NEED HELP from EFI newbie

[shepherd79]

ok guys,
here is the deal.
My new car is EFI, and i am not EFI wiz guys. i grew up on carburators. I need any help i can get from you guys.
ok, here is the deal.
I finaly started my car today, after working on it for the past 3 weeks.
anyway. it is not running right. the idle goes up and down and it is very low.
when i turn AC the idle drop way low, and the engine wants to die.
ECU is not throwing any codes. everything seems to be ok.

the only mod i done so far is headers. they are pacessetter headers. it has 2 oxygen sensors, so i used cylinder 3-4 for the ECU oxygen sensor. the other one is not connected. My car came with one sensor. would this affect my idle? should i wire two sensors together?

oh how do i adjust the idle?
would ignitor cause the idle to go up and down on EFI?

i am still learning about EFI problems. so help me out.
thanks.

[NXRacer]

you need both sensors. I test drove a car that did the same exact thing and i figured out that the 02 sensor was bad. thats whats causing the idle fluctuation.

[shepherd79]

ok so do i just connect two sensors in to one wire?
my car is 86 EFi with BT engine, and it has one O2 sensor stock.
so i just should connect the two sensors together so it will become one sensor. is it right?

[accordlxi2.0]

that should work considering that it's only monitering the pass. side of the engine. wire it in parallel it should be fine. or you can check the idle control solenoid.
as for idle there is is a screw within the throttle body. and for the a/c idle there is a screw at the bottom of the diaphram.

[Dibbs]

Is your Idle fluctuating from high to low in a rhythmic fashion? Does it subside a bit as the car warms up? It's sounding like a common problem with EFI cars, that being the fast idle valve. It's located behind the intake manifold near where the TB and plenum meet. It adjusts your idle based on coolant temperature by using a spring much like a thermostat. You can either try to clean the valve and replace the o-rings or just buy a new one for about $50.

If your car came w/ one O2 sensor, leave one O2 sensor on it. Just plug the hole or keep the other sensor in there and don't connect it. I would suggest against adjusting your idle until you have fixed your idle problem, unless it's causing your car to stall. Just make sure to adjust it back to around 1000-1100 rpms when you get it fixed. Your adjustment screw located on the throttle body should be adjusted by turning the screw all the way in CAREFULLY. Just barely tighten the screw, otherwise you will damage the screw and/or seat which is bad. Turn the screw back out to around 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 turns. To adjust your idle you need to adjust the cable that wraps around the pulley that controls the flapper within the throttle body. You want to tighten the cable where it's connected to that bracket w/ adjustment nuts on each side. Loosen the nut on the right side and tighten the one onthe left until the desired idle is reached. Again, try to put this off until you fix your idle problem b/c you may not have to adjust anything after you've fixed it.

I would also consider getting new gaskets for the throttle body and intake manifold, especially if you have removed either one recently without replacing the gaskets. This can allow air to be sucked in and cause a reving idle. I would suggest ordering parts from the dealer or Majestic in this case. Here is a link that will show you everything I've mentioned.




Majestic Honda (http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1986&catcgry3=3DR+LXI+NON-PASSIVE&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=THROTTLE+BODY+%28PGM-FI%29)

[shepherd79]

i did replace the intake manifold gasket. it is all good.
the idle flactuates no matter if it is cold or hot.
i will have to look in to cleaning the idle solenoid i guess. EFI is a hole new world for me.

[NXRacer]

its a whole new world, but its a much better one. :D

[Dibbs]

Don't rule out the fast idle valve for a surging idle.

[NXRacer]

Do our cars have an EGR valve? if so, you may want to check it for carbon build up.

[shepherd79]

ok, well i found the missing spark problem (put-put-put-put problem); it was bad coil. i wired up my accel coil much better. it idles smooth right now, but i still get RPM up and down flow.
plus after i let my car cool down, my idle was going up and down between 1000-2000 with in 1second interval.
it was nuts. it went on like that for about 3 munutes, and it stoped.
So yeah, i think you are right guys. i think my idle solenoid valve is dead.
where is the fast idle solenoid? where does it locate in 86 accord LXI?

[Justin86]

Yea I was going to suggest the coil or the idle/ A/C boost valve cause if that is bad or is unplugged it will run like shit.

[shepherd79]

i am going to junk yard tomorrow, and i am going to pull at least 5 diff idle solenoids. and some other stuff.

[89cordlx]

I have an idle problem too. When I am at a red light and my foot is on the brake my idle is a rough 800ish I want to bump it up to like 1000. How do I do that?