Help with my carbed Accord (high idle and stalling)

[thered56]

My '89 Accord is a 2 bbl carb 2.0 I4. I don't have any knowledge of carbs. Here's my problem:

To get it started I pump it and then have to keep the key turned slightly past "running" position while I keep the revs over 3k for a few seconds, then usually I can take my hand of the key and she'll keep running. I have to keep the revs up for a bit to keep her from stalling. When I start driving (about 2 minutes later) I usually get high revs when I press the clutch (lasting anywhere from, say 3-8 minutes), and if I don't keep it in a lower gear (for higher revs) for around 10 minutes it sometimes will stall.

Another thing, when I turn her off, she don't wanna stop. The engine will keep turning over, the shorter the trip the worse I keeps on. Sometimes I've purposefully stalled it to stop it.

Like I say, I don't have a knowledge of carbs, and perhaps it's a bit of unfamiliarity with them. It seems to be getting more temperamental. It wasn't half bad when I bought it (around October).

I am doing research on it myself, but I figured I might as well pitch this to the Festiva collective as well as time is of the essence. I will take any help with much gratitude.

[TominMO]

Consider a Weber conversion. Here is the appropriate page from Pierce Manifolds:

http://www.webercarburetor.com/Catalogpages/honda.htm

You can buy the DGEV carb used and then just buy the manifold adaptor, linkage and air cleaner for about $105; that'll save a buncha bux. This is assuming you don't have emissions testing for that old a car. It'll really clean up your engine bay and give you better power and fuel mileage, when properly tuned.

[FestYboy]

i would first look for vaccume leaks and also take a look at your fuel cut solenoid (otherwise called an anti-deisel valve).

[thered56]

Thanks Festyboy. I believe it was a vacuum leak after all. I bought a can of carb cleaner and used it in the carb and to check for vacuum leaks. I never found any because, I believe, I had already fixed the problem. I replaced a bad hose that was connected to the air cleaner. I couldn't find a replacement at the parts store, but I stole on of a Festi and made it work. So far so good! Thank you very much. Rep added.

[thered56]

Well I'm having just as much trouble as I've had with this. So I pulled the air box off. I've found a wire rigged up to the choke it seems to keep the idle speed down, since pulling it off has increased my problem. Ya, it's definitely the carb giving me trouble. I feel like just going and getting the Weber carb now. I was just trying to get this in good condition to sell, as I have a Festiva lined up to buy. Now I'm ending up sinking too much $$ in this darn Accord. The wire tells me that the person who did it knew it probably needed a carb rebuild or replacement. Oh, just so frustrated!