Solving Honda Idle Issues (hunting idle)

[Nick Ryder]

I have a 96 accord with a F22B1 and its currently having issues hunting idle.

I recently changed the head because it was cracked at the cam seal. I bled the cooling system as per the video (man I love that no spill funnel, worth every penny). I am going to check for vacuum leaks next, it is likely one of the hoses I pulled off the intake to get the head off. I did not replace these and I’m thinking now that I should have.

The only reason I am posting here at this point is because the problem is showing up in a strange way (at least to me). It only shows up when the car has been driven for a bit and you put the transmission in park. I have not tried neutral. It will start hunting from about 1000 RPM to 1600 RPM. If I then put the transmission in gear it stops hunting and idles at about 1000 RPM. I don’t need to give the engine any gas when I put it in gear. When I put it back in park, the idle rises to 1200 RPM then quickly goes back down to 1000 RPM and does not hunt anymore, It doesn’t hunt for idle every time, but it is much more likely to happen when the engine is hot.

It just seems odd to me that I haven’t seen the problem occur while the engine is in gear, and that I can stop it from hunting when I put it in gear. Is a vacuum leak more likely to play a role when the engine is not under load (i.e. park or neutral)?

Love the videos Eric!

Thank you very much!

Topic

[Charles]

Have you cleaned the Idle Air Control?

[hondaguy453]

Ignition timing is okay?

[Brian]

With heat, things expand. If a vacuum hose is cracked, that crack will expand with heat and shrink when it cools off. They sell that stuff cheap enough by the foot. I would advise spend $20 on the sizes you see most and carefully replace all the vacuum hoses. Cheap insurance.

[Author]

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