1989 Accord LXi (fuel injection). Car has sat for approx. 8 months to a year. Got it running, etc.

It runs GREAT on the freeway, etc. At any speed really. BUT when its ideling, it drops really low and will actually die sometimes. I notice it does it more after its been driving for a while.

I'll be sitting at a stop light and it will just die. It always starts right back up no problem. but then the idle will drop down REALLY low and then die if I dont give it gas.

Once you are on the gas it runs great. Just not at idle.

Any ideas?
I replaced the fuel pump as stated in my other thread.
I even dumped some injector cleaner through the tank and ran a tank of 91 through it just to get things 'clear' since it was sitting for a while.

 

Well I would start by cleaning the inside of the throttle body, and then check the EGR system. Then maybe check the Idle Air Control (if the 89 has one). Could also be a vacuum leak so check all your lines and connections.

Maybe a Mouse Nest in the Air Box

 

you might also check the vacum advance on the dist. if it has a ruptured diaphram that is a pretty good vacum leak

 

So how do I go about cleaning the throttle body, checking for vaccum leaks and the diaphram on the vaccum advance and the Idle Air Control?

 

Go get some carb cleaner an old toothbrush and a towel, take off the air intake pipe, open up the butterfly and spray a little cleaner on the inside walls of the throttle body. Then scrub with toothbrush and wipe off the residue. Don't go crazy with the carb cleaner.

The Idle Air Control is mounted on the side of the throttle body. If it has one.
You might want to go get a Haynes manual, it's only about 15 bucks. Full of good info.

 

pull the tubing from the vacum advance where it attaches to the vacum pipes, wrap your lips around it and suck, it should hold vacum. Test the EGR diaphram in the same manner. Also you should be able to reach a finger into the EGR valve and push the diaphram up a little bit and the engine should stumble or die.

Take off the top from the fast idle valve, it should not be passing any air when the engine is warmed to operating temp; if it is passing air, screw down the nylon 'split screw' a turn or so. If you turn it all the way down you will lose the cold start fast idle.

 

How can I tell if the fast idle valve is passing air? I undid the top and saw the diaphragm or whatever it is with a big 'split' in it (I assume this is what you are saying to turn down?) I didnt do anything with it yet though.

I am going to clean the throttle body in a few minutes.

Where is the vaccum advance exactly?

Is the EGR valve the part at the top of the diagram that is not named?

The parts store here doesnt have the manual in stock and said it would about 4 days until they can get it. I am leaving today (driving the car) for another week again.

Oh and I talked to the previous owner. He said it was doing this same thing before they parked it. They would come to a stop and it would die. So its not from sitting for a long period, it was already an existing problem if that helps.

 

you will hear air going SHHHHHHH past the valve; Should only pass air when cold
the vacum advance is on the side of the distributor;
The picture was cut off and the EGR valve has no name to it.

 

Okay, the EGR valve holds vaccum, moves up and down, etc. When I push it up, the car stumbles.

Vaccum advance unit, nothing holds vaccum with the not running.

When the car is running, I can pull off the intake portion and when I put my finger/mouth on it, it IS sucking air in and holding it. When I pull the tube off of the exhaust portion the metal line is sucking in.

Would it be just not sucking at all or would it be a week suction if it were bad?

When I pulled the top off yesterday of the idle valve, I didnt hear anything, I even put my hand over it to see if I could FEEL anything and didnt.

To clean the throttle body, should I remove it from the car, or just do the intake portion of it while its on the car?

Also how do I go about checking the Idle Air Control??


Modified by Mychal71 at 10:33 AM 8/20/2006

 

The throttle body was all gummed up. I pulled it off and cleaned it all out and its been running like a champ ever since.

Even got it smogged and the guy was blown away how clean it ran. He said it runs cleaner than most 2000 models that come through!!!!!

So for 208,000 miles, thats a GOOD thing!

Thanks again for all the help!