it's located, or how many wires it has, it must be removed to clean it. Then test it and make sure it's moving before re-installation. If the valve is working but you're still getting the code, check the wires going into the plug.

 

The problem is.. I dont have a manual, so I don't know where the D16y7's IACV is located... and is it safe to use brake cleaner on the Valve, or should I use Throttlebody cleaner?

 

Part #2 is going to be the IACV. I'd be careful if you're going to remove it so as to not damage/tear the gasket. If you do, get a new one. Don't try to re-use the old one or use something else in its place.

I'm not sure what brake cleaner really is, so I'd suggest to stick with throttle body cleaner.

I'd first try getting the car warmed up and shoot it directly into the IACV entry hole before trying to remove it.

 

Thanks a lot for the digram EE!! That's awesome! Ok.... so how much TB cleaner should I spray in there. This should be with the engine off, no? And what do i do with residue? If I spray too much in there? Do I have to wipe it off? How much SHOULD i spray in the first place? haha. thanks man.

 

You do this with the engine running and warmed up. What you're gonna find is that as you spray the throttle body cleaner into the port, it'll make the engine want to stall, so have your hand on the throttle in order to keep it alive. Basically, a 1-2 second burst ON...wait 5-10 seconds OFF and repeat. How much...I certainly didn't use a whole can...maybe 1/4 can, I really don't recall. And when you're done, what you'll also find is that after shutting the car off, it may be hard to start and when it does start, it sort of chuggs a little to get going, but it will go away with a short drive. Don't worry about residue - it'll evaporate off in short order.

 

Ok.. thanks again. I will go ahead and try this later on tonight. I just wasnt sure if the cleaner going into the TB was good... I havent actually read the TB cleaner instructions (havent bought it yet), but it will probably tell me the same thing.
So if after 1/4 can, it doesnt fix the idle problem, then you suggest me taking apart the intake then the IAC valve? then try to clean it out again? Or should I go try changing the plugs/O2 sensor..

 

Well, I tried to do this last night.. I semi low light conditions. I took off the intake, and the stock filter, and lookedat the TB. Now I didnt see any holes before the buttterfly that I thought was the IACV.I was just spray the buttfly, and INTO the throttlebody with the butterfly slightly cracked... is that what I should have been doing? Or is there definately a hole before the butterfly where the iacv is. I guess I can try again during the day... thanks

 

hmm