i have an 84 civic, 1.5 liter 5 spd.

it has an sparadic idle, it sometimes dies after normal driving when you stop. other times it holds idle up at 1300 rpm. also, the fast idle screams up at 3000 rpm, and then it drops all the way down and dies when its supposed to kick down to just a partial choke. there is no half way for the fast idle. i have replaced the idle solanoid with one from a junk yard, and it idles better than before but still not steady. i have rebuilt the carb after all these problems started getting worse, and still everything is the same except the random idle is worse, and now it is running extreamly rich. the only adjustments on the carb is idle speed on the passanger side, float level on the top of the carb, and there is a screw on the drivers side of the carb that i don't know what it does. its this the mixture screw? which way do i turn it to lean out the mixture? trail and error doesn't seem to get me anywhere. i am worried i'm going to screw up the cat with it runnig so rich. i already have a rotted out muffler and don't want to shell out any more cash.

i need a walk through on the carb tuning as well, i'm hoping it just needs to be tuned to solve some of the problems. i also need vacuum diagrams if possible, ive looked at just about every piece of the 8 miles work of vacuum tubing in that car and found no leaks, i don't know where else to look. while the car was sitting in my garage during the carb rebuild the brake fliud just dissapeared. no puddles anywhere. i have since refilled the brake fluid and bled all the brakes but the pedal is still somewhat spongy. also when i tap the brake the idle drops, i think this must be vacuum related. my chiltons and haynes manuals don't help me out much. i don't know much about hondas, my knowledge is all on v-8 chevys. i just need to get the car running consistantly so i can sell it! hope someone has suggestions!

-Al


Modified by 77Aerocoupe at 1:23 AM 2/23/2004

 

try this - it is for 87, but should be pretty similar to 84

http://www.redpepperracing.com/technical/87Civ-fsm

 

thanks for the link, that was just what i was looking for to fix the idle, mixture and float problems. but i am frustrated to find out i have to pull the whole carb off just to change the mixture screw. whos bone-head of an idea was this? they should be shot! it takes quite the time, effort and bloody knuckles to fit the carb down around all of the 8 miles worth of vacuum tubing they threw in there. then you have to check it with propane equipment i don't have??? i guess ill be leaning it out far as it will go and still run and exhaust smells right. ARG!!! why couldn't they make it simple like a chevy?!?!?! i think there is only 5 different vacuum tubes in my chevy, and they are no longer than 6 inches! mixture is a big dial on the side of the carb, with directions on it!

i still need vacuum diagrams if there are any out there!

thanks for the help!

Al

 

bump


Modified by 77Aerocoupe at 7:04 PM 2/23/2004