So, I serviced the egr ports and slapped on the new IAC valve. I cleaned some of the grime off the injectors for giggles. Buttoned everything back up to check it all out. It started fine and ran at 2000 rpm fast idle for maybe 15 or 10 seconds, and then started doing a lope in the idle very rhythmically. I figure there is an electrical component to it, as it was very rhythmic in the lope. Consistent. Any thoughts?

 

Hmmm. I bet I got air in the cooling system.

 

Could be computer needing to learn. Have you reset the ECU?

 

I have not. In fact, I need to look that up. If thats not the case, and there is no air in the cooling system, might be the fast idle air control valve?

 

for giggles, I adjusted fast idle control valve, and it behaved a lot better for a minute, and then went back to doing its thing. Sooo, I reckon I need to reset the ECU as you recommend, and then maybe burp the baby?

 

I'm not sure burping will help the idle. I think (I could be wrong) that adjusting the fast idle without disconnecting it will not work, it will fight you.


But I still suspec the ECU reset can't hurt.

 

I appreciate the insight, Mr. Civic. I feel like I might be chasing a vacuum leak. Hell, might as well replace the hoses regardless. This car has a ton of miles on it, and hasnt been exactly babied. I'll let you know what I find. Thank you.

 

I believe one thing you can do is pinch some of those hoses and see if the idle changes.

 

Well... The pcv hose was kinda rough, so I replaced that. Fired up the car and falsely thought maybe I had it under control. It idled at about 1100 rpm for a couple minutes. Sooo, I thought maybe I had it under control, and I just needed to adjust the throttle somehow. Nope. It just took a couple of minutes to warm up. It came back. The familiar lope. I started feeling around with my hand to see if I could see anything, or rather feel it.. I felt air escaping from the valve cover. Turns out that the seal was askew.. BUT, it was nice and squishy and new feeling. For giggles, after listening to the lope for a bit, I unplugged the IACV and the idle dropped down to a normal level. Soooo, that makes me ask questions of what the ECU is telling the IACV to do.

Oh... the spark plug tube for cylinder number 4 was swimming in oil. Them seals do need changed for sure. I guess I need to suck that oil out some kind of way. Maybe I can just shove a rag down in there and wick it out. I just figure that all that oil down in the cylinder might not be that neato.. Though, I figure its been burning oil for a hot minute. Damn, I bet the piston heads look like nine miles of chewed bubble gum... or a mud fence... or whatever looks like rough wherever you come from.

Noticed paint markings on the timing belt side of the valve cover. I am guessing that mechanical timing was done last on 05/12/96. Probably need to do that. I am kinda sorta dreading that... and I feel like I shouldn't be so boogered at the prospect. I think Im just remembering how cool it would be to have a big ol lift.

Anyway, thats the news from Lake Woebegone. Over to you, Civ.

 

Yeah, it can be a bit of slog at first. When I got the accord, I just started each weekend with replacing something to freshen it up. Valve covers make the most sense as a starting point on most Japanese cars. And with each one the car got better. Valve cover, timing belt, etc.

Sadly for me, the steering rack is now leaking and so it's got to come out. And I can see and feel that it's time for a front end suspension rebuild of upper and lower control arms, pitman arms, etc. I'm thinking to do it all at once since getting that steering rack out is not that much fun, but maybe with everything else out it will be easier a bit. And I have one axle seal that could use a replacement as well. Car should feel pretty close to new at that point.

Ah, I wish I had a lift, too. But I have never had one, so it's not as bad to miss, just usual doing **** in the garage with jackstands and such.

Lake Wobegon, ‘a place where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average'.

 

On my F22a1, I used to have a fast idle that stayed there when warm. I ignored it for a while. Later I got a CEL for my O2 sensor, which I changed, and haven't had a fast idle since. Don't know if it was coincident.

 

Sorry to be out of circulation for a bit. Got busy with work, and had an uncle pass away. Anyway, here is where I am so far. I replaced the seals in the spark plug tubes to fix the leaking oil condition. Replaced the gaskets on the valve cover while i was at it, as all those came with the same set I got that had the lower spark plug tube seals. I found a lil basket filter that was missing from one of the injectors from when I serviced the EGR ports. Put that back in. Oh, I had the injectors out to clean the funk off of them. while I was there. I burped the cooling system. Thought I had a miss going on, but it just turned out that the spark plug wire on the fourth cylinder wasn't connected. Started the car up, and it did reasonable cold start fast idle at about 1500 rpm, then it slowed to about 1100 rpm when it acted like it was going to settle into a calm idle, the hunting idle returned. The only place I got any appreciable response with the carb cleaner spray vacume leak search method was around the front side of the throttle body. Ran out of daylight and buttoned it back up.

 

So, are you thikning throttle body gasket replacement maybe? DO the hoses there look ok?

