swade85

I recently purchased a 02 TL type S with 186,000 miles on it. According to carfax all maintenance was dealer including two transmissions that have been replaced before 50,000 miles(last one replaced in 2004). But after 129,000 there were no records.

On the way home from picking up the car, the cel, /!\, and vsa lights came on. It has aem cai and comptech headers and axle backs. No other mods have been done that I can tell. The flex pipe and cat had huge holes in them so I thought maybe some of the codes were coming from that.

Got the codes. All 13 of them. Multiple miss fire codes mainly and P0171 lean code for bank one. And one trans code. Cleared the codes. Changed spark plugs. Fixed cai that was installed improperly. Took off intake manifold and cleaned the egr ports, throttle body, vsa, and iacv. Got the exhaust fixed the next day. Drove home fine. Car set for about an hour while I was fixing some of the exhaust hangers. Started it back up and the same lights came on again about 30 seconds after starting it sitting at idle.

Now the car when it is cold does not like to rev over 2000 and the cel will flash at me till it stops. And even when it warms up its still has a rough patch between 1500-2000 rpms.
Codes now are P0171, p0170, P0136. And I am at a loss at what to do next. It almost seems like Im not getting enough fuel but it straightens out after its warmed up. If any one could shed light on the subject it would be much appreciated. I dont want to go buy new o2's, ign coils and a new fuel pump if they are not the problems. And I am currently running chem tool through the tank of gas that I am on now.

Skirmich

Sounds like IACV is out of Whack!

swade85

yea I had thought that but after I cleaned and oiled it, it seems to be doing what its supposed to. The only thing I have been able to think is either I have a vacuum leak some how when its cold, bad o2, or something is wrong with the fuel system. Purge valve is clicking very loud and I have one on order that I am picking up tomorrow. And I am also going to replace the intank filter just to see if it helps. The lean code has always come up no matter what I have changed or fixed so far.

swade85

And car currently has no cat just straight pipe with the o2 sensor pulled out of the stream kinda of like doing the no fouler trick

fsttyms1

Did you put the top intake gasket (the one under the top cover) on correctly? It fits both ways but one way will cause the car to run badly.

swade85

Yes it's in correctly.

HondaProtegeX2.3

get the o2 welding back into the exhaust. should make it run 100 times better?!! i had a del sol with a b18b swap i forgot to tell the exhaust shop to install the o2 sensor it ran ok but it will only run on the factory fuel map and will not compensate air fuel ratios and probably throwin off your ecu

01tl4tl

following up on kris question'
the top cover gasket can be installed flipped over and it looks good on engine side
but
it blocks an important port of top manifold

always match it to the cover, not the block (engine) side

we dont have a replaceable in tank filter, just a sock over the inlet
most here run seafoam or bg44 or...thru gas at MAX allowed dose

best to do twice at just under half tank to 1 can (seafoam)
cleans everything like new from fuel sock to cat

01tl4tl

your diffuser--to limit airflow to O2,,is it the same as doing the anti fouler and cutting its tip off?
too much flow screws up the readings,,especially with `open` exhaust flow

maybe redo that part?

swade85

The o2 is in the straight pipe that he replaced the cat with. He just used about a 2 in piece of pipe at an angle to pull it out of the stream a little bit.

Yea I triple checked the gasket to make sure. The car was running rough when I bought it due to the fact that it had been sucking up kansas dirt for who knows how long cause the valve cover vent pipes were not connected to the intake and the filter was hella clogged.

I may go back to my exhaust guy to see if he has any different ideas. I am almost wondering now if one of the o2's is bad. Car says its lean. I'm getting only about 22 mpg right now, and I do nothing but highway driving. So I'm almost thinking the car is dumping too much fuel into the motor causing a rough idle. And Im starting to wonder if the temp sensor for the ecu maybe going bad or if I have an air pocket somewhere in the cooling system. When I pulled the heater hoses off the throttle bodies, there was only a couple of drops that ran out. Most cars I have done that on pour out. It does not want to drive till the temp needle on the dash starts climbing. Im gonna flush the coolant tonight and replace the intank filter I picked up yesterday. Changed the loud clicking purge valve yesterday.

swade85

Changed the in-tank filter. Cut the cai to short ram until my bypass valve from aem arrives. Put on a new filter. Switched to ngk iridium's. Ran sea foam through the tb port. changed and flushed oil. And bled the cooling system. Still no change. At warm up when you step on the gas it acts like it wants to die. Either I am getting too much air and not enough fuel or too much fuel and not enough air. And I also noticed that I really never got a rush of fluid when the thermostat should open. So I am wondering if it is stuck open or closed. Once the car warms up it seems to not have an issue with the throttle. And been going on a day now and no crazy lights on the dash yet.

Also something that I have noticed about this car. Every honda or acura I have ever owned( always 4 cyl.'s) go through a warm up process at a higher idle and then idles down. This car no matter what temp after u start it goes straight to 7-800 rpm. I dont know if these cars have a high idle valve or is like a d16y8 that is just controlled by the iacv. So I am starting to wonder if the iacv is bad or if the tps senosr is. I wouldnt think the iacv would have anything to do with it wanting to die when you step on the gas. or would it ??? I am a loss now. And down to expensive parts to start replaceing. And its not like I can just go to salvage and pick this stuff up to try since these cars are rare in OK. So if anyone has and educated guess would be awesome.

3.2TLc

Maybe the old girl has been abused and sucked up way too much dirt. So, it's understandable that when all these previous mods were done that it' just tired.

With the way you described the CAI and the exhaust, the car was neglected, plain and simple. You're left to try to nurse it back to good health. First off, if you don't already have one .....get a real service repair manual for your TL's better health. The best money that you'll ever spend !

