Hi, new to this site but not to Honda/Acura world. Anyway, I'm sorry if this exists in another post but I could not find anything that was the same. My daily driver is a 98 2.3CL with a manual trans. The car has just about 180k on it, and has driven great up to the past few weeks. I live in NJ and it has been hot and humid as of recently. I noticed about 2-3 weeks ago that the car was runni g sluggish in the mid range Rpms from time to time. The fan had been running a lot too after shut off (engine fan). I was driving home from work when I noticed the car was almost about to overheat. I turned off AC and let it sit for a few befor driving it the next 2 miles home, it never overheated. I replaced the thermostat that night and temp problem was solved. I thought this was the reason for power loss and that seemed to go away for a few days. I noticed it again about two days later, at this point I replaced the plugs and wires, there were auto lite platinum in it, and I replaced with the same. The wires are duralast (not trying to go high end since it is just a DD). Car drove great for a day except for it bogging out in first at around 3-4k RPM. I then pulled apart the intake manifold and clean the throttle body the Intake manifold and opening to AIC valve (did not take it apart, idle is fine). Today I received my EGR valve gasket, so I pulled it and thoroughly cleaned it and then dumped gumout into the gas tank at close to empty. I filled the tank and it is still doing the same about 10 miles in. The car runs/idles great, I have no CEL. Other relevant info, In the last year I have replaced the battery, the exhaust manifold (OBX Stainless header) the cat and full exhaust (Bosal). And a AEM short Ram intake. This was all over a year ago and car drove fine. I ruled out head gasket (no smoke from exhaust, oils is clean) I replaced the coolant when I did thermo and bled the system. This is the first time I have had this issue, I have had the CEL go off once over a year ago, I had it scanned and it came up Vtec Solenoid/Oil pressure level, where car would not engage Vtec, I turned car off and back on and it has been fine ever since, at that time I reset the code and light never came back. After all I have tried all I can think is it may need a new Down Stream O2, maybe fuel filter, possible Vtec solenoid? Any Ideas? I greatly appreciate any help.

 

Could be carbon buildup within the intake runners although that usually comes along with a CEL.
There used to be a whole thread on this forum somewhere.

 

Thank you Project_Clean did not really think about that. I think I am going to order the AIC gasket and pull it and clean it, I did not remove since I did not have the gasket. Also going to try checking the continuity of the Primary o2.

 

Clean your EGR and IM

 

Thank you 97BlackAckCL, those are the first things I tried, I cleaned the entire intake manifold over the weekend and Just did the EGR last night when the new gasket came, but know luck. I am going to try testing the continuity of the Primary o2 in a little while.

 

have you changed your oil recently? if you are low on oil your vtec won't engage and it might be causing your sluggish symptoms

 

Good thought ^ check your oil level

 

Hi 97BlackAckCL Thank you, I have another question, I have not solved my first problem, I though maybe the IACV should be pulled and really cleaned before anything else. I pulled it and cleaned it very well, after I reinstalled it (gasket looked fine and could not find a new one around) the idle was running at like 2000 rpm, after it warmed up it started to do the fluctuating idle (between 1200-2200rpm) I want to think the IACV got messed up when cleaning because that is all I touched this time, but it seems more like a bad tps. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thank you and everyone again

 

halfway through reading I started thinking TPS. They're notorious for going bad on our cars

 

Thank you 97BlackAckCL just ordered a new sensor and tb gasket, hoping that does the job, I couldn't get a solid voltage reading off it, not to happy that Acura rivets the tps to the tb. I'd rather start by trying out 50 in parts rather then drop 180 on a new IACV, if I don't need to.

 

I hear ya, hope it fixes your issue

 

Thank you 97BlackAckCL I forgot to mention I pulled the code by looping the service port and received code 14 (all related to ics and IACV) so I ordered the IACV and gasket last night just to be safe, it wasn't to bad price wise still got it for a hundred less then the dealer with overnight delivery. I want to fix it ASAP this is my first time I. Years I only have one car and I'm sick of borrowing my grandmas car.