I was down in the Mission area in SF today picking someone up and parked the Accord for about 40 minutes. When I got back to the car I tried to start it but it wouldn't start.

I thought the battery was dead or had a weak charge so I turned off everything electrical that I could and tried to start it again. Then I noticed the engine would start but wouldn't stay running. Then I realized that I could get the car started but it would only keep running if I held the gas down.

I put the car in neutral and pushed it as far back as possible since the car was parallel parked. I then turned the wheel all the way left and started the car and tried to hold the RPMs between 1 and 2 thousand, put the shifter in drive and took off out of the parking spot. For the next three miles if I let go of the gas the engine would stutter if the car wasn't moving. About 1 mile after I got the car going, the low fuel light started turning on intermitently for the rest of the trip. After the 3 miles, I could let go of the gas and the engine would idle fine regardless of the low fuel light. The entire way was flat except for one steep hill which would be my 3 mile point.

I stopped for gas about 1 mile from my destination and did not have the same problem...

What sucked the most was driving in the traffic nightmare in the Mission District during rush hour and not being able to let go of the gas.

All the above happened yesterday.

The same thing happened again today except that this time the gas tank was just under 1/2 full. But once the car was started and I got going, all was well.

What could be the problem?

 

did you recently fill up?

 

check ur fuel filter it might be clogged or ur fuel pump.

 

for now u can tighten the throttle cable to idle at 1500 rpm so u dont have to hold the gas. or u can adjust the idle screw it might work.

 

I filled up about 5 gallons of Unocal 76 and 9 gallons Valero octane 91 gas between the first and second incident.

It's only happened twice out of many many starts so it's doesn't do it every time.

How do I adjust the idle screw?
I've only done basic maintenance, mostly changed fluids, and then only on Toyotas 4 cylinder engines. I found the butterfly vavle under the engine cover, so what do I need to adjust?

 

It might just be bad gas that you filled up on

 

Don't bothor with the idle. It sounds like your IAC has taken the big one. That is on the bottom of your throttle body. You may be able to pop it off and clean it out with T-Body cleaner.