newperson

iTrader: (2)

Update!!!

As of Feb. 2009, the car was totaled. Sorry for not being able to figure it out.

TLS101

Sorry to hear the news on your car being totaled. I was wishing you would find the solution for the hissing. I last night seafoamed and I'm having the same hissing sound, but performance is marginally better.My hissing, sounds like it's coming from behind the air filter box. weird I did nothing down there? Any help Aziners TIA.......

P.s Yes I did seafoam the correct way using you instructions...01tl4tl

01tl4tl

check for loose/off vac line somewhere- at the rear of intake manifold or on fenderwell for that hose
See anything around the airbox?
Another ziner sent me a pic of loose vac line behind the airbox in hopes of finding where it goes

newperson

iTrader: (2)

I always wondered this: what if after doing the seafoam, it worked so well that it "unclogged" some stuff in the engine, ultimately improving the vacuum. With increased vacuum, it "sucks" a lot better and now you hear things that you probably didn't. Of course you would have to take before & after vacuum readings to verify this, but just a hypothesis (probably a poor one, at that).

Leejahd

Was Any One Able To Find Out What The Problem Was? I Started Having These Problems A Couple Of Days Ago. Dont Know What To Do

01tl4tl

newperson: seafoam does clean stuff and increase the engine vac- I tested at idle with a guage - from 20 to 22

Leejahd: Most likely cause of rough engine is a bad coil-
get the codes read at most major parts stores for free- If it says multiple cylinder misfire- you probably have 1 bad coil
Coils are easily damaged during plug change or can just wear out one day

Leejahd

Great Ill Get Back to You Guys On This. I Hate Driving My Car Like This I Miss The Power. And The Rpms Dropping Every time I Let Go Of The Gas

IntenseMX

Started having same problem out of nowhere other day... was parked on curb cleaning.. It really horrible sometimes feels like rpms just gonna drop down all the way and car just gonna die..

check engine light went on too...

I feel like it's a number of thing going wrong..

IntenseMX

Did not feel any "power loss" yet. and my rpm doesn't jump as much as in "newperson" vid.. i'll try to make a video, maybe any one can help me out. I'm terrified that it's the engine going bad.. and that would be the last thing i need right now.. :/

Thanks

01tl4tl

Its NOT the engine failing
It is most likely a 50 dollar igntion coil--we have 6 of them on the car!
GET the codes read today for free at places like autozone kragen rileys whatever big name is in your town
If it says multiple cylinder misfire or even single misfire- its probably a coil
Its simple to replace

01tl4tl

it runs rough because only 5 cylinders are getting full spark to ignite the gas

IntenseMX

Oh ! thanks dude!!

auto zone can read your trouble codes for free? Great!

I will check them out today!

Eddystone

What size tools do I need ? I dont have much so I will probably end up buying them.

newperson

iTrader: (2)

IIRC, you only need an allen wrench to remove the coils..can't remember what size.

IntenseMX

Went to autozone they said it's oxygen filter, guy said he can't tell if it's one by engine of down by cat... I'm thinking I wouldn't feel anything if one by cat failed..?

01tl4tl

Oxygen or O2 sensor is what he means
There is 1 ahead and 1 behind the car, the front being more likely to fail
Exactly what codes did you get?
Take it to another parts store and ask for the same test
Has your fuel mileage gone crazy bad?

IntenseMX

well i looked up the code and it says that code is for the second O2 sensor by the catalytic converter. My question is would that sensor affect the rpms? would i be able to feel it been broken at all?

Before getting the codes:

Today i stoped car and it seemed like everything was working fine.. i was trying to shoot a vid of rpms falling but nothing happened.. so i disconnected battery to reset the check engine light. after i started car again everything started droping again... Would an O2 sensor really cause this?

