Honda Accord 1988, 2.0 Starting

NARACCORD

MEMBER
1988 HONDA ACCORD

I have a bit of a tricky repair question on a 1988 Honda Accord LX 199,000 Miles, SOHC 2.0 L, Carb, A/T, A20A1 engine (type KG configuration), has had new rebuilt carb fully adjusted, cap, rotor, wires, distributor OK, new fuel filters, fuelpump OK, some vacuum hoses replaced/checked, EGR OK, Anti-afterburn valve OK, engine all good.
The problem is it is sometimes hesitant to start when the engine is cold, and when it is first warmed up it may stall and idle rough and idle fluctates. When it's good and warmed up it seems to be better but still idles rough. I was told it has a very slight Intake manifold leak which goes away when it warms up. Is that really enough to cause this problem? (Tighten Bolts on manifold?) Or should I lean more towards the vacuum control box?(In it is the cranking leak solenoid valve among others). Looking at the diagram for the control box it has vacuum lines from the intake manifold.
What do you guys think?
Thank You!
Neil

4 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Check the initial opening of the choke plate to include the fast idle adjustment-further when you get it to start spray the carb base and intake manifold with carb cleaner when idle changes and smoothes out that's where the leak is at.

Open up the EGR and investigate for carbon and make sure its getting vacuum at the right time. Then report back

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Thursday, October 11th, 2007 AT 11:50 PM

NARACCORD

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Wednesday, October 17th, 2007 AT 4:56 PM

NARACCORD

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REPLY:
The above is OK I think, This 1988 Honda Accord smells hot & Sputters
1988 Honda Accord LX 199k miles 2.0 L Carb engine which starts but a little hesitant when cold, Also It may stall or idle rough if you kick the idle down before it gets warm enough. Then when it warms up it sputters a little while idling and smells hot, and engine gets realy hot, but doesn't overheat at all, temp guage is normal. The distributor is all the way to one side for the timing. I think the timing belt jumped. If so would this overadvance the cam, make it run hot and start and idle poorly? AND mess with the fuel mixture causing starting trouble?

I READ THAT:
(With early Honda single overhead cam engines, a camshaft that has been incorrectly timed and is overadvanced will have higher than normal idle vacuum and the engine will lack high speed power.
In cases where the cam has been overadvanced, the engine will run lean on the air/fuel mixture and the O2 sensor won't switch.)

Would replacing the Timing belt remedy it? I think it's long overdue on this car.
Thanks,
Neil

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Thursday, October 18th, 2007 AT 11:49 AM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Get the T/belt replace and make sure you reline the valve and static timing before you put it back together. Its probably more on the retard side then advance.

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Thursday, October 18th, 2007 AT 4:36 PM