i have a 88 honda civic LX DPFI with a very facked up timing issue. and before everyone starts flaming me i read the idling woes and timing guides on here, but my problem is very wierd. my car would idle normally at 1000rpm and at some times jump up to 1500rpm then drop back to 1000 and go in a vicious cycle. over and over again. so i started the engine and let it warm up "noticed the cooling fan is facked up (wires look damaged) and that wouldnt come on. so i tried to turn down the idle via the throttle body adjusting screw and i was sucessful on that. but the honda manual says normal idle is 650rpm and with load conditions should be at 750rpm. well heres my problem thats not the case with me. when i turned on my headlights and high beams/heater and defogger (dont have AC) the idle actually went down and the car sounded like it wanted to die. my su****ions are the fuel filter may be clogged and i might have a timing issue but you guys know more about this than i do. any help would be very appreciated and thanks for taking time to read my post

 

my **Su$p|cions**. dumbarsed anti-swearing software

 

You need to set the timing before continuing.

If the fuel filter were clogged, the main symptom would be starving for gas when driving. So it's not that. It takes very little fuel to idle.

After setting the timing, unplug the IACV while it is idling. It should slow down to below normal idle, possibly even stall. If it doesn't, there is a vacuum / air leak somewhere. Air leaking into the manifold from anywhere will increase the idle speed.

 

would you happen to have a nice guide that explains timing in a little more detail. i may have to use the screwdriver down the no1 cyl to find the tdc because i dont even think the marks are even there anymore...or should their be slits in the pulley where the red and white marks are supposed to be? my hatchback ef i had had a few cuts in the pulley but im not sure if the previous owner did that or if honda does that?

 

How about the old fasion way remove the time belt from head gear, unscrew sparkplug #1, stick the dipstick in the chamber, rotate Main pulley with 17mm socket and rachet untill dipstick is at highest point, stop set ur head gear to top dead center,(the word "up" should be ingraved) replace the timing belt note it takes some elbow grease for this. Then replace ur spark plug and wire. Crank it up. Then again they way u where discribing it sounded like your TPS throttle position sensor is wak also. Civics are sensitive don't curse at it like u did on ur post it might get mad and wont start for you. lol really

 

You need to set the cam timing first of course, but the spark timing (set by rotating the distributor) must be checked electrically with a timing light. There is no way to do it with a mechanical inspection.

 

lol then that means im screwed since my cheap *** aint got a timing light. how much would something like
that cost and where could i get it for cheap? does autozone lend them beings they lend other tools
beings you pay for the entire cost of the tool then get it back once you return them. and thanks for the " old fashioned way". my 89 hatchback i just recently wrecked *i miss it * didnt have power steering and my lx does so the damn power steering reservior is in the way. how much of a pain in the *** is that to do. i retimed my old civic the way you described but with a long screwdriver "my dumbarse didnt think of the dipstick lol" just by taking the top timing belt cover off and loosening the tensioner and aligning the gears like that. but i havent touched this car. once i get it to TDC then is their a temporary fix to tell how to time it with a timing light? i have noticed once i set the initial timing via the belt turning the distributor makes it idle lower or higher. i always kept it towards the zone where it idles higher and kept it away from the "low idle zones". i dont know if im making sense to you guys but lol im tryin. also is their a way to clean the IACV without bleeding the coolant. i removed the fan and seen some lovely naggerriggin of the wires and i took the hose off that goes from the engine "near the oil input" to the top of the radiator and no coolant leaked out. that kind of scared me because i thought if i removed it coolant would come out

 

lol i meant how much of a pain in the **** is it to move the reservior over? do i have to disconnect/bleed stuff? because if i do thats gona cost money and ima hafta wait till the first..