Engine idle problem

[Karsangay]

Hi guys (any girls out there?),

My 3gen Prelude has developed a very erratic idle. It goes from around 800 - 1500 rpms and back again pretty much all the time. It used to do this a little bit a few years ago then I cleaned the idle control valve and it worked ok for another year or so then played up again - so then I screwed the idle control valve right down and that worked for another year or so but now I seem to have run out of fixes.

I'm pretty certain the idle control valve is the culprit because when I disconnect it the idle is perfect. Well that is - it settles down sitting in in the garage - if I try to drive it disconnected it just pig-jumps down the road.

Anyway - my question is - do I really need a new idle control valve or is there another fix ? If I need another valve - any ideas where I can get on for a reasonable price ?

Sorry to just join this group and then immediately ask for help/advice without first chipping in something but I'll try to do better in future !!

Cheers
Karsangay

[RattyMcClelland]

Yer iacv issue quite common.

You can take it off a really clean it out and see if that helps. H22 iacv might be the same part.
But I can't remember.

[Karsangay]

Well it looks completely different but if the mounting holes line up and the electrical connection will send the correct signals - would this different valve work ?

Please forgive my relative ignorance - I just want to get my beloved car back to what it used to be

Thanks
Karsangay

[wurlycorner]

@Nafemannathan posted up some stuff somewhere on here about idle problems he had with his 3rd gen. Took some detective work to get to the bottom of it!

[NafemanNathan]

Hi Karsangay. My issue turned out to be a dodgy FITV (Fast Idle Thermo Valve), which had a leak. I was able to fix that.

Is that what you mean, a FITV? As you mentioned screwing it all the way down and that's something you'd do to a FITV and not a IACV.

FITV is on the back of the inlet manifold. IACV is on the front.

If it's your IACV then I do actually have a very very low mileage one that I was going to be putting up for sale very soon. I bought it thinking it was going to sort my problem when in actual fact my original one was fine, just needed a clean.

However I'd be wanting my money back for it and the only one I could find was from the States, so it cost me £65. It's here if you want it.

[Karsangay]

This sounds promising - I am quite excited that I will be able to get my beloved 3G back to the way I remember it. I'll send you a PM to organise something.