This one has me stumped,… the problem only occurs on a COLD start. I put the key in and start the motor. It starts fine. It runs fine for about three(3) seconds and then the RPM’s start to dive (I have to give it gas to keep it from dying). The exhaust begins to put out quite a bit of smoke and t…

Does this Honda use a carburetor or is it fuel injected? I ask, because my 1990 Toyota p/u had a similar problem. A Toyota trucks forum explained the answer was due to the Auxillary Accelerator Pump leaking fuel. Since the AAP was operated only by vacuum and only when the engine was cold, the proble…

You say it has you stumped - which implies that you’ve done a bunch of stuff. Maybe if you’ve done a bunch of stuff you could say so. Its also necessary to tell people, at minimum, which engine is in it. Or at the very least, noting whether its a carb or fuel injected would also be a bonus.

Honda was one of the last to switch to injection, so like Busted said, we need to know if it has one of Honda’s famous feed-back carburetors…

What color/smell is the smoke? It could be head gasket seeping coolant into a cylinder.

Sorry about the lack of information…I should have known better! It’s a carbed 2bbL, engine is an A20A1

Okay then, it sounds like the choke is not opening as designed. When the engine starts, there is usually some sort of vacuum operated “choke pull-off” device. Your choke seems to staying closed, shut tight, which will quickly flood the engine… You should know that your car is cursed with one of th…

Update…I went out to the car and checked the carb, the choke butterfly was closed. I started the car and hopped out before it started doing its thing…then it started doing its thing… I then open up the butterfly. Tadow! No rough running, no smoke. Its the choke!

Its the choke pull off. There is a diaphragm attached to the choke linkage that uses manifold vacuum to open the choke slightly as soon as the manifold gets a vacuum from the engine running. It could be the hose to it, but more likely the diaphragm. This affects the car when warm too as it is a v…

Also, check to see if the choke plate can move freely. If it feels like it is sticking, a good cleaning with carb cleaner may help. Concentrate the spray at the shaft bushings and the linkage to free up any rough movement.

89 honda accord cold start problem

Maintenance/Repairs

3gaccord February 14, 2012, 8:18pm 8

It does have a big bundle of vacuum line going to the “black box”.
Any suggestions on how to disable the choke? BustedKnuckles suggests its the AAP…
I guess I need to disable one thing at a time to see which one is the culprit.

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89 honda accord cold start problem

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