Ok, my friend has got a 98 prelude. Hes been having this wierd problem with his car dieing and we dont even know where to start to try and solve the problem. When ever he presses the clutch pedal in his rpms drop and his car dies. Or if he puts it in neutral it dies. But, if he has his ac on, the rpms will just barely keep the car alive. The last thing ever done to the car was a valve adjustment. So we are wondering if for some reason that ties into the problem. Not sure how, but thats the best lead we have. Any help or ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the lead, get the valves adjusted properly, and get it done for free from the same place.

 

i would agree...make sure the timing is not way off either...these are good starting points. check and make sure the timing belt is properly timed with the cams and crank. sounds like the cams may be off a tooth or something

 

if it starts and idles fine without too much valve tap, then it probably isnt the valves. putting it into neutral and it dying doesnt make much sense to me. running OK when the A/C is on deosnt either. if valve clearances made the problem, then you are probably gonna need to rebuild the head cuz the valves are already bent to hell. so if he starts the car in gear its fine? maybe im not quite understanding the thread.

 

Yes my friend, you are not understanding, the valves are too tight and the vacuum is too low and the idle is too low and the idle does go up with the AC on but the original idle is too low now cause the valves are adjustd too tight, get them done again for free.

Put a vacuum guage on it and see where it is, its too low, no bent valves, they are opening too early and closing too late lowering the vacuum, but not enough to bend them, the car runs above idle, what is another name for an engine, VACUUM PUMP.