2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
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2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
2003 Honda Accord 4cyl, automatic
This is the GF's car, when she starts it up in the morning or after it's been sitting for more than a few hours, the car will start very rough. You hear only 1 or 2 cylinders firing for a few seconds, but if you give it some throttle it will even out and sound normal. The car then drives fine and starts right up the rest of the day until sitting for a long period of time again.
This is really stressing the GF out because she's afraid of the car to start with. She's blaming the recent brake job I did for her as the culprit (She doesnt understand the disconnect between me working in the wheel wells and the engine. [:'(]
What should I check? What should I do?
Notes: We do not use winter fuel here in SoFla, Oil Changes up to date
This is the GF's car, when she starts it up in the morning or after it's been sitting for more than a few hours, the car will start very rough. You hear only 1 or 2 cylinders firing for a few seconds, but if you give it some throttle it will even out and sound normal. The car then drives fine and starts right up the rest of the day until sitting for a long period of time again.
This is really stressing the GF out because she's afraid of the car to start with. She's blaming the recent brake job I did for her as the culprit (She doesnt understand the disconnect between me working in the wheel wells and the engine. [:'(]
What should I check? What should I do?
Notes: We do not use winter fuel here in SoFla, Oil Changes up to date
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,398
From: Wisconsin
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
Got a check-engine light? If so, have someplace plug in a code reader & tell us the actual code number (not the guy's creativedescription).
How many miles on the car? Spark plugs? Hondas seem to like NGK plugs best, & lots of people have reported troubles with Bosch plugs.
Pull the coils off the spark plugs. Look for oil down in the spark plug holes. If so, you're gonna want to replace the plug-tube gaskets (part of the valvecover gasket set).
How many miles on the car? Spark plugs? Hondas seem to like NGK plugs best, & lots of people have reported troubles with Bosch plugs.
Pull the coils off the spark plugs. Look for oil down in the spark plug holes. If so, you're gonna want to replace the plug-tube gaskets (part of the valvecover gasket set).
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 999
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
yeah, do the dummy spark plug test as well (with engine running pull each plug wire individually to see if teh car suffers.. if it *doesn't*, then that plug is bad or over/under gapped).
also, cleaning an intake will also help stability/accuracy of startups.
also, cleaning an intake will also help stability/accuracy of startups.
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RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
Thank you for the replies, guys.
Car has no check engine light on, plugs are original equipment, mileage is at 70k.
Again, this only happens when it's a cold start, by the time I started the car then got to the engine bay to pull off coils, it will have allready smoothed out.
It "seems" like a fuel issue, because once the car is running it runs great, no misfires, no bad idle, nothing, except for the first 20 seconds during a cold start.
How can I check for fuel pressure? Is it possible the fuel pump isn't priming itself?
Car has no check engine light on, plugs are original equipment, mileage is at 70k.
Again, this only happens when it's a cold start, by the time I started the car then got to the engine bay to pull off coils, it will have allready smoothed out.
It "seems" like a fuel issue, because once the car is running it runs great, no misfires, no bad idle, nothing, except for the first 20 seconds during a cold start.
How can I check for fuel pressure? Is it possible the fuel pump isn't priming itself?
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,398
From: Wisconsin
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
If it does this reliably on a cold start (first thing in morning), you can try this...
Before you start it, take off the trim cover over the spark plugs, & remove the hold-down bolts for the coils. Or look for a way to unplug the wiring 'upstream' of the coils, individually. I don't remember, but you may not be able to unplug one-by-one. Then have someone else start it for you.
Spz, do you know of any ill-effects of pulling a coil off it's plug while running? Like voltage spikes that might be unhealthy to other components? Or unhealthy for the guy who's holding the coil?
fuel...
I think it has a "non-return" fuel system. So the FPR & fuel return are both contained within the fuel tank. I haven't had trouble with mine, so I don't know where to measure fuel pressure. I won'twon't be able to look inmy Helm book until the weekend...
Before you start it, take off the trim cover over the spark plugs, & remove the hold-down bolts for the coils. Or look for a way to unplug the wiring 'upstream' of the coils, individually. I don't remember, but you may not be able to unplug one-by-one. Then have someone else start it for you.
