My '91 Accord has a mjor problem with the idle dropping low and the car shutting off. It is also difficult to start, eventually catching after much grinding of the starter. (Although it generally starts right up in the morning when cold.) It is manual so I drive it in traffic and at stop lights pull up on th ehandbrake and rev the accelerator. Her eis th ebad part... I have taken to the dealer. Can't find problem. Had a new distributor put in. It helped for a short while then back to its old tricks. Has anew fuel filter. I h ave tried premium gas and fuel injector cleaner. No one seem sto have a solution. Please help! I kind of like the car and don't want to dump it. For what it is worth, I think it is a small minor problem, i.e. some sort of replay, or switch or electrical component.

 

ever thought about fixing your timing and adjusting your idle via idle screw

 

If you paid the dealership parts and labor and still have the problem, you should jump right back there and have a little talk to the service manager.
I'd try unplugging the IAC when idling to see if if the idle drops, also the Fuel Presure Regulator could be leaking fuel into it's vacum hose.

 

Here are some possibilities, in addition to the idle air control vale, which is important, and the fuel pressure regulator. A vacuum leak, the throttle position sensor, the MAP sensor, loose elctrical connections, and plugged up injectors.

In any case, there are some sensors inside the distributor which could be bad. If a new distributor had helped you once, that would be the place to start, and that would be the dealer's responsobility.

 

Are you saying that everytime the engine cools down that the fast idle is fine but as it warms up the idle gets lower and then it wants to die. I am thinking that if you crack the throttle open on restart, it should start easy. You just have a simple idle control problem, you will start by completely cleaning the throttle body. Adjust the idle air screw to allow more air to bypass the throttle plate if cleaning didnt help much, then you will need to replace another part next BUT let us know what cleaning (and if needed, adjusting) does for you.

 

Go read the "idle revs" thread down below, maybe on page 2 by now. There are some links, go check them out.