Here's vids i took,

First, everythign seemed fine.. was waitting for it to drop by never did..:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcSmSscDLxM


After connecting the battery: there's is alot of vibration after it drops below half..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dr9ELGYYP8


code i got was P0141


As for gas millage, not sure, it did seem very high yesterday. After my gas light went on I went only about 15ish miles before the cluster guide showed it really low and below the last mark.. I remember thinking no way it could have went up to 50miles on that as i read on forums earlier..

01tl4tl

the computor compares the readings of the 2 sensors and adjust the air/fuel mixture being fed to the engine based on that info

It should be 1 number going in and another going out- if past the limits the car knows something is wrong

01tl4tl

well resetting the ecu also cleared the codes so get them read again
Dont look them up- come to the experts here- as we say- codes are clues not diagnosis

A bad O2 could cause many problems- its easy to replace if needed

How many miles on the car? year? octane gas used?

IntenseMX

well i reset the code, then we drove around for about another 2-3 hours and then i got a chanse to go get the codes.

Car has 80k miles on it, 2003, and i always use the premium 93 gas.


btw thanks for the help dude, really good to have some one clarify these things!

TLS101

I have exactly the same problem. When the car is cold it doesn't happen, but once warm and coming to a stop the car feels like it's going to stall and the RPM's drop below 750. I have no CEL right now. This all started last week after seafoam.I had the CEL stay on for 2 days until I pulled fuse #13 to reset and for a whole week no CEL light, just low RMP's as stated....

IntenseMX

well looks like it's some what "narrowed" to O2 sensors, and engine coils , ether way it's money out of your pocket , but hey, could be worse

silver2003tl

iTrader: (1)

IntenseMX: After unplugging the battery the ecu needs to relearn the idle. Thats why you possibly didn't see the idle problem it in the first video. Relearn the idle and it *should* idle at 750rpm when warm.

01tl4tl: I thought the 2nd O2 (in the cat) is for diagnostics of the cat converter. If that goes bad I didn't think it would cause a lot of drivability issues. The one in front of the cat, the primary O2, I believe is the guy handling the engine performance. I think the 2nd one is there to let you know when your cat is not performing it's function. Note to ECU: If O2 sensor1 equal O2 sensor2 then cat isn't doing anything so set code for bad catalytic converter.

IntenseMX: BTW, you prob need a new O2 sensor anyhow.

IntenseMX

hey thanks for reply, the first vid is when i got to the car in the morning and drove it to friend's house which is about 20-30 min away, i took that vid.

Then i reset the battery, and took another vid immediately. Afterward, drew around for few hours and got the code..

check engine came up right after i reset battery and started the car..

Thats why it's abit weird that the issue did not come up right away but only after battery reset..


Can you tell O2 sensor is broken just by looking at it? Is it something i could see myself? talking about the second one (by the cat)


Should i be looking for a new cat as well?

silver2003tl

iTrader: (1)

IntenseMX: 80k is just a tad early for them to go out but they recommend replacing around 100k for fuel economy reasons. So I'd just pick one up. The rear one isn't too expensive, maybe $40. Get Denso those are OEM for the car. I don't know if you can tell by looking at it.

No I don't think you need a new cat. First replace the rear O2 and see what happens.

newperson

iTrader: (2)

I got P0141 when I got my mid-muffler removed. The problem in that case was that the connector or wiring for the sensor was loose...so get under there & disconnect/reconnect the O2 sensor wire connector to see if that clear it up before replacing them.

01tl4tl

The O2 sensors do much more than realized~
Its constantly comparing the 2 readings to see how much fuel residue is being sent to the cat and whats coming out of it
Fuel flow adjustments, timing and other things are micro adjusted as a result of the 2 readings
Its not a failure indicator 2nd sensor
they each have a real job

80 is early for an 02 sensor failure- they are warranty covered until then!
I am still suspecting coil, which you buy 1 and start moving it around till the problem is solved
As for idle- some years have a special relearn procedure that must be done.
search for it on azine

you could pull the plugs for a reading and see if one is wet- thats the bad coil!

