few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

Ok I found a 92 civic lx automaticfor a cheap price (from a close friend) the thing is it sat for a year because of a tranny leak. With no attention paid to it the entire time. I fixed the simple tranny leak and ive had it running. But theres a strange hissing sound coming from the throttle body. What should i be checking to find out what it is??

Sometimes it starts right up and sometimes it just cranks and wont start no matter what and sometimes it just takes a while to start up. Any ideas?

I changed the fuel filter, gas, a few vacuum hoses, the oil, tranny fluid, plugs, (waiting for my wires to get in) and i bought a new battery for it. I put a cheap SRI on it. Im pretty much giving it an extensive tune up before i try getting it on the road for good.

Iran her the other day to see what she can do. Took her around the block a few times and she was hesitating a hell of a lot (im thinking maybe the plug wires). But when i parked it i shut it off and checked fluid levels and everything under the hood to make sure shesdoing ok.AfterwardsI tried starting her and she wouldnt start. I tried for about an hour with no luck. What would make it do that? the engine rotates but you cant even smell gas (fuel pump does kick on though).

Also theres fluid coming out the exhaust, Im thinking its water because theres only a faint smell to it. Would that just be from sitting for so long and it condensing in the muffler or would it be something more severe?

Oh BTW shes not throwing any CELs the dashlights are all clear. So im a little stumped here.

Id appreciate as much help as you can possibly give, If this is the wrong forum for this question just point me in the right direction. Thanks alot for all your opinions, I really need this car running healthy again and i know it can be done. Im putting all my time (when not working) on this car, and practically all my money just so i can get her running healthy and safely.

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

If you need any more info just let me know Ill tell ya all i can if it might help.

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

The hissing noise may be the throttle plate not closing completely. It should close completely at idle. The stop screw is a factory setup to prevent it from crashing hard when it closes, not an idle adjustment. Idle rpm is controlled automatically by the ECU.

Take the fuel return line off where it connects to the metal line going back to the tank, and direct it into a container. Gas should come out there when the fuel pump is running. Also (not at the same time) take one of the plug wires off and check if it is making sparks.

Civics really don't like stale gas. Did you drain the tank completely? And if you did, did you put enough fresh in to cover the fuel pump?

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

Ok is it easy to figure out how to adjust the throttle plate?

Ill try the fuel line later when im at the car and see how that goes.

I drained the tank untill it stopped flowing then i jacked the front up till i got it all out so yes i got it all. And i put a half a tank of gas back into it. I let it idle about 20 minutes then i took it around the block a few times to try and clear everything out of the system. and then parked it and it wouldnt start again. I went back the next day and i had to pump the pedal a few times to get her started i let her idle then shut it off and she started right up without a prob.

I have about 3/8ths a tank right now.

what about the water in the exhaust?

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

Plain water in the exhaust is sometimes present (because when any fuel containing hydrogen, such as gasoline, is burned, it become H20). But if it smells like antifreeze, it's coolant.

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

na its clearish and just has a faint gas smell to it (exhaust fumes sinking in is my guess) its not a strong smell at all and its not flammable either so im pretty sure its just water. but i dont think its right for it to be spitting water out the exhaust. I mean seriously you can see some at the edge of the tip and it spits some. My acura didnt do that.

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

Any ideas on why shell start and run but after running for so long she wont start back?

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

ok i got my new wires in and i fixed every ground i can find and took out each injector and cleaned them and the fuel rail with carb cleaner. i gave her another run around the block a few times and finally got a CEL It only comes on when she gets ran and hot. I did the DIY ECU check and it came up a code 1... O2 sensor... Im guessing its the first O2 sensor. Its getting replaced tomorrow...

the question here is Should that cure the hesitation problem?

Low RPMs are horribly worse than any 4 cyclinder Ive ever driven. Its hesitating horribly. (just so you dont think im an over achiever) I had to downshift (in an automatic) to second just to go 20 it wouldnt pick up speed in D3 or D4... When she ran high RPMs she was fine for the most part. Plus since i replaced my plugs theyve become carbon fouled a little bit... would that be caused by the O2 making it run lean?


plus any other info on my earlier questions would be great... especially about how to adjust the throttle body to get the plate to completely seal shut...


thanks alot everyone i appreciate it :)

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

Ok i replaced the O2 sensor today and that took care of the CEL yet im still bogging horribly in lower RPMs. Take off is pathetic. Im running out of ideas as to what could possibly be causing it to bog and hesitate so badly. If you turn the throttle all the way it boggs for a few seconds before it starts raising the rpms, almost as if its going to die but then it picks up. And I have to manually shift my automatic transmission to keep her in the right gears. Ive checked vacuum lines and everything....

PLEASE HELP... What am i missing? What am i over looking? Any ideas what so ever will be greatly appreciated.

RE: few questions (please help) 92 lx
 

well. the water in the exhaust isnt bad AT all...my grandpa has an F150 that sits around most of the time cuz "we" only drive it when i got hunting or have my civic down and it will make a nice moist spot on the ground if i dont let it warm up.

now...on to your other problem. is it a bogging like its not getting enough fuel? or a bogging like its lacking of torque? im assuming its the first by the way you talk..but im just trying to get a better idea.

the fouling wouldnt be from running lean, it would be from running too rich. when you put in new plugs, did you get the right ones AND did you gap them correctly? (that shouldnt make a real big difference, but it should help) I'm thinking that your problem is a combination of little things, esp. when you said she had been sitting for over a year.

what were your results with taking off the return line? and yes, the TB stop screw should be easy