OK, I just recently purchased a 1991 honda crx HF (bone stock) and with little over 200k miles on it from a friend of mine. When I bought it it ran really good. But just recently I have aquired two annoying problems that I can't seem to pin point.

First problem - Idle bounces up and down between 1000rpm and 1500rpm. I read through the forums and cleaned IACV. I cleaned it, ran it and idle better but then it comes back as soon as my car is warmed up. Tried to look for FITV but it doesnt look like I have one. So I read more on it, and it seems that people suggest to bleed the coolant, one problem is that I am not to sure how to do it. I have a slight "jiff" on how but I dont want to screw it up. People also were mentioing a vacuum leak, I checked all the hoses and no leaks.

Second problem - My battery light comes on and off. When I get up in the morning to warm up my car, the light is not there. But as soon as I leave to work and start driving I hit second gear and around 3000rpm the light flickers. Then when I shift into third its on! Then from there its always on till I get to work I checked all the connections (bought new 6 gauge battery terminals) and checked my alternator, and that is good. I thought maybe its a loose wire, checked through the car for that and can't find anything that looks like it may cause the problem. So don't know what to do!

Just yesterday I got ten minutes from work and my car took a dive bomb. radio shut off, my tach was going haywire and my idle dropped from the bouncing 1000-1500rpm down to 200 rpm! So I had are auto shop charge my battery and re-installed it. Then the idle stayed at 200 rpm untill my car warmed up. I am in a major pickle here. Grant it there are billions of sites and forums with the solutions for this, but it seems that when I do something to try to fix it, it comes back! So just hoping that if I post my certain problem it can get pin pointed by some people on this forum.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jbaut1sta &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Second problem - My battery light comes on and off. When I get up in the morning to warm up my car, the light is not there. But as soon as I leave to work and start driving I hit second gear and around 3000rpm the light flickers. Then when I shift into third its on! Then from there its always on till I get to work I checked all the connections (bought new 6 gauge battery terminals) and checked my alternator, and that is good. I thought maybe its a loose wire, checked through the car for that and can't find anything that looks like it may cause the problem. So don't know what to do!
</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is an alternator going out. I would get it tested. I don't care how new it is get it tested. I have them tested before I leave the parts store. I had brand new alt die 3 days after purchase. I was furious.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Toad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

This is an alternator going out. I would get it tested. I don't care how new it is get it tested. I have them tested before I leave the parts store. I had brand new alt die 3 days after purchase. I was furious.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Whatever dude. It's not like you were stranded 8hrs from home with no alternator or anything.

 

hmmm, cool thanks for the input. I had my alternator tested twice too. Well if your saying that it can go out as soon as you get it then it definately can go out years later. Ok, so do you think that is causing my idle to fluctuate?

 

could be bad gas... but my car did that (91 hatch) but then my clutch blew up and after the new one was put in it stoped doing it..

 

bad gas.... damn! Something minor as getting 87 octane gas can do that?

 

yea.. if you have a vtech you should prob run 89 or better..

 

Both issues can be related to the same thing. When I had my first CRX, I had a similar issue. The car would bounce on idle up, down, up, down... and the battery light would come on. It turned out to be the plug on the back of the Alt. Check that and make sure it is in there good and tight.

On my current CRX, I was having a similar issue with battery light flickering, with a new battery and alt. It turned out to the clutch wire for the A/C compressor grounding on the fan surround. I fixed that and the flickering would go away.

Good luck.

 

Huntley2147 - I dont have vtec. Its a stock motor.

YLWCRX - I will check that as soon as I can.

Thanks for all the input people, keep it coming.

 

make sure it's full of coolant....for the idle problem

and the batt light/electronics dying sounds like alternator to me too

 

mahatma - How would I know if its full and if their is air bubbles in my coolant?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRXBart &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Whatever dude. It's not like you were stranded 8hrs from home with no alternator or anything. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah wasn't it fun...I love being away from home and things going wrong. Now I'll just have Todd to rescue me but no Honda master.

 

CRX Toad - Do you still make the CRX climate control plate? If so I am interested

**EDIT**
Toad, I was trying to look at the pics on your little write up and no pics come up

 

i always get away with filling up the rad, leaving the cap off, starting the car & letting it run, warm up....then it will suck some more coolant in there, then top if off until it stays full in the neck of the radiator.

but i'll get bitched at for suggesting that method
so the proper way is with the bleeder valve that should be located on the water neck of the upper radiator hose, on the block. (not sure about the HF specifically).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mahatma &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i always get away with filling up the rad, leaving the cap off, starting the car & letting it run, warm up....then it will suck some more coolant in there, then top if off until it stays full in the neck of the radiator. </TD></TR></TABLE>

hells yea f the bleeder valve

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Huntley2147 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea.. if you have a vtech you should prob run 89 or better.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

****** sig worthy **** there!!

 

^^hahahaha^^

UPDATE
Ok so I got home and thought hard about my problems and everyones replies. So what I decided to do is mess around in my engine.

Battery light- I loosened the alternator and played with the tension of the belt. First I made it a little looser. Battery light was gone but made this horrendus screetching sound. So I some what tightened it and ran the car. Light still comes on but not as soon. I can drive about 30 miles freeway speed (65 - 75 mph)then BOOM its on. In the end I will probably be replacing it this weekend.

Idle - Took off the IACV and re-cleaned it. Installed it back on. It Idled fine for a good 45 minutes untill I hit the freeway. Started driving and thought I should just step on the clutch, then there it is, up and down. ARRGGHH!!!

After I messed with the alternator placement, cleaned the IACV again, I unplugged my battery and reseted my ecu just for kicks. It ran great last night but as soon as I got in my car this morning and headed to work the annoying problems came back.

So my last resort, Im going to replace the alternator, change my coolant, change my oil (its due) and double check my vacuum lines and to top it off, I started to paint my car with a good ol spray can!!! So if anyone else can help me figure this crap out please post up!!

 

how are you setting the idle after you clean the iacv?

it almost sounds like the idle screw is tightened too much and the throttle is actually opening to compensate.. I should know which vacuum line to disconnect before adjusting the idle but I can't think of it off hand...

sorry for the weak *** answer, maybe someone can fill in the vacuum line "blank" I just had.

is the alternator belt new?

 

yes the alternator belt is new. Its not brand new but I can tell it was recently installed. As for the idle settings, can I do that on my crx? Where would I adjust it from??
Here some pics

 

the idle screw is right beside the red hose. if its really tight you may have to use a impact driver. also are you getting any check engine lights. on those cars the egr valve goes bad alot and they will mess your idle. if it is just get or make a block plate

 

46 hatch - If this is the screw, which way would you recommend me turning, left or right?

 

http://www.ef-honda.com/ben/Badidle.php

what you need to know about idle issues

check #7 on the list

 

IT GUY - thanks for the link, but I already have it save on my favorites. Plus it looks like different TB. I tried looking for my FITV but it looks like I dont have one. If anyone can correct me, please do
His

Mine

 

well damn! guess I'm no help

edit: link was a B-series LS swap I believe

 

dont mess with that screw...honda put loctite on that so u wouldnt expletive with it...thats not ur problem i can asure u that. replace ur alternator. for all we know the car can be running on ac current as aposed to dc. alts can couse alot of **** to act wierd..