01tl4tl

what happened to doing the electrical test of the sensors? thats first

silver2003tl

iTrader: (1)

Are you sure about this? Yes they both have real jobs but different ones. I've seen you pass bad info before....

Heres a quick snippet from http://www.aa1car.com/library/o2sensor.htm that says: The OBD II system monitors converter efficiency by comparing the upstream and downstream oxygen sensor signals. If the converter is doing its job and is reducing the pollutants in the exhaust, the downstream oxygen sensor should show little activity (few lean-to-rich transitions, which are also called "crosscounts"). The sensor's voltage reading should also be fairly steady (not changing up or down), and average 0.45 volts or higher.

Leejahd

Went And Got the Car Scanned Today Didnt Get Any Codes. So Now I dont Know Whats Wrong

Forevafire

Same problem too...tried replacing one coil and moving it around. Hard to diagnose because it only does it randomly. Spark Plugs are only 8 months old. Tried seafoaming, still does it. Still can't figure out what is it.

IntenseMX

Hey you said they are warranty covered? Factory warranty? So I can take this to a dealer and they can look it up for free? Or how does that go..

01tl4tl

there is a factory Emission parts warranty- if something will cause the car to fail emission testing iirc its 4 years 80k miles- its covered

Call acura to be sure- I dont want to be accused of giving out bad info!!
1-800-382-2238 x5

Silver- EXACTLY How does what I said differ from what you looked up?
Are you a Qualified Tech anywhere in the auto world?? or just a guesser and googler?

01tl4tl

The dealer always writes a `standard work order` with a 1 hour or more diagnosis fee ~about $100.
By LAW they have to have that to prove they are not car strippers

Once they check the car--IF its a warranty issue, a `Warranty Repair order` is written and the parts/labor/diagnosis are all paid by acura corp

01tl4tl

Everyone who changed spark plugs and have a problem
What plugs are you running now?
NGK Iridium or Platinum? or Denso brand in same?
Other brands are known to wear out and fail quickly in the TL `which I am guessing`- is due to the high energy ignition
We use 7 dollar plugs not 2 dollar for a reason

silver2003tl

iTrader: (1)

The secondary O2 sensor is to detect a failing catalytic converter and not for engine performance (injector timing, etc....) .

I am not an ASE certified tech, I am mearly your average joe with an engineering background that enjoys working/reading up on cars for 20 yrs. I have owned several Honda/Acura's in the past and do all work myself. And when I guess I usually prefix as such, and there is a lot of good info to be found with google.

Forevafire

I put in NGK Iridium.

IntenseMX

Hey guys, I just checked the codes again, I got two codes up, P1298, and older one P0141. I just got oxygen sensor replacement so that should be taken care off soon. But when is the other one for??

Thanks

TLer trash

P1298 is electronic load detector voltage high [part of the charging circuit]. P0401 is insufficient egr flow. The most common cause is plugged egr ports, mentioned earlier in this thread.

Acura2g

The hose going to the side of the intake hose is not pushed in all the way, and you have a weird routing of the breather hose over the throttle cable. I would fix those issue first. Thats visable. I know its not a major notice but lets start from the beginning and check everything over real quick.. We call this nutting and bolting..

Second I would replace the hose to the throttle body. Idk yours but mine I can slide off with the clamp on. I need to replace it, i know, but yours looks hard and not very moldable like mine is. I just discovered I was getting a small vacuum leak from that and that was the solution to my bouncing idle. I just had to snug it up until I get to the store.

That was for the first poster......

The guy above with the videos... When you disconnected the battery you cleared the ECU. I bet you have a sensor that is off. So if you recently install a new sensor and are having issues with idle you may need to adjust your idle speed. I had the same problem with my TPS recently. I replaced it with a new one. drove around fine for a month, cleaned my terminals last week, then all of a sudden my Idle was in the tanks and just like your video. I recalibrated the TPS to spec and adjusted my idle. Not only does it work, but it shifts better, drives smoother, idles better, and it solved my hot start issue.