H22A code 12, car won't idle: EGR valve OR solenoid?? which to try first??

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

Ok..as you can guess by the title, I have a jdm H22A in my 92 Prelude (with the governed jdm ecu) and I am getting code 12 after engine warmup. The car is verrrry drivable and seems extremely fast, but it will NOTTTTT idle on it's own. I have to apply some throttle in neutral or actually be driving.

I drove the car with NOOOO problems without VTEC wired up for about 2 months. Within a day of VTEC'n-it-up, the Code 12 started showing up and it would die after warmup. This happened at random times, sometimes after an hour of highway milage (smooth driving).

NOW: It will rarely ever hold an idle on its own. I always have to hold the gas pedal to keep the rev's up or keep it in gear (accelerating or decelerating), AND I get a code 12 EVERYTIME after warmup.

so my question: Does this fact (that it WILL NOT HOLD AN IDLE ON ITS OWN) tell me or anyone which part I should replace first?? If I understand correctly, a bad egr system is pretty much a wide open vacuum leak, so I am hoping that a constant-dying problem is going to point to one of those parts over the other one..

I already have the FSM but I am a "backyard, sparetime, sparemoney mechanic" and I don't have the vacuum-testing equipment, the time, or much money for guessing

Thanks so much from a new member!!!

--TJ

 

[AHHVTEC]

well your gona have to fix the egr code or jump it /chip the ecu not to read for egr, or chip a different ecu

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

well your gona have to fix the egr code or jump it /chip the ecu not to read for egr, or chip a different ecu

well that is kind of why I joined this forum and posted a question about WHICH part of the egr is probably bad.

so, anyways, does anyone know which part, solenoid or valve, is probably bad when the car won't hold an idle, even when cold-started??

--TJ

 

[LS_VTEC]

IACV is was controls the idle when warm. Replace that part and see what happens next. Your code 12 is probably from another issue aside from your idle problem.

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

IACV is was controls the idle when warm. Replace that part and see what happens next. Your code 12 is probably from another issue aside from your idle problem.

An egr problem will never screw up a car's idling ability? I'll admit I had no knowledge of what egr even stood for before I had this problem, but now I'm even more confused now that I may be choosing from 3 parts to replace and trying to fix two seperate(?) problems??

lol...no wonder I have left this one parked. Luckily this is the first "bad part" issue I've had and I hope that this car will be as reliable as my '92 b17 Acura GS-R....only part I ever had to replace was the brakes and they worked so well I skidded into a ditch and bent the frame :O

I guess that means I'll have to keep driving the nissan until I can get my new baby running right

On eBay today, a new EGR valve is $166.95, but that is for a h22a1 (USDM). Is it the exact same part for the JDM H22A??
http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymoto...003QQitemZ130225109427QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V
(NO-GO on the above link...it says it is for the AUTOMATIC ONLY???)

I can't find a listing for a H22 IACV, US or JDM...

I can't find a listing for a H22 EGR solenoid, US or JDM...

so back to square one....isn't there some kind of back yard test I can use to figure out which part is not letting my engine hold an idle???

--TJ

 

[hondanewbb]

Uh.. An EGR can totally cause idling problems... Specifically because you say its after it warms up, this is typically when the car starts reburning exhaust. Check the EGR gasket, the ports could also be blocked.

 

[SmoothRigoletto]

my 92 lude H22a Swap

I still have my 92 lude with JDM H22a swap in it with JDM ECU like yours and i experienced the same ecu code error. My engine runs and everything perfectly but i just hate codes so i had to make it dissappear. Well what worked for me was the egr control solenoid valve. If you happen to not know where this is located, it is under the hood obviously near your fender lining wall. its a small solenoid with two wires going to it and a lil black cap on top (twistable) that is the size of a soda screw top also, it's got some vaccumm line going to it. Or you can just follow the vacumm hoses till it takes you there. Either way works. Oh and its on the driver's side near the engine mount. I replaced that and reset the ecu, and that annoying code went away. it made me feel alot better because i just don't like codes period. This worked for me so i thought i'd share with you. I went through changing egr lift sensors vaccumm hoses and everything and that was what had worked for me. Here's a tip: Accords 90-96 also use the same egr solenoids. hope this helps. good luck.

 

[hondanewbb]

I'd try giving the selenoid a good 12 volts before i bought another

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

Well, here is the newest update.

I stated before that it still drove perfectly, but it just wouldn't idle on it's own (I had to hold the gas for a rough idle).

Well, I tried to take it to work the other night but I only made it about 4 blocks (till warmup??) and then it just dropped dead, flatlined, while I was leaving a redlight (in gear, accelerating). It just immediately quit accelerating so I let off the clutch and coasted into a gas station parking lot.

Since then, it has NOT restarted at all. It will only turn over the engine but never even seems like it will try to start up. So i called my fiance to pick me up and towed it home after I got off work.

My first thought was "air, fuel, spark", so I checked for fuel at the FPR, and there is fuel when I turn the key so my pump is working. I opened up my filter box to get plenty of air. Still no start. I haven't taken the time to grab a screwdriver and check for spark yet. They are new plugs, iridium I think (I forgot), so I am pretty sure the plugs are good.

BUT...I am posting this onto this thread because I am hoping that this is still somehow related to the original "no-idling, code 12" problem.....

ideas??

