What the hell happened to my idle?

[unc25]

I have an 86 hatch DX and I just replaced both fuel filters, Air Filter, and the PCV Valve, and cleaned the carb. I replaced the air filter and cleaned the carb yesterday and it ran perfect, Today I got up and I finally got the PCV Valve out and I replaced both fuel filters.
After I did the fuel filters and PCV Valve, I started the car up to check for leaks, but the car died. So I waited and started it up again and it kept running, but the rpms were steadily rising by themselves until it reached 3,000. Then I waited, then tapped the gas and it dropped to just below 1,000. Then I put it in reverse and started backing out and the car just died. So I waited...Started the car up again and this time the RPM's were at just above 0!!! it was fighting to stay alive but it wasnt dying. What happened? I checked everything to make sure it was all tight but I couldnt find anything loose. Could the PCV Valve not be in far enough and cause this to happen or do I just need to adjust the timing ?

[shepherd79]

when you took the PCV valve out, you didn't brake the PCV valve housing, did you?
check the vacuum lines. may be you forgot to connect some or connected them wrong.

[A20A1]

did you connect all the lines under the air cleaner?

[KoNEY]

could possibly be the choke, mine did that for a while, and i finally just set the choke as a last resort, and bam!, it worked.....

[unc25]

I just went back up to check on it and I took the PCV valve out and put it back in and then re connected everything that was supposed to be connected and its worse than it was before....
The RPM's rose only to 2,000 this time, then I tapped the pedal and it dropped even lower. Almost on the last line but barely staying alive.

Shepard....How would I know if the housing was broken or not? I had a hell of a time getting the damn thing out to begin with. There was a ring that was on the top of the hole that the PCV valve went into that was broken before I even touched anything. I am really lost here. And it is near impossible to drive it too. I can barely back out and pull forward in my driveway!!!
I really need some help guys.......

[A20A1]

start the car with the lid of the air box off... then look at the hole to see if the choke is open?

Are you starting and the motor is cold or have you ran the car before and its warm?

[POS carb]

1. get a vacuum gauge
2. raise the idle speed screw on the carb until it stays on. Check the vacuum, you should be pulling no less than 15 in-hg, 20-25 optimal. If you have less than 15 you have a leak somewhere, use some carb cleaner to find it. The car should also idle smoothly by the time it spins 1000 RPM

That's usually the problem. If you have a carb I recommend having a vacuum gauge handy!

[unc25]

I have started the car cold and warm and it does the same thing. Do I need to look into the carb while im starting it or after? If its while, then I better get someone to start it for me....
Could it be that the idle was set high b/c all the old stuff was making it run like crap? And now that I put the new stuff in the idle is back down?

[BKKloppenborg]

I have an 86 hatch DX and I just replaced both fuel filters, Air Filter, and the PCV Valve, and cleaned the carb. I replaced the air filter and cleaned the carb yesterday and it ran perfect, Today I got up and I finally got the PCV Valve out and I replaced both fuel filters.
After I did the fuel filters and PCV Valve, I started the car up to check for leaks, but the car died. So I waited and started it up again and it kept running, but the rpms were steadily rising by themselves until it reached 3,000. Then I waited, then tapped the gas and it dropped to just below 1,000. Then I put it in reverse and started backing out and the car just died. So I waited...Started the car up again and this time the RPM's were at just above 0!!! it was fighting to stay alive but it wasnt dying. What happened? I checked everything to make sure it was all tight but I couldnt find anything loose. Could the PCV Valve not be in far enough and cause this to happen or do I just need to adjust the timing ?

I just had that problem with my Honda. I started to do what you did not thinking that it was anything else it was making me crazy. i finally figured out what i was it was the Carb for me it did all the things your car did. Plus my Honda being a really good car never broke down broke down 3 times in a week! When i replaced the carb i have had no problems since.

Good luck..

[unc25]

I went back up today and thought I would look at the carb before starting it up. Well the butterfly was closed...and it didnt strat right up, I had to hold the gas down. So I got out and turned the car off and thought about it for a while...Its like the carb is not getting sny gas to keep going. So I pulled th e gas cap off to check for air and sure enough a big whoosh of air came out. So I got back in the car to try again and it started but same as before...So I watched as it sputtered and almost died and then rpms rose to 2,000 then i tapped the gas and they went back down and the car started sputtering again like it was going to die but keeping itself alive...So I got out and looked at the carb and the butterfly was all the way open....It was like someone was inside holding the pedal down.
Then I decided to spray some carb cleaner to see what would happen and its like the carb was eating the cleaner up to keep itself alive, The rpms rose back up to normal and then fell down.
I am at a lose here. Do you think I could have done smething wrong when I put the fuel filters in to cause this to happen? I dont think the PCv valve is messed up. There arent any holes or breakes in the vaccum hoses.
Then when I was looking at the fel lines, then was a line in the back of the carb that had some moisture on it, It is in the middle of the back of the carb and it runs to a black tubular thing on the firewall.
Does any of this help you guys out? I am dying to get this thing running right again!

[grappler88]

I have an 88 accord lx doing exact same thing. See my post under technical section titled " 88 accord lx stalling/missing. Make sure you read it before wasting any more time. Mine started after I changed fuel filters and then filled the tank. Must be dirt in the carb. No other ideas.

[unc25]

I am so lost!!!! I am going to have a mechanic look at it, but it is driving me up the wall!!!

[BKKloppenborg]

I am so lost!!!! I am going to have a mechanic look at it, but it is driving me up the wall!!!

Defently have him look at carb when you take it in my carb just died on my Honda. It was doing the same exact stuff you have been explaining.

[unc25]

I am not too sure what it could be but I dont see why the carb would just go after it was working fine. I only paid 700 for the car, and I dont want to pump out too much money into it for a carb... Oh well I guess I dont have much of a choice!

[BKKloppenborg]

I am not too sure what it could be but I dont see why the carb would just go after it was working fine. I only paid 700 for the car, and I dont want to pump out too much money into it for a carb... Oh well I guess I dont have much of a choice!

One day my carb worked fine next morning it died so i had it checked out so yes they can just die really fast even if it works the day before... Good luck on trying to find and fix the probelm...

[A20A1]

The rear filter needs to be installed one way and so does the front, they both have flow direction indicators on the casing.

[unc25]

The rear filter needs to be installed one way and so does the front, they both have flow direction indicators on the casing.

Well what way are they supposed to be put on? I am pretty sure i put them on right. The arrows should point toward the carb right? If not then I put them on wrong. Other othan that is there anything else i should have done before putting them on?
I checked the book at the autostore for the right rear fuel filter, but is it possible that i put the wrong one on and it caused this to happen?

[89dxowner]

That happened to me once, I just wired the choke cause i didn't know what else to do and it fixed it and it uns great its just a little hard to start when its really cold.