Spz, do you know of any ill-effects of pulling a coil off it's plug while running? Like voltage spikes that might be unhealthy to other components? Or unhealthy for the guy who's holding the coil?
fuel...
I think it has a "non-return" fuel system. So the FPR & fuel return are both contained within the fuel tank. I haven't had trouble with mine, so I don't know where to measure fuel pressure. I won'twon't be able to look inmy Helm book until the weekend...
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RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
ORIGINAL: JimBlake
If it does this reliably on a cold start (first thing in morning), you can try this...
Before you start it, take off the trim cover over the spark plugs, & remove the hold-down bolts for the coils. Or look for a way to unplug the wiring 'upstream' of the coils, individually. I don't remember, but you may not be able to unplug one-by-one. Then have someone else start it for you.
Spz, do you know of any ill-effects of pulling a coil off it's plug while running? Like voltage spikes that might be unhealthy to other components? Or unhealthy for the guy who's holding the coil?
fuel...
I think it has a "non-return" fuel system. So the FPR & fuel return are both contained within the fuel tank. I haven't had trouble with mine, so I don't know where to measure fuel pressure. I won'twon't be able to look inmy Helm book until the weekend...
If it does this reliably on a cold start (first thing in morning), you can try this...
Before you start it, take off the trim cover over the spark plugs, & remove the hold-down bolts for the coils. Or look for a way to unplug the wiring 'upstream' of the coils, individually. I don't remember, but you may not be able to unplug one-by-one. Then have someone else start it for you.
Spz, do you know of any ill-effects of pulling a coil off it's plug while running? Like voltage spikes that might be unhealthy to other components? Or unhealthy for the guy who's holding the coil?
fuel...
I think it has a "non-return" fuel system. So the FPR & fuel return are both contained within the fuel tank. I haven't had trouble with mine, so I don't know where to measure fuel pressure. I won'twon't be able to look inmy Helm book until the weekend...
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 59
From:
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
At our shop, Accurate Automotive, we have specialized exclusively in Honda and Acura automobiles for over a decade.
Here are some pointers that may help:
Coil packs can give trouble, but we have never replaced one that did not give a check engine light with arandom misfire code. And usually a faulty coilcauses a mis-fire to getworse as it heats up.
In some instances, you could have a faulty fast idle valve (intially sticking)without a check engine light, Fast idle valves have been a common problem in V6 units (Odysseys, Pilots, MDXs).
A 2003 model vehicle with only 70,000 miles is a low mileage vehicle. Even though Honda says those NGK plugs can go to 105k, I would start be trying a new set.If short trip driving, they could easily be fouled out.
Another recommendation would be to try 3M part number 051135-08963. This is a home version of a 3 partfuel system cleaner that we use here in the shop, and incidently will also stop the throttle butterfly from sticking shut while the vehicle is parkedovernight.
The only other possibilites that I can think of would be a leak-down of one of the fuel injectors during the night, or a vacuum leak at the gasket between the intake and the cylinder head. These two problemswould obviously be extremely rare on a 5 year old vehicle.
Hope this helps
Ed Brian
www.accuratecars.com
Here are some pointers that may help:
Coil packs can give trouble, but we have never replaced one that did not give a check engine light with arandom misfire code. And usually a faulty coilcauses a mis-fire to getworse as it heats up.
In some instances, you could have a faulty fast idle valve (intially sticking)without a check engine light, Fast idle valves have been a common problem in V6 units (Odysseys, Pilots, MDXs).
A 2003 model vehicle with only 70,000 miles is a low mileage vehicle. Even though Honda says those NGK plugs can go to 105k, I would start be trying a new set.If short trip driving, they could easily be fouled out.
Another recommendation would be to try 3M part number 051135-08963. This is a home version of a 3 partfuel system cleaner that we use here in the shop, and incidently will also stop the throttle butterfly from sticking shut while the vehicle is parkedovernight.
The only other possibilites that I can think of would be a leak-down of one of the fuel injectors during the night, or a vacuum leak at the gasket between the intake and the cylinder head. These two problemswould obviously be extremely rare on a 5 year old vehicle.
