poisx7

iTrader: (1)

I have being having problems with my car shuttting down or cutting off when on idle or sometimes erratic starts.
losing power ( maybe its in my head)
I have narrowed the problem to the Idle air control valve being dirty or bad.
I have Seafoamed the car twice and it helped a lil but the problem is still there.
I even changed everything frm spark plugs and i have read numerous post of ppl who replaced the IACV and still had the same prob.

The stealership wants $384 dollars to replace it and I was just wondering if this was anything like my old honda which u cud actually adjust a lil.

I found a dial/lil grove on the IACV but i do not know if it is meant for tuning or adjusting the IAC .



i will also like to know how much seafoaming is too much for our cars ( i have done this every 3k miles) ??

SimonCL-S6

Is yours a 6 speed? Cuz ive been having the same idle issue and i cant figure it out

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Its not adjustable. Thats a cap.

The part lists for $184 from Honda but you can get an aftermarket part from the parts store. Install is easy.

Also, SeaFoam isnt doing a damn thing.

typeR

im pretty sure there is an adjustment on the TB though perhaps is the butterfly is out of range the IAC cant compensate enough

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

There is an adjustment screw on the top of the TB to the left of the Map sensor IIRC. There will be a rubbery coating over it though so it may be hard to see and you really shouldnt mess with that screw.

There is also the throttle cable adjustment screw thats right under the cable pulley.

If OP didnt mess with either of those to begin with, they shouldnt need to be touched. If the IACV is malfunctioning, replace it.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

The idle adjustment at the TB is a last resort adjustment.
I'd just replace the IACV. Go from there.

poisx7

iTrader: (1)

stupid me i thut seafoam was cleaning it out at least some worth...... (stupid me)

poisx7

iTrader: (1)

i see what u saying but i ws under trying to avoid the $348 at the stealership. I will try to get it aftermarket i think its like $110.

I INITIALLY wanted to tighthene the gas cable to compensate but tht might cause more problems dwn the line.
I might just hv to bite the bullet and replace the IAC since u say its an easy fix.

Thanks Bro
Any DIY becos i cant find any anywhere.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

the IACV is not adjustable "per sa", but yes there is an idle adjustment screw to adjust the amount of air that bypasses the butterfly (and to bring the IACV in range, which is roughly 50% duty cycle


as far as location, it is under some epoxy, which can easily be flicked out with a pick or small screwdriver, and the location is actually at the top of the TB, and it faces towards the driver side (it's a round screw with just a slot in it for a flathead screwdriver)

poisx7

iTrader: (1)

hunnn ... OK
I will try to take pics to see if i can figure out the screw u are talking abt.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

also i have been having idle issues too, and i actually just thought of this though...

i know my idle air was at roughly like a 5-10% duty cycle (too much air going around it; ie:vacuum leak; but i know i don't have any though; so what i actually did was back off the butterfly fully closed stop screw, so hopefully i can force more air through the IACV, and so far it has seemed to work (just adjusted it like an hour ago)







also i would say it is about 1/4-3/8" in diameter or so (also it is towards the front side, opposite of the wiring for the map sensor)

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

see that notch like thing at the edge of the tb?, look directly up/back, and you will see the idle adjustment screw (also when touching it, only do 1/4 turns at a time or so, it does not need to let much air go through (btw i already got mine bottomed out, so i have already been fighting it)

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

Messing with that adjustment screw can fubar your idle as the ECU tries to learn it again. You'll never get it right. If it hasn't been touched before, it doesn't need adjustment. Your problem is elsewhere. If you still mess with it, scribe a pant line in 2 spots across it as a reference to put it back where it was.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Agreed.

The IACV is your problem. Replace it.

poisx7

iTrader: (1)

CAN seafoaming every 3k miles do any damage to the engine. ??? thanks in advance

Ohh Okk i was actually excited when i saw what friesm2000 did above but I will just refrain from that (since it seems friesm2000 is way more mechanically inclined than i am) and replace it when i hv the money.

....hey civicdrivr.. i must say I always like and always wonder where a hell u get ur Avatar pics from... lol

That is not a turtle.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Seafoam is an interesting topic. I dont run it.

But if your engine is running so poorly it needs to be "cleaned" out every 3k miles, you have other problems there.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

it also helps having a scantool, which can read the factory datastream instead of just a generic stream

so true though

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

I used sea foam on an old truck. I may be wrong but doesn't using sea foam on an engine like the CL only clean 1 bank of cylinders because of engine design?

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I think Ive heard something like that. I think it only gets to the front bank.

I dont run it because all of the buildup and crap has to come out some place, and thats your exhaust. It could screw with your cat.

And Seafoam in the crankcase can clear out the deposits that filled in minor gasket cracks and cause leaks.

Ive run it through my Civic when I first got it, but that was it. It smoked like hell everywhere I drove but other then that I didnt notice a difference. And that was on an (at the time) 17 year old motor.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

part of the reason why BG's intake service is better, it has a misting jet, which you place right in front of the throttle body, so the fluid gets carried in (which is very misted btw) , with all the air that is going in through the idle air port; so the distribution of the cleaner is going to be alot more evenly distribuated (and the nice part is that it mists the fluid; two cans worth, can't recall the size of each can right now, but they are about 12 fl oz each; over roughly 15-20 minutes, so it actually has time to work, instead of all just being kinda injected all within a few minutes, like sea foam most of the time

poisx7

iTrader: (1)

PPL on thr TL side swear by it and the so called issue with the front bank only gettting clean i think was attributed to the use of the improper vac ( i.e the (break booster) as opposed to the master vac line above the TB

***** off course this prob doesnt exist in a four cyclinder or an inline V6

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

yes it can, just not as dramatic though, especially with a inline 6, if you say connect at the end of the manifold opposite of the TB (baically on any engine you want as close to the TB, so all the incoming air, can carry the fluid to the cylinders

fsttyms1

IF you use a vacuum on just the one side of the IM yes but it has nothing to do with engine design. There are other methods that get seafoam into the whole motor. Also using seafoam anywhere AFTER the TB will NOT clean the IACV. The only way to really clan that is to take it off and clean it. I personally take off one of the breather hoses to the intake (between the TB and airfilter) and squirt seafoam in there (i use a nitro fuel filler for a RC car). That way it cleans the TB as well as gets to the inner intake and ALL cyls and really should be the only way you use it.

What i use

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

There's also an aerosol version of seafoam called deep creep. I used that and use it in the corrected location after it was discovered that the first location only cleaned one bank.

The second vac hose location is between the two butterfly plates so it feeds the two banks. Anyways, there's insturctions on the TL side. I've noticed better engine response and I can hear my exhaust has become louder.