YACT: My RPMs are too low to do an emissions inspection so I can register a 1990 Honda Civic

[alm99]

I took the car to a emissions station and they tried to test it for 45 minutes. They finally come back to tell me that the test cannot be performed because the car's RPMs are not high enough. WTF? The car runs fine, its doesn't stall, hesitate or buckle when given gas or at idle.

I call my mechanic who also does emissions testing and has worked on my 1996 saturn and says "Why couldn't they just raise the RPMs?" Insinuating to just step on the gas pedal.

Has anyone ever heard of any issue like this? I need the car's emissions to be tested so I can register the car.

 

[Eli]

Is it idling at like 400RPM or something?

 

[notfred]

The idle is off. Adjust it.

 

[Modeps]

I'm guessing that the RPM wasnt high enough during idle.

 

[alm99]

I have no idea what it is idling at, there isn't a tachometer on it

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

How?

 

[Syringer]

Put something heavy on your gas pedal.

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Put something heavy on your gas pedal.

Isn't that what the geniuses at the emissions station should have done to test it?

 

[virtueixi]

Originally posted by: alm99

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

How?

Go to a mechanic, if you have to ask.

 

[SoylentGreen]

Originally posted by: virtueixi

Originally posted by: alm99

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

How?

Go to a mechanic, if you have to ask.

The mechanic should have explained the problem or told alm how to adjust it to pass emissions.


That shop sounds like a bunch of morons so take your business elsewhere.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

My accord idles at around 500rpm and tests fine.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

Idle is controlled by the computer, which signals an idle air control servo. It's not adjustable in any proper sense.

BUT there may be an adjuster screw that the throttle body closes against, so you could try adjusting that screw to, in effect, hold the gas pedal down slightly while your foot is not on it. You would be looking for the screw under the hood, where the throttle cable connects to the throttle body, not in the car by the gas pedal.

Once you get past the emissions test, you should put the screw back to where it was, because it might cause starting problems due to the throttle position sensor reading your foot on the gas while you're starting the engine.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

Idle is controlled by the computer, which signals an idle air control servo. It's not adjustable in any proper sense.

BUT there may be an adjuster screw that the throttle body closes against, so you could try adjusting that screw to, in effect, hold the gas pedal down slightly while your foot is not on it. You would be looking for the screw under the hood, where the throttle cable connects to the throttle body, not in the car by the gas pedal.

Once you get past the emissions test, you should put the screw back to where it was, because it might cause starting problems due to the throttle position sensor reading your foot on the gas while you're starting the engine.

So.. According to you, it isn't adjustable, but it's adjustable.

Thanks for your incredible insight.

 

[cjchaps]

Try cranking your AC to the highest settings, and see if your RPM's go higher? This might be a ghetto fix.

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

Idle is controlled by the computer, which signals an idle air control servo. It's not adjustable in any proper sense.

BUT there may be an adjuster screw that the throttle body closes against, so you could try adjusting that screw to, in effect, hold the gas pedal down slightly while your foot is not on it. You would be looking for the screw under the hood, where the throttle cable connects to the throttle body, not in the car by the gas pedal.

Once you get past the emissions test, you should put the screw back to where it was, because it might cause starting problems due to the throttle position sensor reading your foot on the gas while you're starting the engine.

According to my haynes manual there is a screw, but I need a hand held tachometer, anyone have an idea on how much they run? The process seems straight forward according to the book.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Eli
So.. According to you, it isn't adjustable, but it's adjustable.

Thanks for your incredible insight.

It may be "adjustable" by holding the throttle plate open, but that's not how it's supposed to be done. At idle, the throttle plate is supposed to close completely, while the computer operates a seperate "throttle" that bypasses the main throttle. This little bypass throttle is known as an Idle Air Controller (or Idle Air Motor), and it's not adjustable, unless you reprogram the engine's computer.

So, my "incredible insight" is actually a ghetto "fix" that could cause problems of its own.

:|

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
My accord idles at around 500rpm and tests fine.

That's really low.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
My accord idles at around 500rpm and tests fine.

That's really low.

so?

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: Eli
So.. According to you, it isn't adjustable, but it's adjustable.

Thanks for your incredible insight.

It may be "adjustable" by holding the throttle plate open, but that's not how it's supposed to be done. At idle, the throttle plate is supposed to close completely, while the computer operates a seperate "throttle" that bypasses the main throttle. This little bypass throttle is known as an Idle Air Controller (or Idle Air Motor), and it's not adjustable, unless you reprogram the engine's computer.

So, my "incredible insight" is actually a ghetto "fix" that could cause problems of its own.

:|

Don't mess with eli, he's the resident engine expert :roll:

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: alm99

According to my haynes manual there is a screw, but I need a hand held tachometer, anyone have an idea on how much they run? The process seems straight forward according to the book.

OK, I may be wrong. On most electronic fuel injection systems, the idle isn't adjustable. Hang on. I've got a Chilton's manual that covers the '90 Civic. Hang on. I'll see what it says.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: alm99

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

Idle is controlled by the computer, which signals an idle air control servo. It's not adjustable in any proper sense.

BUT there may be an adjuster screw that the throttle body closes against, so you could try adjusting that screw to, in effect, hold the gas pedal down slightly while your foot is not on it. You would be looking for the screw under the hood, where the throttle cable connects to the throttle body, not in the car by the gas pedal.

Once you get past the emissions test, you should put the screw back to where it was, because it might cause starting problems due to the throttle position sensor reading your foot on the gas while you're starting the engine.

According to my haynes manual there is a screw, but I need a hand held tachometer, anyone have an idea on how much they run? The process seems straight forward according to the book.

Just turn the screw, I had to do the same thing on my late 80's Accord, after an engine swap it was idling too low. Just takes a few minutes to fix, no tachometer needed.

Besides, you probably have a tach on the dash. Worst case you have to go back & forth a few times.

Viper GTS

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: alm99

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: notfred
The idle is off. Adjust it.

Idle is controlled by the computer, which signals an idle air control servo. It's not adjustable in any proper sense.

BUT there may be an adjuster screw that the throttle body closes against, so you could try adjusting that screw to, in effect, hold the gas pedal down slightly while your foot is not on it. You would be looking for the screw under the hood, where the throttle cable connects to the throttle body, not in the car by the gas pedal.

Once you get past the emissions test, you should put the screw back to where it was, because it might cause starting problems due to the throttle position sensor reading your foot on the gas while you're starting the engine.

According to my haynes manual there is a screw, but I need a hand held tachometer, anyone have an idea on how much they run? The process seems straight forward according to the book.

Just turn the screw, I had to do the same thing on my late 80's Accord, after an engine swap it was idling too low. Just takes a few minutes to fix, no tachometer needed.

Besides, you probably have a tach on the dash. Worst case you have to go back & forth a few times.

Viper GTS

there is no tach on the dash

 

[NutBucket]

There is an idle adjustment screw but every shop manual will tell you not to do it that way.

 

[SilverTorch]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
There is an idle adjustment screw but every shop manual will tell you not to do it that way.

So true

Gotta love any car thats 97 and above, OBDII emissions test takes like 5 min

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: SilverTorch

Originally posted by: NutBucket
There is an idle adjustment screw but every shop manual will tell you not to do it that way.

So true

Gotta love any car thats 97 and above, OBDII emissions test takes like 5 min

I hate ODB2. It's gonna be a bit of a pain when I get my next car. Having OBD1 makes everything so much simpler, especially when you're programming custom fuel maps.