Okay, I never been big into cars. I bought a 95 civic for a few hundred buck and enjoy the ride and getting interested learning how to work on it myself. I missed manual transmissions and have fun driving the thing. I'm not a mechanic, but not an idiot as well. I have changed the starter and a few other things, but beyond that my knowledge is limited. So when using acronyms or common Honda terminology please dumb it down.

When the car sits and cools down. I never get it started on the first turn. Second time it will start, but putter and die. Third turn it may run for 10 seconds without hitting the gas pedal and putter out. Until it warms up (10 minutes of driving) the idle will go up and down. As long as the engine is warm, the car starts right up. Like stopping at a gas station.

All fluids are good. I keep stuff like that I know as maintained as I can.

I will have many more questions later, but one step at a time. I live in Iowa where it will get really cold before too long.

 

The first thing to try would be to remove and clean the idle air control valve on the back of the throttle body. That is what controls the airflow into the engine for a steady idle. At start up it should be open all the way. Search for "IACV" or "EACV" it's a common procedure.

 

Thanks. I have it off and noticed a screen covered with black residue. I will clean it and see how it does.

 

The engine was warm to the touch when I cleaned out the IACV, but I can tell the difference already. Idling smoothly on the first turn. Thanks a lot.