My del sol has a low idle issue, I have changed the coil, plugs, wires, and rotor. It runs a bit better after all of that, and I currently have a can of BG44k in the tank, but when I bought the car I knew it had a ground issue. Because I could hear the alternator whine most common for a bad ground in audio systems. however there is NOTHING aftermarket in this entire car, NOTHING. stock speakers etc. So im assuming one of the grounds of the motor is loose or whatever. I was going to change the main grounds anyways with 1/0 wire, because I will be installing a SQ system in the car, but I just figured I would ask if a bad ground could cause low idle issues?....thanks!

 

No, nothing to do w/ idle. There's many reasons why you have a low idle. Could be ignition timing, TB idle screw, AIVC, etc.

 

Just go ahead and re-do the grounds anyway. Its pretty cheap, and cant hurt(especially if youre doing a nice SQ system).

On the other hand, I would check out the items listed above. check your base timing, and clean out your throttle chamber. My as wel clean out teh IACV while youre at it too.

Do you know where all the grounds are?

EDIT: also, how low of an idle are we talking about here?

 

Well im going to be doing the "Big 3". The battery -, The engine ground to chassis(By the stock air intake), and the Battery + to the Alternator +. All 3 of these wires will be 1/0 soon. I do not know of any other grounds, if you could specify where they are I can change them.

I would say the idle is low, but its not EXTREMELY low. It has got better with a new cap/rotor, coil, spark plugs and wires(ngk's) w/ an air filter. Fuel filter coming soon. I have almost run through an entire can of BG 44k and it seems to have raised the idle a little. Its not always low, its like 50/50. Running normal tempsits usually between I would say 400-800, usually around 550 most of the time.(so I think) But while in idle with the AC on, it seems to drop down to 400-500 and stay there most of the time.

I usually do my own work, as hondas are pretty easy to work on, however sometimes I have a friend of mine give me a hand because he has worked in a shop for 5 years, and his in the process of rebuilding his motor. Most of this stuff is cake to him.

How would I check base timing? The throttle chamber I think I know where that is, its held together by like 4 10mm bolts right? I have seen some write ups for the IACV so I can search that soon as well.

 

so I was searching and I found out how to clean the IACV here: http://www.superhonda.com/forum/f94/...r-iacv-144463/

doesnt seem to difficult at all..

 

dont forget the fitv also, http://www.g2ic.com/forums/showthrea...threadid=44386

 

Isnt that for a high idle issue? I have a low idle issue and have never seen my RPMS sty above 1k, unless of course when the car is cold started then its up there a bit and then goes down.

 

That is idle @ 400 correct? Thats where my idle is now. Also that is in drive. When I put it in park it usually goes up another dash around 600.

 

That idle is normal... Its actually @ the 650-700 range. Idle spec when warm is 750 in gear w/ AC off and 850 in gear w/ A/C on. I guess that the car vibrates alot which makes you think that the idle is low. If so, check your motor mounts for excess play.

 

Okay, wow I thought I had an idle issue. I didnt realize that the lower white mark set the bar at 500 RPM. I think I have fixed it then. It used to rumble a little, but after I changed the plugs, wires, rotor, and coul w/ air filter it stopped. The car does not shake really anymore, I mean maybe a little but thats normal with all of my hondas.

I still need to change the fuel filter and clean the IACV. I am going to take a picture of what I think my IACV is later on this week, and hopefully one of you guys can let me now if I am taking off the correct part to clean.

 

yea thats not low, mine idles at the white line (500) but im too lazy to mess with it

 

just to add, idle issues can be caused by poor grounds.
if throws an offset to the voltage seen by the ECU, which either adds or pulls fuel. This either runs the engine lean or rich and the idle gets screwed up.

It can result in slow cranking, unstable or low/high/surging idle, and a slew of other things.


the IACV is the can/plunger device fastened to the rear of the intake monifold. Has two coolant hoses and one two pin electrical connector.

 

thank you, someone above said poor grounds had nothing to do with idle??...

 

Clean the grounds and find out.

 

How many grounds should I be looking for and where? Can someone give me a list of grounds to check for rips and tears etc?

 

Okay so I went ahead to try and take off the IACV, however those ****ing 12mm bolts are on there SUPER tight, and I did not want to strip them. I even sprayed penatrating oil on them 5 times and I barely could get them to budge, man this IACV has NEVER been cleaned im sure of it. any suggestions? I bet the fuel filter had never been changed either because those bolts were tight as **** too.

 

Not to be an *** but you ask the dumbest questions stop whining for someone to hold your hand find a closed end 12mm wrench and work those friggin bolts. They are steel bolts fastened to an aluminum iacv and intake plenum obviously they are going to stick. put some muscle into in you *****

 

wow, unacceptable. Give your head a shake, no need to bash you ***.

ANYWAYSSSS

Bad grounds CAN cause a low/rough idle. Theres one going from your cylinder head to your body, by the drivers headlight. There is also one by your thermostat (underneath your intake pipe)

Just take some emory cloth and sand the area down that the ground attaches to, and sand the connectors of the ground to ensure a clean ground.

Same thing happened to my sisters civic hatch.

 

Some bolts will be hard to get off including the IACV bolts since they heat up all the time. Spray them with penetrating fluid, let it soak for 5 min or so, spray them again. Put your ratchet or wrench on the bolt, and hit it with your hand, or a small hammer.

If you use a wrench, make sure to use the closed end of it, and not the open end, thats just asking for a stripped bolt lol.