Sorry to hear about the family member, hopefully it wasn't covid related.

 

See this thread to see if it may help you: https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...ssues-3350316/

 

Hey Tech, Thank you.

It wasnt covid related, but rather he had finally run his race in his battle with cancer. He was ready for a break from it. Thank you for the condolences.

Also, thank you for the idea regarding the gasket, as well as the thread. I will follow up and post what I find.

 

While it's acting up, unplug the IACV.
If the idle settles to a very low, but steady idle, it's likely the IACV that is causing the hunting idle.
If the idle continues to hunt, or soars, with the IACV unplugged, the air is getting in elsewhere.
The IACV fighting against a vacuum leak can cause the hunting. Unplugging the IACV is how to zero in on what's going on.

 

Unplugging the IACV results in the idle slowing down and steadying. Its still kinda rough, and I suspect a bit faster than it should be. Unplugged, it idles about 1000 to 1100 rpm. It starts to act like it having a misfire after a few minutes of idling without the IACV plugged in.

 

The idle with the IACV unplugged sounds high, but the fact that it is not fluctuating way up and still points to the IACV causing that when plugged in, or the IACV trying to level out the idle against air getting in elsewhere.

You should also locate the air screw on the throttle body to make sure it is there hasn't been messed with. With the IACV unplugged, I'm pretty sure that system should idle around 500-550 rpm, almost to where it wants to stall, but still keeps running.
If the air screw has been turned, it could be letting in too much air. Turn it to see if you can get it to idle about 500-550 or so, and then plug the IACV back in. A properly functioning IACV should
level the idle about 700-750 rpm's.

Also, if you haven't checked, it make sure the Fast Idle Thermo Valve is good and not out of adjustment. If the wax ring inside of it has been turned counterclockwise causing it to sit loose, that valve could be constantly letting in too much air.

While looking for air getting in, make sure the EGR valve, and all fo the valves tied to the intake are seated properly and bolted down correctly. The intake will suck in air from any gap it finds.

If everything else is intact, and the surging resumes with IACV plugged back in, you should look at your IACV as the cause of the idle problem. I think you mentioned having a new one. Those can be faulty too.

 

Thank you, Brakedrum.

That all makes a ton of sense. I was planning on replacing the gaskets for the throttle body, plenum, and lower intake gasket. Figured while I had all that up I would clean it all up in there. I feel like maybe I was going the long way around on guessing about where a vacume leak might be. Seemed like a labor intensive take on being a parts swapper. Given its age and lack of care, I suspect every thing I do to refresh it cant hurt. Been busy trying to get a bunch of schools ready for a reopen that I am not sure is a great idea.. seems like nobody knows which way the wind will blow there. But I digress. Seeing as I will be off for a couple of days, I will have time to leisurely wake up, put on some coffee, and work on the Accord. I am very excited about the project though. After I get it running happy, I plan on making it look nice. Pull some dents, paint it, and so forth. Nothing really sporty or showy. Just want to make it a nice daily driver.

 

Exactly what I did. I wanted something reliable but not targeted for theft, high insurance, and I won't get too mad if a ding occurs.

I still haven't pulled the dings out of it (it has hail damage, that made it so cheap to buy), but I, like you, want to make it drive well. New front suspension parts came in today, hope to get to it in the next couple of weeks. Control arms, shocks, etc.

 

Well, i located the vacuum leak, adjusted the idle, which was way high, and got it to where it would sit and idle at about 750 to 800 and compensate for running the AC and such. It sounds like hell. The guy I bought it off of removed the catalytic converter, and his straight pipe install is leaky. I need to get it up and see if its a gasket, or if I need to patch the pipe. Smells kinda rich. He had other than NTK plugs in it. I will rectify that. I need to get a decent o2 sensor in it I'd imagine. The shifting is real strong feeling. Like maybe overly so. Not sure what thats about, but I imagine that I need to flush the tranny fluid, and likely change those solenoids like you advised. Its in desperate need of new shocks/struts, springs. Its real floaty and bouncy feeling.

 

I used a length of plastic tube into the port for the pcv on the plenum, and blew smoke untill I saw something. Turned out it was a hose on the side facing the firewall. Replaced that. Still had the issue, but it was way understated compared to what it was. At that point, I located where the throttle screw was. It was behind a rubber like cap on the face of the throttle body. It was set pretty high. It occured to me that they may have set it that high because of the clogged EGR ports. When I brought it home, it had a helluva time breathing. If I got into it pretty good, it could maintain a pace, but it wouldnt accelerate hardly at all. From jump, it idled high, though it didnt hunt. Put it into gear, and it would bog down like hell, and it would take a minute to get up to speed, and smelled like a damn lawn mower. I actually down shifted to keep speed and rpms in it going up hill. Now it behaves well, but it still smells rich, and the exhaust is loud and ricey raspy.