First off sorry, I know there's probably 40 threads on this topic... yet non seem to have an answer!!

I'm rather new to the honda world, this 97 civic DX is the first honda vehicle I've ever owned so bare with me if my questions seem kinda simple. The car is just a daily beater I use back and forth to work and so unfortunately I sit in a good bit of stop and go traffic. This whole extremely low idle deal is driving me nuts, of course the poly motor mounts aren't helping things any as the car feels like its shaking itself apart. There's NO check engine lights or anything lit up on the dash indicating a problem.

So my question is what causes this low idle issue? Everyone says to clean that valve thing on the back of the throttle body but it never seems to do much. What about just adjusting the little idle speed set screw!?! Its right there on the throttle blade under the throttle cable... anyone see a problem with adjusting it this way?


Also since the car is a DX there's no front sway bar, power steering or tach in the cluster... so would there be any reason why a sway bar off a 98 LX have any trouble fitting up in there? I also have a cluster out of the same 98LX that looks identical to my DX's cluster other then it has a tach. Would that be a plug and play type swap? Would the tach work without changing or running new wires?

 

Ohh and the motor is a D16Y7 if that matters to help solve these issues. ( Da*n I wish it was the Y8. grr haha )

 

Have you timed it? how old are the ignition parts, cap, plugs, wires, etc...

 

nope, I just bought the car a few months ago, havent really done much to the motor other then a goofy cold air intake and a timing belt (local honda garage did the belt for me) the car doesnt have the idle surge, while cold the car idles little fast and then once warmed up it does this low idle deal. if ya hold the pedal a tiny bit it idles perfectly smooth and seems to run pretty good. On occasion the motor will seem to miss or hesitate once when starting out from a stop and then its fine again until I stop and pull out again.

 

Hmmm, maybe the IACV. Have you tried cleaning it out?

https://honda-tech.com/forums/acura-integra-6/%2A%2A%2Ahow-clean%2A%2A%2A-your-iacv-k-idle-air-control-valve-1575913/

 

If your car is just idling low, don't fiddle with the IACV. Don't fiddle with the throttle rotor stop screw. Just follow the procedure for adjusting your idle. There's a how-to in the FAQ's sticky. This a a stupidly easy thing to fix.

 

Cool thanks! So it is just that simple as adjusting a screw! (hopefully)

 

It's a little bit more complicated than that...but not by much.