--TJ

 

[hondanewbb]

Unplug the EGR vacuum from the selenoid. If its not getting any vacuum it will stay shut, good chance if the selenoid is bad its sending it improper vacuum, and with only a few constant pounds the car won't start. Check it out, let us know

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

Unplug the EGR vacuum from the selenoid. If its not getting any vacuum it will stay shut, good chance if the selenoid is bad its sending it improper vacuum, and with only a few constant pounds the car won't start. Check it out, let us know

which hose is that? solenoid is by the fender, but I am not sure offhand how many hoses are there...please be specific and I will try it in the morning after I get off work...

--TJ

 

[hondanewbb]

The one going over the top of the motor to the EGR. Vac attatches to the top of the egr..

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

The one going over the top of the motor to the EGR. Vac attatches to the top of the egr..

rained today so I couldn't get to it...gotta get to bed so I can work tonight. I ought to be able to get to it on Sunday afternoon or Monday (my off nights)...

Thanks again and I will let you know what effect it has..

--TJ

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

Well, I have finally taken the time to look at my prelude this morning. It is still not cranking so I tried to unhook the 2 EGR hoses to the valve (or solenoid?...it's the one on the driver's fender). That did not seem to help it start at all, so I tried some starting fluid. The starting fluid got no response so I checked for spark by: arcing from a screwdriver to a chassis ground, but there was NO spark. So I double checked by taking out a spark plug and watching for it to spark while the engine is cranking. The month-old spark plug is fouled black (rich, right?) and there was no spark to it.

SO ...I guess I am troubleshooting a no-spark problem.. I'm about to start searching the FSM for the Troubleshooting guide, but if anyone has an idea, I'd love to hear it..

--TJ

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

Well, I have finally taken the time to look at my prelude this morning. It is still not cranking so I tried to unhook the 2 EGR hoses to the valve (or solenoid?...it's the one on the driver's fender). That did not seem to help it start at all, so I tried some starting fluid. The starting fluid got no response so I checked for spark by: arcing from a screwdriver to a chassis ground, but there was NO spark. So I double checked by taking out a spark plug and watching for it to spark while the engine is cranking. The month-old spark plug is fouled black (rich, right?) and there was no spark to it.

SO ...I guess I am troubleshooting a no-spark problem.. I'm about to start searching the FSM for the Troubleshooting guide, but if anyone has an idea, I'd love to hear it..

--TJ

well, I knew the day would come that I would have to figure out what all this USDM-to-JDM ignition wiring was, and I guess that time has come. Keep in mind, my friend did the wiring on the ignition system and it ran fine until the egr code, then idle problem, then (coincidentally????) new iridium plugs, then died and will only turn over (no spark)....

I am using the external coil and it only has one plug on it. The plug has 4 connections (but 3 wires, iirc): a Black/yellow, Yellow, and Blue(?).

WITH THE KEY ON BUT ENGINE OFFFF (cuz it won't start up)

The Black/yellow supplies battery voltage to the external ignition coil. The voltage then leaves the external coil on the Yellow wire and this Yellow wire and the Blue wire go directly to the distributor cap. These 2 wires have a 2-wire plug connection outside of the distributor cap, and using the Blue wire as the ground and the Yellow for +, I get Battery voltage. I assume this is normal, except maybe for the level of battery voltage...

ALSO WITH THE KEY ON BUT ENGINE OFF....

Going back to my external coil: When I test the coil itself (unplugged) I get several reading of shorts (zero resistance).

So anyways, here I am stumped about which way to troubleshoot this (if I am even on the right track). I am atleast getting voltage and ground to the distributor cap, but I don't know if the external coil is shorted out or if I should proceed on to troubleshoot my distributor's "innards" (rotor, wiring, etc)....

If I have confused you, I am not surprised because I don't even know what I am doing or working with. Please reply with your info, input, or advice!!!

Thanks,

--TJ

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE POSTS ABOVE, but here is another update for today:

I just got finished reading SEVERAL threads about "no spark" and "what distributor". Now I am wondering if mine has been right at all?? I have been using the JDM distributor (internal coil) and I still had a 4-pin connection to the USDM H23 external coil (which I read today that I should have spliced those wires together with a fuse).

Anyways, I have put over 500 miles on the JDM engine with it that way and it just started the above problems about 100 miles ago.

Soooo...I took the cap off of my JDM distributor and I see that the spinning thing (that makes contacts to the plug wire) looks very brown and rusty-looking.

Is my current wiring right, or should I have used my USDM distributor with the USDM external coil?

confused...

--TJ

 

[jdm_rb20_h22a]

Unplug the EGR vacuum from the selenoid. If its not getting any vacuum it will stay shut, good chance if the selenoid is bad its sending it improper vacuum, and with only a few constant pounds the car won't start. Check it out, let us know

Well, thanks to a faulty distributor and my lazy butt taking 2 weeks to look at it, I am a bit delayed in my response. My distributor took a dump and I finally got bold enough to replace my JDM-stock-internal-coil with the old H23 external-coil and matching distributor. And my baby fired right up...(with those 2 hoses to the egr solenoid on the fender unplugged).

So after a few minutes of revving and warming up I started to test those 2 vacuum hoses to the solenoid. When I attach the upper solenoid hose, the idle drops slightly...which seems good cuz the idle is better at 1000 than 1700 rpm's. I proceed to connect the lower hose and the car dies immediately. I unplug the top hose also and the lower hose....restart it...it idles...and connect only the lower hose.....again, the car dies immediately. So:

We know that connecting the lower egr vacuum hose will cause the car to die instantly. Now does that guarantee that I need to replace the SOLENOID (on the fender) or the VALVE (by the fuel rail)???

--TJ