I posted a few days ago about my 96 Accord that had less power after an engine swap.. finally figured out that the mechanic was an idiot and hadn't swapped my original fuel rail and injectors over to the new engine.. long story short i swapped them and have all the power back..

However... Now it starts on a dime when its cold and runs fine until it warms up and then it dies anytime i let off the gas to stop etc..
Once its warmed up i also need to give it gas for it to start again.. Runs fine at higher RPMs..

ideas?

 

Idle Air Control Valve and throttle air bypass settings probably need be adjusted. Engine should idle just barely (550-600 rpm) w/o the IACV connected. Adjust idle w/ throttle air bypass screw to this setting, then rehook IACV and it should hold 700-750 rpm w/ no load or heavy load (lights, AC, etc) . Make sure IACV is clean and functioning.

good luck

 

total newb question.. but where is the IACV located? I don't work on cars much..

 

also just checked the oil and its almost a quart overfilled... some ******* mechanic.... would that make a difference as well?

 

IACV = idle-air control valve
Its a little motorized valve mounted on the back side of the intake manifold. Back against the firewall, it has an electrical connection on it.

Idle adjust needle valve is a recessed brass screw (flat screwdriver, not phillips) on the throttle body above the throttle bore.

Make sure theres no air pockets in the cooling system. Yes this matters.

Make sure the actual throttle plate closes completely. The throttle cable must go slack. The mechanical stop screw must not hold the throttle open AT ALL. Only just enough to prevent it wedging stuck closed.

Warm up the engine completely. Jumper the SCS connector, like you were going to read ECU error codes.

Unplug the IACV wiring plug. The engine should almost die. Use the throttle to nurse it & keep it running.

Adjust the little brass screw so it idles at 550 rpm or so without holding the throttle open.

Let it cool down & plug the IACV back in. Disconnect the jumper at the SCS connector. Pull the backup fuse to re-set the ECU.

Start the engine WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL AT ALL. Let it warm up without touching the gas pedal. This forces the ECU to re-learn the behavior of the idle control system.

 

by adjusting the brass screw i was able to get it to idle and not die but couldn't bring it all the way up to 550 rpms..
i'm letting it cool off like was suggested before i plug the IACV back in and reset the ECU

 

After running, check the dipstick. Is it frothy? That would be bad. If its way too high, the crank catches the oil & churns it up into a foam.

You can probably drain some oil thru the drain plug, & put the plug back in before it all drains out. One quart is pretty high, but I dont know whether that would really make any difference.

Maybe you have to remove that brass screw altogether & clean out the holeby spraying in there withsome throttlebody cleaner.

Clean out any crud in the throttle bore, around where the throttle plate closes against the bore.

 

alright i'll check that stuff as well...
also when i replaced the injectors there was alot of crap that came out of the old ones... is there a good way to clean the injectors and the ports they go in?

 

Cleaning the injectors can be as simple as putting a bottle of Techron in the gas tank. Or SeaFoam, or whatever your favorite cleaner is. Do that every time or every other time you fill the tank. After a few times, it cleans out, then go back to using it once or twice a year.

There are also places where you can send your injectors to be cleaned. Lots more expensive, so I hope it works. Ive never done that so I dont know anything firsthand.

The ports can be cleaned by spraying with throttlebody cleaner, scrubbing with a toothbrush or rag.

Got a check-engine light? If so, read the error code. If not, check that the lamp comes on when you first turn on the car (bulb check). If your EGR was messed up, it should throw a CEL.

 

well i thought i had the idle problem worked out but a day later its doing the same thing......
as soon as it gets nice and warmed up and i clutch it, the RPMs kinda bounce off of 500 and then hit 0 and my car stalls....
then i have to give it gas and crank it over to start again...
any other ideas?? ugh...
i'm not getting an engine light... but is there any way it could still be an 02 sensor since the fuel air mixture changes once its warm?