9/9/09.
I AM GOING TO BE VERY SPECIFIC SO YOU CAN GET THE BEST IDEA OF MY PROBLEM.
I have a 1992 F22a (JDM) Honda Prelude. 5 spd Manual Tran.
Before I state my problem i'd like to introduce some recent information about my car to help you get affiliated with the car's history and how it has (if it did or not) affected the problem i have today:
I bought the car back in early 2009 and the car had a blown head gasket (reason why it was so cheap). The engine it used to have was a F22a1 (or F22b1, both same and USDM). My brother and I swapped an F22a engine into it. All other recent parts were used in this swap (only engine was swapped). I changed the spark plugs and wires and coolant hoses.
Now onto my current problem:
I have always had a fluctuating idle (from ~900-1200 rpm) cold or warm. Sometimes it had a rough idle sometimes it wouldnt, somedays the fluctuating idle would start when the car was first started, sometimes it wouldn't, this idle randomly occurred. I was convinced the problem was my IACV (Idle Air Control Valve). Then I would check it and clean it. However this wasnt the solution.
However this wasnt the only problem.
Now with the fluctuating idle, my car's acceleration (from a stop or even at high speeds) would be hesitant, choppy, skipping, groggy, fluctuant, laggy (how ever you want to describe it) or it even sounded like the car wanted to stall. At this time I noticed as my foot was pressing the gas pedal, the rpm's would drastically drop, maybe about 200 rpm.
(For example, from a STOP id accelerate. At about my first shift out of first gear the rpm would quickly drop from 3000 to 2800 rpm, eventhough my foot is still giving it gas to accelerate out of and through the second gear).
(Another example, from accelerations at HIGH SPEEDS. On random occasions, if i were driving about 75 mph, the car would begin to skip and lag in accelerating).
***************UPDATE: 9/9/09 ~9:30pm pacific western time:
Ive also noticed that after a long drive (about 40 miles a day because college is out of town) my car would not restart after being shut off for a few minutes. Due to frustration, I'd wait for a few minutes then try again and my car would start up just fine.
On another occasion, I just got on the highway after about 10 miles of driving to go home and as soon as I entered the highway, the cars acceleration sputtered and skipped many times and soon enough I wasnt able to accelerate and maintain speed; my car was still on but I couldnt accelerate. I pulled over and when I came to a full stop, my car died. Waited a few minutes, started her up and everything was fine???
********************
Stay with me, I need to give VERY specific details and examples.
So I searched afar and found very little. I recently changed my IACV (bought off eBay and installed it about a week ago). However today the problem still persist.
I have read that it could also be the FITV, spark plugs and wires (although Ive changed these already), Cap and Rotor, O2 Sensors, Air in coolant lines(checked), fuel pump, ignition, throttle body, vaccuum leaks, etc. There are more suggestions but these dont help.
NOW IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS TO THE SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM PLEASE REPLY, EVENTHOUGH YOUR REPLY ISNT MUCH IT CAN MAKE ANOTHER USER REPLY TO YOURS, SPREADING MORE INFORMATION AROUND. I WOULD APPRECIATE ALL ANSWERS AND EVEN QUESTIONS.
PLEASE NO IGNORANT RESPONSES, DONT WASTE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.
Last edited by iidieiv619; 09-09-2009 at 10:29 PM.
Reason: change mispelled word
haha, you are telling the people you are requesting help from to not waste their time?
Anyway, I'll bite. First of all, IACV is the idle air control valve, not intake.
Do you have a Helm's? It will tell you all the testing procedures on each item.
Your idle surge can be any number of reasons that you listed. Most common being either the fitv, iacv, or a vac leak. Your hesitation and intermittant throttle response sounds like the symptoms of a faulty ICM in your dizzy. Get a multimeter and test it.
This is such a widddddeeeellllyyyyy covered topic. Use the search button. There's a 3+ page thread regarding just this issue.
__________________
-Steven
Quote:
Originally Posted by vile10
not to offend anyone but usually when you hear a loud noise but never see the car for a long while, that's probably a civic
like you stated check your fuel and spark first as allways for the hestaint parts. ie regap plugs, cap n rotor, fuel pump, fuel filter you get the point.. idel may be the same or may be a leak in a vacum line somewhere. but like i said start with the basics and the cheapest things to fix and trace back from there
ok,
Well i spoke with my mechanic over the phone and he said to check the Distributor Cap and Rotor for any wear on the contacts. I will also check other probable causes and will check up on this post often.
Thank You!
very well could be a fuel issue.. possible fuel pump... cant say for certian cause im not driving the car but on the 2 cars of mine that the fuel pumps were going out on, it would sputter and jerk and sometimes accelerate quickly but only with the pedal all the way down. then it would start sputtering and pretty much die on me. sometimes i would try to start the car with no success and sometimes it would start up just fine. some days (very rare) i would have very little trouble and other days i could barley make it across town let alone be able to get on the highway.. i got lucky when my fuel pump decided to die on me cause it was parked in my driveway. there were times tho i was on the highway about to call a tow truck tho but decided to try one more time and presto it started... so i would deff. check it out before you get stranded
Do the basics and replace all that is cheap or part of the tune up process. Get a new rebuilt distributor which runs for about $100 along with a new cap and rotor. Either way that will help you eliminate any of those parts along with have new clean parts to start off with your new car. Afterwards check for air leaks and make sure timming and other sensors are to factory spec. Afterwards if the issue has not been found and solve then start on the harder parts such as fuel pumps compression test, etc.
__________________
1995 Prelude Vtec, 1990 Celica Turbo All-Trac 1/8 mile 9.6 sec stock, 1993 Acura Integra LS-S bucket 31 mpg (going to sell pretty soon, three cars is too much)
Past cars:
1989 Supra Turbo 300+ HP Street legal (CA) sold for school money
1993 Acura Integra LS (IHE + Test Pipe) sold for school money
Update:
-Changed Fuel Filter
-Checked and Replaced the Distributor Cap and Rotor. The Metal Contacts were worn; they looked like they were filed down and were discolored.
Then the car started up GREAT! Idle is still unstable, however I configured the idle control screw on throttle body to 1000 rpm; now the idle is stable...for now
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