Odd Odyssey Idle (Update)

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 11/12/2019 at 21:23 • Filed to: None

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I’ve been having issues with a small surge at idle for some time. This morning, it was icy and about 25 degrees here in Austin. Took my boys to school, and this is what the van was doing when I parked it back in the driveway. Engine was fully warm, having driven for about 40 minutes. Heat/defrost was on. I went back out to see if it would stop when I put the van in gear, but when I started it up it idled perfectly. I’ve had issues like this but on a much smaller scale before. Usually, turning off the AC would make it stop.

I’ve done a bit of reading, and all signs point to the idle air control valve (IAC) that either needs cleaning or replacing. This is most likely something that I do not want to tackle myself.

Update: I went to pick up my son from school this afternoon, and on the way home I get a CEL and a TCS light. In the Oddy, that usually means transmission. Great. While the van was shifting up fine, it seemed to stutter when I let off the gas. When I got home, I shut it off and plugged my scanner. After restarting, the TCS light was off, and it was giving me a PO505 , which is for the IAC. Makes sense. But would that be causing stutter off acceleration?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 11:39

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I’d just leave it.

someoneatacura > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 11:40

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What year is that car?

Future next gen S2000 owner > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 11:45

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I had something similar in my Saab. IAC had a bunch of carbon. That helped but didn’t eliminate it.

ttyymmnn > someoneatacura 11/12/2019 at 11:47

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2003

ttyymmnn > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/12/2019 at 11:47

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That’s another question: is it worth fixing? Except for this idle issue, the thing runs and drives great. 

MonkeePuzzle > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 11:59

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I had similar, after I’d preformed an oil change in the civic. turned out I’d knocked a vacuum hose loose from the intake (you must snake your hand around the intake to get to the oil filter).

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 13:05

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Definitely seems IAC valve-y to me. Is it hard to access on your van?

ttyymmnn > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/12/2019 at 13:15

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Not for somebody who knows what they are doing. But it requires a fair bit of disassembly, and I’m not all that confident about doing it myself. 

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 16:11

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Idle air control valve. It's a Honda thing. Depending on the year you don't actually need to replace it. They are super easy to adjust.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 11/12/2019 at 16:16

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It looks like they changed them since the early to mid 90's cars. You’re probably fine to leave it alone it’s just annoying. I have never let one get super bad so I don’t know how long leaving it alone is a solution.

ttyymmnn > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 11/12/2019 at 16:17

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I’m taking it in next week for new axles, so I’ll ask my guy about it. He knows I don’t have buckets of money, so if we can let it go, he’ll say so. Then again, this 16-year-old van is sort of like on ongoing rolling restoration. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 17:12

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Ah....any quotes from a shop yet?

ttyymmnn > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/12/2019 at 17:29

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No, I’m going to get a call in to my Honda guy. It’s having axles replaced next week, so maybe get it all done at once. Or, just leave it alone.

smobgirl > ttyymmnn 11/12/2019 at 23:57

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I don’t know what was wrong with my Civic when I sold it, but this sounds awfully familiar. I drove it for a few months as the idle would drop too low when the car was in gear, with stuttering and eventual stalling. By the end I had to keep a little pressure on the throttle when stopped to keep it from cutting off.  My mechanic at the time “couldn’t” diagnose it, it wouldn’t run by the time I sold it, but my neighbor did something and it’s been fine for 5 years (we don’t speak the same language) . So basically this story is useless but hopeful that it’s an easy/cheap fix.

ttyymmnn > smobgirl 11/13/2019 at 04:08

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Thanks? 

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 11/13/2019 at 07:44

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Yeah every Honda I’ve had in my family this has been the culprit. I just take it off and clean it with sensor clean and some stronger stuff I shouldn’t use on sensors then it’s good. Just a heads up if you take it off some coolant will dribble out too most likely, it was ran through the IACV for me on my Civics.

ttyymmnn > smobgirl 11/13/2019 at 08:54

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Just talked to my Honda guy. He said, “Yup, idle air control valve stuck, broken, dirty.” It might also be a crack in the big air hose from the air filter to the throttle body. My main concert is that he said that it might be one of the vans that has the IAC embedded in the throttle body. That sounds alarmingly like a need to replace the whole throttle body, which would be stupid. I think I read online about people simply cleaning these units, though. Ultimately, he said it’s safe to drive and they can look at it on Monday when I take it in or the repairs. It was about 25 degrees yesterday morning, so that may well have had something to do with it.

smobgirl > ttyymmnn 11/13/2019 at 11:19

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Makes sense to me! And cleaning it would make sense too - even if it’s not a total fix, it should still work much better than it is.

Also cool that your repair people are helpful. I should write up my story of  the battery shitshow I had last week but I’m too lazy. Suffice it to say I’m never going to a dealer again.

ttyymmnn > smobgirl 11/13/2019 at 11:37

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I’ve got the best guy in the world and he is a Honda dealership service writer. He’s also got a fantastic mechanic working for him. Swapped a new-to-me engine into my van a few years ago in one day. I should be able to buy the valve online for about $65 and they will install it for me.