erratic idling, car dying at stops PLEASE HELP!!

[fengshuizy]

i recently got work done on the car (timing belt + water pump job) and after i got the car back it ran great. now one day i decided i wanted to clean my engine bay and before i did any real research i hosed the whole thing down. i was able to bag up the dizzy and intake... i had to get a new alternator which is installed and i also have a brand new battery. but i'm still having problems!!

i have erratic idling and lots of white smoke coming from the intake area. my cb also wants to die at stops. on the way home from work yesterday i died at 3 stop lights!! i'm able to start up the car every time and i can keep the car somewhat alive by popping it into neutral.

[deevergote]

Where exactly is this white smoke coming from?

Is your "check engine" light on?

[dj_ender]

White smoke to me would suggest anti-freeze or oil, anti-freeze will have a very distinct smell. And how long after the work did you wash your engine, could have been a messed up tune-up, lol I made a funny. And did you power wash it or just " run the hose over it "?

[dj_ender]

White smoke to me would suggest anti-freeze or oil, anti-freeze will have a very distinct smell. And how long after the work did you wash your engine, could have been a messed up tune-up, lol I made a funny. And did you power wash it or just " run the hose over it "? Look at your spark pug wires where they go into the valve cover. Are any of them raised up out of the socket? I just washed my car and I got water in the spark plug hole and when the engine gets hot the water turns to steam and pushes the plugs up which in turn disconnects the wires. I would start there as far as the idling and dying is concerned.

[k20si]

check you dizzy cap just to be sure.. and spark plug tubes too.

[deevergote]

Lol, thought of this as soon as I hit enter.

Then use the "edit" button, rather than making a second post.

[fengshuizy]

the white smoke is coming from the IACV. when i got it back from the shop they said i had alot of "blowby" but it never choked and shuddered until after i hosed it down. i degreased and hosed my engine about 5 days after i got the car back... i waited until it was cool at least 30 min. CEL is NOT on. i just now replaced the spark plugs and tried adjusting the idle and it didn't make much of a difference.

i just drove it around the neighborhood and it shudders when accelerating (same problem)... i parked it in front of my house and i waited about 30 sec and it shut off by itself sometimes it will feel alright when i'm going and going down the highway... then i'll slow down and it struggles to accel again.

1993 Accord SE Auto Trans

[dj_ender]

the white smoke is coming from the IACV. when i got it back from the shop they said i had alot of "blowby" but it never choked and shuddered until after i hosed it down. i degreased and hosed my engine about 5 days after i got the car back... i waited until it was cool at least 30 min. CEL is NOT on. i just now replaced the spark plugs and tried adjusting the idle and it didn't make much of a difference.

i just drove it around the neighborhood and it shudders when accelerating (same problem)... i parked it in front of my house and i waited about 30 sec and it shut off by itself sometimes it will feel alright when i'm going and going down the highway... then i'll slow down and it struggles to accel again.

1993 Accord SE Auto Trans

I know you said you replaced the spark plugs, what I asked was did you look and make sure the plug wires were totally sealed the the valve cover, or are one or more of them raised up a little. Exactly what your describing happened to me and all I had to do was remove the plug wires from the block and let the tubes air out over night and everything was fine. Look inside the tubes and see if there is water inside, I bet you'll find out there is. Any kind of moisture inside there will cause the plugs to push up and cause your plugs and wires to arc the block and cause pick-up issues and idling.

And I would make sure your IACV is cleaned out and that the bolts are tight. You shouldn't be getting any kind of smoke coming from there.

[fengshuizy]

as a matter of fact i did notice a few of the plugs looking to be pushed out a bit when i checked the first time.

it's been at least a week since i washed it... should be dry by now right??? i live in Nevada so it's really hot and dry... just in case i did just now pull all the plugs out and letting them out overnight. going to try again tomorrow morning...

are you saying the plug wires could be bad..?

[dj_ender]

are you saying the plug wires could be bad..?

No not at all. What I'm saying is, is that you most likely got water down in the spark plug tubes and when theres water in the tubes the engine will heat up the water turning it into steam and the steam forces the plugs up out of the tube, when that happens the plugs disconnects from the spark plugs and the spark arcs across the air to the plug and CAN arc to the block as well. This is what causes the struggle to accelerate. Just leave them all unplugged over night and then hook them back up and everything should be fine. The EXACT same thing happened to me 2 days ago, and this was what I did and it was fine. Your wires are fine, just dry out the tubes.

[fengshuizy]

okay i'm sorry if i'm being difficult but... do i unbolt all the spark plugs and leave them undone overnight? or are you talking about just unplugging it from the wires? or both??

[dj_ender]

okay i'm sorry if i'm being difficult but... do i unbolt all the spark plugs and leave them undone overnight? or are you talking about just unplugging it from the wires? or both??

Naw its fine. Just pull the wires from the block, not the plugs.

[fengshuizy]

just curious but i was wondering what else it could be if this doesn't work?? i live in the desert and i've also driven it around for 50-60 miles or so. i'm thinking the tubes have to be dry by now. that whole bay SHOULD be dry... i should also mention that when i took out the spark plugs the first time after i washed the engine it was a mess-- oil/water/residue on the tubes and on the plugs.

[dj_ender]

just curious but i was wondering what else it could be if this doesn't work?? i live in the desert and i've also driven it around for 50-60 miles or so. i'm thinking the tubes have to be dry by now. that whole bay SHOULD be dry... i should also mention that when i took out the spark plugs the first time after i washed the engine it was a mess-- oil/water/residue on the tubes and on the plugs.

Which part of the plug? The part thats inside the block, or the part thats attached to the plugs? If its the part thats inside the block, you got issues. If its the part that attaches to the wires, you fixed that. But is it there again? And on the Nevada driving 50+ miles, I left mine unplugged over night and when I checked the same one today it was raised up still. You would be surprised how long moisture can stay in there. This only applies if there is still moisture/oil/and such still in the tubes!!!! I would also check and make sure your valve cover is tightened down properly, just in case oil is leaking in thru the top of the spark plug tubes. Other than that my friend, short of unplugging anything that has to do with spark and letting it air out, I don't know. Let this be a lesson in engine washing, BE CAREFUL!

[BlitzCB7]

I've also had water inside the spark plug hole and to remedy I just used an air hose to dry out every spark plug chamber N plug. Worked like a charm after that.