Okeedokee...

A friend of mine has an 89 LXi, 12 valve engine with an automatic. I don't know the engine code off-hand. When cold, after sitting overnight, upon startup the car idles as if it was running on only three cylinders. It's pretty rough for a minute or less, then the rough idle just disappears and all is well.

Until, once the car is warmed up. Then, when stopped in drive the car has a nasty vibration. The whole inside of the car shakes, badly. It's kind of like a vibrating bed, but not cool like a vibrating bed. The idle speed is normal ~800rpm when in drive, and it remains the same when the car is taken out of gear...but the car stops vibrating when in neutral.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

bad motor mount?

 

Hmm....I'm not sure about the rough startup thing. Never really encountered anything like that before. Could be a temp sensor on the fritz. On the thermostat housing there's 3 sensors: 1 real skinny black plug towards the back, 1 round green plug on top, and 1 round white plug right next to it on the right. One time I forgot to plug the white plug back in and it was kinda rough when I started it up and it threw a CEL immediatly. I didn't let it run and warm up though to see if it went away, so I'm not sure if that could be it or not. Maybe a fuel injector or oxygen sensor going bad? My sisters Maxima was rough as a pig with 1 bad injector (of 6 - which is also what killed the o2 sensor), especially at idle. A good tune up never hurts anything either. If you can get the codes that will help alot

For the vibration, especially with an auto, it is most likely front and/or rear motor mounts. From what I hear this is a pretty common thing on 3rd and 4th gen Accords. I drove an '88 Accord LX-i with auto tranny once and it shook real bad when stopped in gear too. Drove perfect otherwise, just shook alot when you stopped, lol

btw - engine code is A20A3


[Modified by 89_LXi, 3:59 AM 11/30/2002]

 

Thanks very much.

The motor mount makes sense to me. The cold idle is just a mystery. There's no CEL, it's just rough for 30 seconds or so. Who knows. I'll try checking the wires you suggested.

Thanks again.

 

3geez.com helped me a ton with my 88 lx, chk them out

 

I would ask the same thing. My friend has an '89 LXi as well, and from what you described as the symptoms, that is exactly what his Accord is going through. The vibrations are likely caused by the bad motor/tranny mounts, afterall they are 13 years old. Idle is the same way. I would check the plugs and make sure they're burning alright. Chances are the valve guides or valve seals could be gone. I say this because, I had Monte Carlo with '87 turbo V6 from a Buick GN. At one point, the oil would leak through valve seal, then down the valve guide. In the mornings, it would idle rough for awhile then smooth out. Not a Honda, but basics should be identical. If it were me, and I wanted to keep the car, I would have the motor rebuilt, or least the head overhauled, and replace those bad mounts.