1989 LX Carb,Auto : Stalls at lights, runs fine otherwise, intermittent problem

[kghose]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 1989 Honda Accord LX with 177000 mi on it. It is automatic with a carburettor. The car runs great when it runs, but it causes a stalling problem that is now acute.

The car will fast idle fine, but when it goes to slow idle I need to keep my foot on the accelerator (and one foot on the brake if in gear) to keep the car from shutting off.

So, when I drive its fine, when I come to a light I have to keep one foot on the accelerator and another on the brake to keep the car from stalling.

When in neutral as the car starts to die at slow idle it belches dark smoke.

Fuel line seems clear, fuel filters just replaced and still clean.

Fuel pump replaced two years ago, carburettor refit (kit) last month.

All suggestions most welcome. Could it be a

1. Anti-diesel solenoid problem (do I have one? where is it?)
2. Choke problem?

thanks!
-kaushik

[A20A1]

There is a fuel shut out valve at the rear of the carburetor that stops fuel when you turn off the car.
I dunno if it's a choke problem you should visually inspect it.


Is the smoke coming out of the carb or the exhaust?

So you rebuilt the carburetor?
When the carb was removed did you replace all the gaskets; Intake manifold gasket, EFE plate to manifold gasket, EFE plate to carb gasket.

[kghose]

There is a fuel shut out valve at the rear of the carburetor that stops fuel when you turn off the car.
I dunno if it's a choke problem you should visually inspect it.


Is the smoke coming out of the carb or the exhaust?

So you rebuilt the carburetor?
When the carb was removed did you replace all the gaskets; Intake manifold gasket, EFE plate to manifold gasket, EFE plate to carb gasket.

Hi,

A mechanic claimed they refit the carb with a kit. I didn't do it myself.

The smoke seems to come off the manifold that helps suck hot air over the engine during starting. I'll run the car with the air cleaner cover off to see if the smoke comes from the carb.

How can I test the fuel shutout valve?

thanks
-kaushik

PS. To look at the choke I just take the grille off and make sure that the plate opens fully when the engine is warmed up right? Fully open is as far as the plate goes when you push it with the finger right?

[A20A1]

http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38108

if the smoke is coming of the exhaust manifold then it's probably burning oil.
Unless there is an exhaust leak, but you would probably hear the leak.

Try changing your PCV valve.

To test the fuel valve you just have the car of then put your finger on the solenoid at the back of the carb to see if you feel the solenoid move when you start the car. Or you can remove the solenoid from the carb to watch it work, but it could leak fuel out the back.

Not sure if simply turning the key to the second position will activate the solenoid, you may want to try it that way first.

[kghose]

Hi A20A1,

Thanks for you replies.

I cranked the engine and watched the choke. The choke started out half-closed and then became fully open as the car warmed up. But I still had the extremely low idle problem (car did not quite stall in N). After the fast idle cycle is over the car's rpm drops until it gets to 100rpm and then the rpm moves erratically.

NO smoke except when car gets to about 100rpm. Then I see a little dark smoke from the engine block.

When we have better weather I will go down and check the fuel solenoid and the PCV valve (hope fully I'll find it).

Any other thoughts in the mean time?

Thanks again!
-kaushik

[kghose]

Hi A20A1,

I replaced the PCV valve (which was jammed), but no change in the car's idle behavior.

I will now check the fuel solenoid.

-kaushik

[A20A1]

Do you have a can of carb cleaner?

Your car idles at 100, or did you mean 1000?

[Whistler225]

also check your coolant level. There is a thermovalve on your intake that (partially) controls your idle, and if your coolant is low sometimes it can mess with your idle (it does that on mine....I have a coolant leak I have to track down. I lose about a liter a week). When I top off my coolant, the car idles fine.

One thing to keep in mind about adjusting your idle....use the black screw on the back of the carb (it can be kind of tough to get to...I use a bladed screwdriver to turn it) and the little throttle linkage stop screw to adjust the idle, and leave the throttle linkage retaining nuts alone. I learned that the hard way.

Dunno about the smoke....A20A1 is the man so if anyone would know, he would.

[A20A1]

Actually I layed out the proceedure for adjusting the idle.
It also has a pre-checklist
http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46572

[Whistler225]

yah, forgot about that lol.....

I'm still struggling with mine. I've got the throttle stop screw and the adjuster screw both backed all the way out, and it STILL ramps up to about 2k in park....although sometimes now it will settle down to where it should be....and then sometimes it'll drop even lower.....I'm starting to think my car just doesn't like me lol.....

wierd thing is, it seems like the more times I stop, turn the car off, and then start it again before it cools off, the more the rpms rev up....

[Whistler225]

holy crap....could it be my EGR? Just read on one of Max's threads that his was causing high idle....

[kghose]

Do you have a can of carb cleaner?

Your car idles at 100, or did you mean 1000?

I have bought a can. Should I just spray into carb and see what happens? Into the choke valve orifice right?

Yes, car idle drops down to one hundred to two hundred (100-200) rpm.

The guy who fixed the carb said "It won't go off any more". Yes, he was right, but it sounds like one of those trick (or devil's) bargains now :)

I couldn't blow into the carb fuel intake when I disconnected the fuel line in. Is that normal?

thanks
-kaushik

[A20A1]

If the float level is level in the window then it will block the fuel and certainly give you a hard time blowing into it.

I was going to say spary it in a small area and see if the idle changes being careful not to spray into the carb opening.

When you spray over a vacuum leak the idle should change... You may have a low idle adjustment and all you'll need to do it turn it back up once the car is fully warmed... usually a plan it so you do a good 30 min drive to run errands and then park the carb and adjust the idle following the proceedure, skip the timing part if you feel that is normal.

[tfd52]

Hello,
I own a 1986 Accord DX with the exact same problem. In the course of trying to fix the idle, I have replaced the plugs, wires, fuel pump, fuel filter, removed the carb top hat and replaced the float, the fuel inlet valve and seat -- all to no avail.
One thing I have noticed is that my choke plate never full opens and I continue to have a splashy sort-of exhaust. I have tried to adjust the idle stop screw, but I am unable to rotate the black plastic knob in either direction.
Is there a way to overhaul the choke? Any thoughts on trying to get the idle stop knob to turn?
Thank you.

[kghose]

Could a bad fuel pump be giving this problem?

thanks
-kaushik

[MessyHonda]

i had a bad fuel pump...i got one at the junkyard and it was still giving me probs but then i got a junkyard carb and now it does not give me any probs....i guess i got lucky but it was a expensive crap... first fuel filters, fuel pump , then carb.

[frantik]

i have this problem as well.. i've just learned to operate the break and gas at the same time :D

[kghose]

i have this problem as well.. i've just learned to operate the break and gas at the same time :D

Isn't that bad for the transmission?

thanks
-kaushik