kvan2007

Okay, so my '04 TSX with 62k miles has a chattery idle. I have changed the spark plugs (new NGKs)--I was changing the six in our '03 TL, so I went ahead and did mine. The accessory drive/idle/alternator pulley belt was replaced 17k/two years ago under warranty. But, just for giggles, and since there was a bit of shaking on the pulleys (I check the auto-tensioner, per the Helms manual [online access], and it seems to be operating normally). I replaced the drive belt two days ago. Now that is the one thing that thus far seems to have made a bit of a difference. It doesn't really make sense, though, as the old belt only had 17k miles on it and seemed like it was in pretty good shape when I took it off. But, changing the belt made a noticeable difference, whereas changing the spark plugs didn't seem to do much. Anyway, there is still some valve chatter or tapping or something. I could swear I hear it more on the passenger side of the cylinder head. Suffice it to say, I don't have the spare change to pay for a valve adjustment right now.

I decided, as wary as I was about messing with vacuum lines and brake booster lines and all that other crazy stuff, that I was gonna suck some Seafoam into the engine. I have already put Seafoam in my crankcase and changed the oil a week later. I put it in the fuel tank, too. I double- and triple-checked to make sure I did it right. Damn thing stalled twice right off the bat, and I almost couldn't start it again the second time, till I really pushed some gas in there while cranking. I took a break, looked online to make sure I was using the right line. I was. I tried again. It took 15 minutes, but I sucked in 1/3 of a bottle of Seafoam.

I let it sit for 20 minutes or so, then went for a drive. I drove slowly out of the neighborhood, then did some very fast off-the-line starts. CEL started flashing but went away immediately. I then proceeded to drive around for 20 minutes, with lots of WOTs, in SS mode and auto, some revving in neutral (keeping engine at 3-4k), and some regular, speed-limit-obeying driving. High revs seems great. Idle is at lower RPMs now--it's back in the normal range (700-750 RPMs with no load), which is great.

BUT... It's seriously congested at idle now. Sounds like a misfire. It seems, though I'm no mechanic, that this is the kind of problem that is going to "burn off" in a few days. But I'm anxious about it. Should I pull out my spark plugs and clean them off (since they've only got 100 miles on them or so)? Did I do something wrong? I didn't really see much white smoke, though it was dark outside. I don't know if that matters.

curls

hrmm thats no good. I'd try a couple of WOT runs through the first few gears (on a secluded road somewhere, obviously)... maybe its a bit of carbon thats congesting stuff and it needs to be blown outta there with high-throttle dashes.

gogozy

what you did sounds right... need to wait for a while otherwise car will have tough time to start, also CEL is normal after stall from seafoaming.
for the rough running, check your EGR, maybe it's clogged after the process, or leaking somewhere? also change oil after resolve the rough running.

kvan2007

UPDATE: This actually cleared itself up after a few days of driving. I guess the gunk was just blowing out the back or something. I mentioned in another post that I had to take a long road trip across three states in December for a funeral, and my TSX drove beautifully! It was zippy and smooth (well as smooth as a TSX can be, with all it's road-hugging features), and it even had enough pep to whip the pants of some little college chick on I-20 driving an Accord (an Accord V6, mind you), who thought she'd be able to pass me on the right and cut me off. Let's hear it for sport shift!