Hope this helps
Ed Brian
www.accuratecars.com
Unregistered
Posts: n/a
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
ORIGINAL: hondaed
At our shop, Accurate Automotive, we have specialized exclusively in Honda and Acura automobiles for over a decade.
Here are some pointers that may help:
Coil packs can give trouble, but we have never replaced one that did not give a check engine light with arandom misfire code. And usually a faulty coilcauses a mis-fire to getworse as it heats up.
In some instances, you could have a faulty fast idle valve (intially sticking)without a check engine light, Fast idle valves have been a common problem in V6 units (Odysseys, Pilots, MDXs).
A 2003 model vehicle with only 70,000 miles is a low mileage vehicle. Even though Honda says those NGK plugs can go to 105k, I would start be trying a new set.If short trip driving, they could easily be fouled out.
Another recommendation would be to try 3M part number 051135-08963. This is a home version of a 3 partfuel system cleaner that we use here in the shop, and incidently will also stop the throttle butterfly from sticking shut while the vehicle is parkedovernight.
The only other possibilites that I can think of would be a leak-down of one of the fuel injectors during the night, or a vacuum leak at the gasket between the intake and the cylinder head. These two problemswould obviously be extremely rare on a 5 year old vehicle.
Hope this helps
Ed Brian
www.accuratecars.com
At our shop, Accurate Automotive, we have specialized exclusively in Honda and Acura automobiles for over a decade.
Here are some pointers that may help:
Coil packs can give trouble, but we have never replaced one that did not give a check engine light with arandom misfire code. And usually a faulty coilcauses a mis-fire to getworse as it heats up.
In some instances, you could have a faulty fast idle valve (intially sticking)without a check engine light, Fast idle valves have been a common problem in V6 units (Odysseys, Pilots, MDXs).
A 2003 model vehicle with only 70,000 miles is a low mileage vehicle. Even though Honda says those NGK plugs can go to 105k, I would start be trying a new set.If short trip driving, they could easily be fouled out.
Another recommendation would be to try 3M part number 051135-08963. This is a home version of a 3 partfuel system cleaner that we use here in the shop, and incidently will also stop the throttle butterfly from sticking shut while the vehicle is parkedovernight.
The only other possibilites that I can think of would be a leak-down of one of the fuel injectors during the night, or a vacuum leak at the gasket between the intake and the cylinder head. These two problemswould obviously be extremely rare on a 5 year old vehicle.
Hope this helps
Ed Brian
www.accuratecars.com
Can you tell me more about diagnosing the FIV?
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 59
From:
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
As with many Hondaparts, there is no fail-safe accurate bench test.
I can tell you that at Accurate Automotive, we have had to replacefast idle valves, even on 4 cylinder late model Accords.
The best thing to do would be to go get a known good one (a new one). I am not a fan ofthe shotgun method...Replace partsuntil you find it. But the fast idle valve is a know trouble-maker but more times than not, will set a trouble code.
Start with a new set of NGK plugs. If that doesn't fix it, just save them a couple of years until it is time to replace the set at 105k.
Hope this helps...It is exactly what I would do if I had this problem.
Ed Brian
Accurate Automotive, Inc.
www.accuratecars.com
I can tell you that at Accurate Automotive, we have had to replacefast idle valves, even on 4 cylinder late model Accords.
The best thing to do would be to go get a known good one (a new one). I am not a fan ofthe shotgun method...Replace partsuntil you find it. But the fast idle valve is a know trouble-maker but more times than not, will set a trouble code.
Start with a new set of NGK plugs. If that doesn't fix it, just save them a couple of years until it is time to replace the set at 105k.
Hope this helps...It is exactly what I would do if I had this problem.
Ed Brian
Accurate Automotive, Inc.
www.accuratecars.com
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,398
From: Wisconsin
RE: 2003 Accord - Rough Start when cold
The fuel line has a snap-together connector at the left-rear corner of the valve cover. (left being from the driver's seat) Remove a plastic cover then there's 2 tabs you press to un-clip the fuel supply hose.
You take apart that connection & the fuel pressure gauge inserts between the male & female sides of that connector.
You take apart that connection & the fuel pressure gauge inserts between the male & female sides of that connector.
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