The last codes that you indicated were still coming up, point in the direction of a few possibilities: Recheck your intake for air leaks, check the fuel pressure, ensure that the exhaust and front O2 are working efficiently, test the MAF, inspect the vac lines and the PCV. One other thing that may be throwing the PO136 code could be the TDC sensor/wiring which is located between the PS pump and T-belt's top cover.

These are easy enough things to try, but the IACV or TPS may still be at fault, the manual describes methods of testing these. Good luck, Maybe the old girl has a little bit of kick left in her....but IMO, the mods hurt when not done properly.

nollid

I really do not want to be 'that guy' to derail your thread but how was cutting the CAI? I understand that the AEM CAI v2 which I have just installed allow not for a bypass valve. Why wouldn't they include this? I believe other versions for other years for TLs has it. Does the bypass valve actually work? Any downside to doing this?

Thanks!

swade85

Well I am missing the inner fender well on my car so in the rain I am sucking up water. Not only that, I don't know how much water this car has sucked up in the past. I doubt too much since the filter was completely clogged when I got it. And the vent pipes were not connected.

Plus side to a bypass valve is if you run into a puddle of water it should open and allow for dry air. But the down side is the valve can prematurely open under heavy loads if it is not installed properly, which will hurt performance.

On a side note, since I cut mine to a short ram for now, I have a noticeable loud hum at my intake that does not change with rpm. lol

swade85

To update my original post. I still have not gotten my issue solved. P0171 still seems to be my only code that is still popping up. New front O2 sensor seemed to help a little but now the problems I am having seem to be intermittent. Some times when I press on the gas while driving it has power and sometimes it bogs and takes a while to get up to speed. Always wants to die though in the morning until its warm. I still need to pop compression. Cleaned the egr valve. And sprayed choke/carb cleaner all over vacuum ports and hoses to see if I had a vacuum leak cause thats what all the symptoms seem to be telling me. Timing is good. Also changed thermostat. I still have not figured out how to test the fuel pressure on this car. Hopefully the acura tech can do it for me that is coming out tomorrow. Cant seem to find anyone who has the adapter to fit where the fuel line dampener is. SO??? Bought to give up on this car. Currently have it for sale. lol

AZsilverTl

You still have a list of things to check: fuel pump, MAF, fuel pressure regular, idle control regulator, and ECU.

How did the car drive on your way home before it went south? Did you try asking the seller if he knows anything about this? It appears that you knew about the exhaust holes and no fender lines, so I assume you test drove it prior to buying it.

01tl4tl

egr - did you just clean the valve itself?
or do the much needed egr port and passage cleaning of the intake manifold- with it removed from car,,which is what I think is really wrong for you

not fuel pressure,not craziness, just basic maitenance thats not on any schedule!!
but we ziners know how bad a clogged system affects the overall running

clean TB /IACV while its off the car/manifold too,,iacv likely carbon loaded and sticking

should idle slightly higher when cold ~1100 for a minute, and shift a little higher/longer in low gear when cold= to help speed heating in the cat, then fuel system can get off full rich and onto run lean mode

your O2 spacer needs to look like fsttyms1 does,,a bit of dremel work to the end to open so the right amount of flow goes across the sensor
too much will screw with you

swade85

Well I did test drive it and all was fine. But literally the second they left the parking lot with my money, I started it back up and it died and all the lights came on. I had a 120 mile drive back home in it and the next day is when I pulled all the codes. Yea fuel pump is working and pgmfi relay is good as far as I know but I have yet acquired a way to test the fuel pressure.

Yes I have done all that if you had read my previous post. It just recently started doing the cold start properly during the day. But no matter what in the morning it just wants to die. I have to baby it and hold it at 2500 for about 3 mins or so before I can drive or it will just die the second you press the gas. It'll idle around 500-600 in the morning when I start it. After I get to work and start it back up it will idle at 1100 for cool start for about 3 mins and when it idles down same thing happens. Step on the gas and it wants to die so I then have to hold it at 2500 again for a couple of mins. Sometimes while I am on the highway. I will press on the gas and the power band will be there but around 3000 rpm or so sometimes its like it just falls off and I have no power. You can press the gas and hold it at the same position and feel the power increase and decrease while at the same position. Anyone have any problems with a vacuum leak from motor mounts before?? Since this thing has vacuum assisted motor mounts. I also did a vacuum test at idle from the evap port on the front of the tb. Popped 15-16 inhg. I know alot of people I have talked to said its supposed to be around 26.

swade85

I am also going to change the tb, intake mani, and iacv gaskets tonight and re-clean the iacv just for the hell of it. And I'll go ahead and check my compression. If compression is bad. My honda tech might be right. He said many times he has seen on the v6's that the valves can be too tight and cause low compression and vaccum due to valves opening too far. But I am going to go down that road as a last resort.

swade85

Found out water temp sensor was part of the problem. Also my fuel pressure is 27 psi at idle so I have a fuel pressure regulator on order. Just have to wait and see if it fixes it. I'm just glad I finally found the problem. But when you figure out one problem another one comes up and now I have a leaking rear main seal. Must of blew it out with all the craziness the motor has been through with me trying to figure out what's wrong with it. O well.

swade85

Well good news. Fuel pressure regulator fixed the problem. Have way more power than before and what I thought might of been the trans slipping ended up being the motor. Yea!!! But rear main seal still leaking slowly. I really dont want to pull the trans. I know how it happend. I plugged the pcv port to check for vaccum leaks and it found the weakest link. And I already replaced the pcv so just have to wait and see if it stops. Thanks to all that tried to help. Forum hunting really helped me out with this one.