I searched all over the net for someone who has had this problem, and i have found multiple sources that talk about some of the same symptoms that are associated with a code 43 ie, bogging, powerloss, stumbling, idle problems, horrible gas mileage (even on 100 octane).
I have had my prelude (92 Si, H23 5 speed) for about 6 months now and I have repaired many things that were throwing codes, and now the only one that remains is the code 43.
Here is a list of the things that I have repaired.

1. O2 sensor(new)
2. Knock sensor(used but not coding)
3. Map Baro sensor(used but not coding)
4. Cap (denso)/Rotor(denso)(new)
5. Plugs(denso iridium)/wires(OEM)(new)
6. Fuel filter(denso)
7. Cat(new)
Total cost: about 500 bucks from various sources.

Other repairs

8: Exedy Stage 1 clutch
9: Custom Racing axles (clutch snapped the oem pair, prolly bad cv joints to begin with)
10: Pro-Lite aluminum flywheel
11: 2.5 in electric cut out (Pre-cat)
12: Intake
13: Seafoamed
14: Fuel system treatment.

The car ran alot better for a long time and i never pump anything but 93 octane, but it still had the problem of once it warmed up it started running like crap, and i would and still do get this smell, its kind of like a caustic sulfur smell, when the car would get really warmed up or on a hot day. Sometimes after a high rev session the car would stall out. this is frustrating because I love the car other then this problem. help me oot if anyone has a solution to this.


Modified by BlownH23a at 2:53 PM 10/21/2006

 

I'm gonna blame it on the seafoam, assuming you did that last. It probably knocked some buildup loose and fouled your injectors and/or O2 sensor, or new cat. If the cat's clogged, when the car warms up it might be burning whatever came loose.

My car did something similar for a while after seafoaming it.

 

I actually did the seafoam right after i bought the car, and then all those repairs came...sorry chronologically incorrect. Its getting pretty bad lately, its starting to stall more and more...very disturbing.

 

anyone else with some suggestions?

 

whats a cel 43?

 

its an engine problem code on the check engine light (cel), something to do with the fuel system...sucks

 

i knew that i was wondering what code was for lol
like 21 = knock sensor

 

bump

 

 

What brand of O2 are you using. I replaced mine with a Bosch and it started coding 43 about 10 days later. Switched back to factory and never came back again.

 

its a bosch...paid 130 bucks for the thing. I took out the oem o2 sensor and it was coated in carbon and build up. i put in the new o2 and it was still coding 43..sucks

 

oh yea one more thing i forgot to mention. The car runs with a higher idle, 2k, i figure its normal since the car is warming itself up. But after a little while it will seem to warm up, then the check engine light will come on and the idle will drop to around 900-1100 rpm. dont know if thats related to the code 43 but i figure any info is helpful in coming to a diagnosis.


Modified by BlownH23a at 8:45 PM 10/22/2006

 

i would try cleaning the iacv and fitv if its idling high. then clean the intake manifold and throttle body, run a bottle of redline synthetic fuel system cleaner through it too and also clean the egr. just some things i would try. maybe a distributor/ignitor issue?

 

i was thinking the distributor or the ignitor would throw some kind of code...if not then ill just replace them. the distributor is expencive even off ebay so im gonna have it tested before i trash it..

 

I have been throwing that code too. I have read that code doesn't excist. What my car does is as soon as I turn it on it just idles for like 4 seconds and dies out. I go and check the timing and its off by a lot. I am replacing the timing belt tomorrow when it arrives but I don't think that will fix it. Oh and when I did have it runnig the rpms would go crazy after they would pass 3k. My car would bogg and run like crap. I found out why though. Check a little groung wire thats right next to the thermostat. It migh be loose and could possible solve the bogging problem. Let me know if it helped.

 

it might be your iac valve thats causing it to run like that, i heard sometimes that thing can get stuck open or closed. im gonna check that ground wire near the thermo right now, hope that fixes it..

 

how should i clean out the IAC valve and the EGR valve, im new to hondas, ive worked on supras, 240s, ls1s...but the h23 is kind of a mystery to me..let me know. Also ive noticed that there is some oil leaking (very little) near the back of the block kind of where the distributor is. Is that normal or something i should be worrying about? and one more thing, my timing is WAY off, i checked it a couple weeks back and it would swing from way retarded to way advanced...i know this has a major impact on my cars performance so let me know. thanks

 

t

 

sounds like you need to correct the timing issue. that will screw everything up and you probably won't know if anything you're doing is any good before you correct the timing. oil dripping from around the distributor where it mounts to the block and valve cover? probably a distributor o-ring. a new is about a dollar, not hard to replace.

cleaning the fitv and iacv is covered in some good write ups on here, just search, ask if you still don't find it. i cleaned my iacv without actually disconnecting it from the coolant lines, don't know if it was bad, but it seemed to work well.

 

thanks for the info, im gonna replace my disturbutor, seeing if that cures the timing issue. I just took my car to get smogged here are the results

HC- MAX 91 MEASURED- 634

CO- MAX 0.62 MEASURED- 12.87!!!

Everything else is cool.

Its running pig rich and the timing is all fkd up. I hope its the distributor only and not a leaky fuel injector or something...let me know..

 

make sure it's not your fuel pump...

 

could the pump be making it run rich? i figured it would lean it out if anything..

Oh i reset the ECU and now whenever i jump the service connector i dont get a code the light just stays lit...what could this mean?
chris

 

tt

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by darkspector2.0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">make sure it's not your fuel pump...</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

just put in an order for a distributor and walbro 255 fp..so maybe i can knock this crap out with a couple simple repairs..