problem: NO idle - Honda Prelude Forum

jsmooney · 12-01-2004, 06:43 AM

when i start the car up and just sit in place, it will idle....sometimes. Whenever i just drive and then push in the clutch to come to a stop (no matter if i am moving or stopped) it will just stall. then crank up again and maybe idle. So far this morning -> no idle whatsoever. Before I had this problem and i cleaned the battery teminals, checked wires and other stuff. The battery terminal cleaning helped somewhat, but that was a few months ago. I read something about possibly the ground wire from the (-) post to the tranny? This never happens on a full tank of gas, its always when it is right around 1/4 - 3/4 tank left. Because of this I think it may be the fuel relay because sometimes it takes a while to crank up again.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

Zbone · 12-01-2004, 07:34 AM

It's hardly ever a grounding issue...

If you can't hold an idle with less than 1/4 tank of gas, I'd say your fuel flow is restricted. Try changing your fuel filter, then maybe clean your injectors. If that still dosen't work, I'd check your fuel pump.

But, before you go that far, change/clean your air filter, plugs, and wires... always good to do, and may clear it up.

boostedlude92 · 12-01-2004, 09:42 AM

how long has the car sat? Might have gumed up lines goto the gas station and buy some gas in a can and put it in the car if u can get it to drive long enough to fill the tank up then it should flush the lines.

jsmooney · 12-01-2004, 11:10 AM

well, it drives fine. high rpms, low rpms, everywhere just like normal. i cleaned the air filter about 3 months ago so that shouldnt be an issue. (k&n on CAI) the plugs i replaced near the end of the summer with ngk coppers....would taht really be an issue? i thought about just getting sone fuel cleaner (gumout or equiv) from walmart and seeing if that would do the trick. ill go check the plugs and everything. the car just sat overnight....it did rain last night though

the fuel filter was changed at about 95k miles (currently 152k) and i have run the fuel cleaner 2 times since

Zbone · 12-01-2004, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsmooney

well, it drives fine. high rpms, low rpms, everywhere just like normal. i cleaned the air filter about 3 months ago so that shouldnt be an issue. (k&n on CAI) the plugs i replaced near the end of the summer with ngk coppers....would taht really be an issue? i thought about just getting sone fuel cleaner (gumout or equiv) from walmart and seeing if that would do the trick. ill go check the plugs and everything. the car just sat overnight....it did rain last night though

the fuel filter was changed at about 95k miles (currently 152k) and i have run the fuel cleaner 2 times since

Hmmm... have you checked/cleaned your throttle body? are you supposed to adjust the idle on an OBD1? OBD2 it's usually a

to adjust the idle, but maybe that would help...

Ooo Ooo... check your battery and alternator too... just a hunch.

jsmooney · 12-01-2004, 11:46 AM

i checked the alternator today when i got home. im about to get something to eat and then check the plugs. what should i check on the throttle body? i have a F22B so its OBD1 and yes i did adjust the idle for the ES Motor mounts

update:

i just cleaned the battery terminals real good, added water to the battery (it was low) checked the plugs (they all look pretty much the same and fairly new), checked the oil, then checked all the vaccum lines. all look okay to me. i do have the egr block plate - would that cause anything like this? what about bad o2? what do i check on the throttle body?

thanks - Jonathan

p.s. - if i get help solving this problem, the person that helps me get it solved will get something in return in their paypal account. not much, but a little bit.

MORE -> the fact that is doesnt hesitate and sputter makes me cancel out spark plugs and air filter. im thinking its fuel related somewhere in between putting no gas into the cylinders to putting gas in the cylinders to idle. it doesnt idle, it just keeps going down and then the oil light and battery light come on. im driving the Z (

)today to work and will stop by and get some stuff from walmart to try and fix the problem.

any other ideas? this has been going on for some time, but it would come and go and only stall 2 times per week. now its everytime per stop

Mingosh · 12-01-2004, 04:19 PM

Sounds like a possible vacuum leak. I know in most other cars, if there is an air leak before the throttlebody, the car won't idle, but be smooth through the r's. Check it out. Just a hunch.

jsmooney · 12-01-2004, 10:07 PM

okay, here's what i did: cleaned the black thingy in front of the IM that says "denso" on it, cleaned the thingy on the bottom of the throttle body, cleaned out the throttle body

it seems to idle fine most of the time now, just sometimes it will dip down low. i dont know where i could possibly have a leak before the TB