Wont stay running during cold start

I've got an 88 wagon that i'm having some cold start problems with... automatic 88 wagon with 205XXX kms on her.

The problem i'm having is that even in warm weather, if the car hasn't been running for a few hours it's hard to start.
If it's been driven in the past few hours, it starts, stays running and idles exactly where it should, with no problem.

It seems to not have a high cold start idle. If the throttle is held open (even just slightly) for a minute or so, it'll stay running under its own power.

I normally just 2 foot gas/brake for a block or two, but my younger sister has started driving it.
Now that it's winter, she needs to warm up the car and then scrape the windows... Takes forever for her to get going.

New parts in the past 5000kms:
spark plugs, wires, pcv, distributor rotor and cap, ignition coil, 02 sensor, main relay, valve cover gaskets, one of the injectors (can't remember which one :oops: ) and all fluids.

I'm pretty new to hondas and the only thing i can think of would be a plugged throttle body passage.

Any insight would be super.

-Ryan

Comments

  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    Sounds like an EACV problem. (Elec.Air Control Valve) Sometimes called Idle Air Control, It raises idle speed in cold conditions by bypassing air around the throttle body according to coolant temperature. Looking underhood, the valve is just to the right of the throttle body, bolted to the #1 intake runner. It has an L-shaped hose connected straight down from the airbox on top of the TB.

    I see that you replaced fluids. Sometimes we get erratic idle because of air in the cooling system. Check to be sure the system is properly bled

    See that the EACV is plugged in.

    Any Check Engine lights? Check for fault codes. Just look under the passenger side floormat and count the flashes.


    If those basics check out, my first step would be to clean the EACV. Over time carbon gunk from the intake builds up in its spool.
    Buy a can of carb and choke cleaner or similar. I've used brake cleaner as well.
    There are 2 M8 bolts holding the valve down.. (12mm head) Remove those and as many hoses as necessary to flip it over and clean it. It's nice not to have to disconnect the coolant lines because of the bleeding mentioned above, but I don't recall if that's possible with DPFI.
    You'll see 2 ports on the bottom of the EACV, one blacker than the other.
    Clean it up and reinstall.
  • The car doesn't throw any codes. I haven't checked the light since i bought it, so i'll give that a go and see if anything's changed.

    I'll pop the control valve off and make sure it's clean inside. That was really my next step, It's just hard finding a time that works for both my sister and I.

    I'll also double check that there's no air in the system.

    Does the control valve need a proper paper gasket, or can I just use the gasket maker goop to reinstall?
  • great info Bam...I might be having this problem currently.
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