I am interested in purchasing an 01 Accord but the scan tool indicated a P0172 Rich Bank 1 condition. The guide book indicated it could be a bad MAF sensor, injector, or fuel regulator. The car also exhibits a hard start condition. You have to press the gas pedal and on the third turn of the key, it starts.

What is the likely component causing these problems?

Thank you,

 

how many miles are showing on this cream puff? What do the spark plugs look like? Fuel regulator check is pull off the vacum hose and see if there is gas in the hose. Fuel Pressure gauge is needed for an injector leak down test.
Turn the key on, wait for the fuel pump to build pressure 5 seconds, then crank the engine. See if that helps.

 

The very first thing you need to do on a Honda with a P0172 is get a valve adjutment, do them cold, get the specs and follow through, be precise. Replace the valve cover gasket set also. I know you read it in the book but Hondas are MAP systems, not MAF, you can check the voltage against a chart at a certain RPM to see if it is good or bad.

Out of adjustment valves will lower the vacuum of the engine thus effecting the MAP voltage thus making the computer think the vacuum is lower making the computer think you are giving it the throttle or that you are cruising slowly down the road so the computer delivers more gas than needed and since the O2 sensor can keep up or it may show rich bias and setting the code, this is called a speed density system, it is showing speed at idle and it is rich due to this fact.

 

Did replacing MAP and fuel regulator work for you? I am told a bad cat converter could also be causing this just not sure. Both of my O2 sensor are new denso brand. So I know its not the O2 sensors. I'm just tring to see what worked for you.