Hello all,
New to the forum and I have a perplexing problem with my 92 Accord LX.

a couple of months ago it began sputtering for around 10-15 seconds when I start the car, almost like its either not firing correctly or its getting starved for gas/air/spark.

it does this mostly when its hot and sat after being driven, but it also will occasionally do it on a cold start as well.

CEL is giving code 12 (EGR). so here is the laundry list of things I have replaced and cleaned/serviced so far.

New Plugs/wires/cap/rotor, new fuel filter, new EGR valve, new fuel pressure regulator, new injectors, new PCV valve, cleaned IACV, FITV, Throttle Body, and run Sea Foam through both the crankcase and fuel system. Its driving me mad that I can't figure this out. what have i missed??

 

When you start the car, I believe the ecu tests the egr system by toggling it. If there is something wrong it will not compensate for the error, hence the issue you could be having as a result. I would unplug the egr vacuum hose and egr connector and see if the issue goes away. Keep in mind it will throw a code for the egr system. This is no big deal, you're just trying to figure out what the issue is.

If the issue doesn't go away then the issue is elsewhere. If the issue goes away the issue is either egr related(egr solenoid sticking open or closed because dirty) or the ecu itself is bad which is not an uncommon phenomenon.

 

Ive done that. No effect. I actually tried that trick before i put a brand new egr valve on.

 

I told you about four things there, not just one.

 

you told me to technically try only one thing, the EGR unplugging. which I did before I bought a new EGR valve, because unplugging it and the vacuum line had no effect. Telling me the issue is elsewhere is common sense. I've figured that after 2 months of trying to find this issue.

 

What about that last part I suggested ?

 

have you removed the egr valve and seen if the passage was clogged up or not? maybe farther down its route? if your unplugging the vacuum hose and have no affect I suspect u have blocked passages or bad egr control solenoid.

like holmes said above the computer will check to see if egr is there and electrically functioning at start up hence not getting light. throughout driving is when the egr opens up.

I think there is a plate that sits atop the intake runners under your injectors. remove it and inspect the passages. also check if the egr control solenoid is functioning properly. it is located in the black box.

with the control solenoid, you should have no vacuum at idle. if you do have vacuum, the solenoid could be faulty.

 

I have sprayed out the EGR opening where the valve sits. My accord doesn't have that 5 bolt plate, it has the plugs that you have to break through a top brass part and basically puncture the plugs and pull them out. I have bought a used ECM that should be here Wednesday, just to see what that does. the solenoid, I'll have to take somewhere and have checked, I've opened up the black box and its clean, all the hoses going in/out are clear etc.

 

just take the solenoid and use test leads and apply 9v battery power to the solenoid and it should click when you apply the battery

if you have a vacuum pump and gauge(i use the $40 mitty vac version, myself)you can check to see that vacuum moves freely....the top is the bleed off it's a filter so don't mess with the top cap...there should be no passage through the other two ports until you apply the battery then it should open up

 

I'm having a simuilar problem, the engine doesnt sputter when its not in gear, but it does when it is in gear, at about 2400rpm...it really did it this morning, I woke up to the car not starting, the battery cable was loose, so i fixed it and it was sputtering like crazy, then the check engine light came on and it completly leveled out and ran fine...I havent plugged it up to find out the code yet...what do you think it might be?

 

pull the code and let us know what it is

 

I switched my ECM and my O2 sensor code vanished, but the code 12 EGR is still there, so I now know that vacuum solenoid is bad. hopefully that fixes it.