Please help! When the weather gets cold outside, I have to warm my car up for like 30 minutes or so before I can drive it. It has multiple misfires and has a kind of "lumpy idle." There is some white smoke coming out of the back as well. My boyfriend thinks it is the FITV valve, but I don't want to buy the part if that is not it because the part is not cheap! Please give me any opinions. I really appreciate it.

 

the FITV controls the idle at when the car first starts...usually keeps idle kindda high so the motor can warm up, after its warm, the IACV controls the idle the rest of the time bringin the idle down and keepin it steady...i usually see alot of cars that throw A BIT of white smoke while warming up so i figure its normal...but if the car throws white smoke ALL the time, then prob your head gasket went to **** mixing water into your oil...try cleaning the FITV valve and see if that helps with your idle while warming up...use this link https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1564019

 

I would try cleaning it before buying a new one...my car was had an erratic idle up until this past weekend when i pulled out the IACv and cleaned it now she idles perfectly. As far as the white smoke thing...I dont see any cars pushing out white smoke that are in good running condition so i would imagine there is something else there...Just remember that if your car is a 95 or older you should clean both your FITv and your IACv before buying new parts...if its 96 and newer then you ony have the IACv to clean

 

I guess I should have given the car- it is a 2000 Civic SI. There is just a little bit of smoke coming out of the exhaust and it only happens when this "idle" problem occurs. Once the car straightens out, the white smoke goes away. My Bf did clean the valve and it fixed the problem for a little while. Now it is occuring again. The problem is, when I call the Honda dealership they have no idea what I'm talking about. It is so frustrating. I can't start my car up for 30-45 minutes every morning that it is cold outside.