2000 CR-V Rough Start

[YotaFun]

Here is the issues.
Got a 2000 Honda CR-V
Here is where it all started.
Friend got this thing at the end of February.
It was running great.
Few little quirks here and there, such as coolant smell from the engine bay and coolant low, but other than that good.
First day of good weather friend goes down to beach (march ish?)
On the way back truck misfires.
Cyl #2 misfire.
Did a tune up, spark plug and wire from Honda
All I well in the world again.
Did oil change in April, topped off coolant, car was peachy.
Towards the end of April into May it started to get a hard start in the morning, also would occur sometimes after it cooled down for like an hour or so, worse was overnight sitting though.
Got a check engine light, Cyl #3 misfire, so I thought maybe the injector was going bad or leaking out over night, I changed it.
Didn’t help…
Talked to a few Honda geeks in the shop, one suggested the fuel pressure regulator because he had the same problem.
I changed that part and the symptom went away, but not completely.
I cleaned out the throttle body, no help.
Then another guy in the shop had a 99 with the same issue and said the distributor cap and rotor where the issue.
I changed that out today and still have the issue.
Sitting around with the other techs puzzling over this, they think it’s the head gasket going and that the cyl is getting coolant in there in the morning.
But here is the thing, when I start it up there is no indication what so ever of coolant being burnt off.
I cannot pressure test the cyl because I went to try and pull the #3 spark plug and its not budging and I even put anit-seize on them…
Someone suggested pressure testing the coolant system, but lest say on that cold start if I go to and undo the cap there is no pressure release like combustion gases are getting in there.
I am about out of idea’s on this thing, and could really appreciate a little input…

EDIT: Forgot to mention, after the 5 seconds or so of stumbling the engine will run fine, and perfect any where you drive it like it was brand new

[Seanz0rz]

idle air control valve is my go to answer for stuff like this, but with the misfires, im not sure that is the answer. couldnt hurt to clean it out tho

[Marc P]

We had a 2000 CR-V for a while. Would almost stall at stoplights, hard to start when cold, no check engine light. I did some of the same stuff as you..plugs, cleaned idle control valve, injector cleaning...no change. Finally took it to the dealer and found that those years had a problem with the valves and seats sinking into the head.
Honda warrantied mine, but it only had 65k on it and was about 5 years old.

More info...
http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2677

[CJM]

Losing coolant to mean means headgasket. Only other idea besides Marc P's would be a cracked block but that would be massive overheating. I seen it happen to a newer accord once, rad was filled with milk like sludge, do HG and rad, car does it again-find crack in block later on.

When i was on the road as a service tech almost all hondas made from about 95-02ish had issues cold starting-specially when it was cold outside tho. Would crank like crazy and usually imho was fuel press reg.

GL Avy!

[2ndGen]

EDIT: Forgot to mention, after the 5 seconds or so of stumbling the engine will run fine, and perfect any where you drive it like it was brand new


that could be the fuel prblem. next time on a cold start, turn the key and hold it at "on" for a few seconds let the pressure build up, if it starts normally, it could be the pump has less juice, or fuel check valve failure causing fuel drain back to tank.

[CJM]

EDIT: Forgot to mention, after the 5 seconds or so of stumbling the engine will run fine, and perfect any where you drive it like it was brand new


that could be the fuel prblem. next time on a cold start, turn the key and hold it at "on" for a few seconds let the pressure build up, if it starts normally, it could be the pump has less juice, or fuel check valve failure causing fuel drain back to tank.


But if that was the case it doesnt explain the coolant loss.

[YotaFun]

Marc P- I am all to aware of that issue, I have checked the valves and all is well according to Honda spec. I'll go over them again today after work but its a mystery.

CJM- Thats the thing, it DOESN'T overheat! All I can smell is coolant in the engine bay like it may be seeping out somewhere, and there is no indication when if finally does start that its burning coolant, there is no smoke what so ever out of the tail pip.

2ndGen- I have done that, turned the key on "On" and let it sit for a few seconds, you can hear the pump kick in when you turn the key on so I know its not bad, but still stumbles to a start.

Today, when I went to start it I tried something that Sean suggested to help see if it may be the idle air control, I pumped the break. When I started it started right on the first time but still stumbled and I got a flashing check engine light. Pulled the code and again I got a random misfire code. but after about 10 seconds this time it was running perfect again.

[CJM]

Seems odd. Coolant smell then if no burning really, no smoke, no overheating could just be a pinhole leak in the rad, waterpump, hoses etc.

IDK man, Im as stumped as you are.

[Obi..]

Maybe it's Dunn for? :rofl:



Sorry, I know, not on topic and maybe too soon, but I'm gonna use this line for the rest of the month! :D

[Crinale]

ill cross post this to hondasuv since it wont let you register. Just curious, what specs did you set the valves to? they are best at the loosest end of spec (which the number of escapes me atm)

[YotaFun]

Intake: .005"
Exhaust: .008"

Today it was just not having it, I thought I was going to have to take the truck to work.
It just cranked and cranked and cranked and nothing was happening, so I did the stupid thing and cranked and push the gas pedal down and it hickup'd but still continued to just crank.
Finally tried it one more time, cranked and cranked and then slowly ever so slowly it started coming to life, I didn't touch the gas pedal I let it bring itself up which it did.
This time I noticed a puff of smoke out of the exhaust but it just looked like unburned fuel from when I was probably flooding the engine giving it gas...

[Crinale]

Got some replies over on hondasuv for u Avy..


With an unknown service history - I would do a leak down test to check for burnt valves and also do a pressure test on the coolant system. One of the two tests should give you an answer.


Failure to start after overnight is 'flooded engine' caused by 'dribbling injector' the techs are green. Google:'honda flooded overnight'

'leaking coolant' should not be ignored at all. Hondas don't respond well to that kind of neglect. Find the leak, don't let the reservoir get below half-full ever.


check your fuel injector plugs...i had the same exact problem...misfire on #3 cyl..

play with your injector harness...while ur motor is running...unplug and plug back the #3 injector plug to see if it goes away...if it does order a new harness and clip the bad one off and connect the new plug...i did this and ever since then...the flashing checkm engine light went away...thats what caused me to burn a valve...so after doing the head job...it was still doing this...so it was the injector plugs that caused it...just something new you can try...unless u fixed it already


The misfires on a 1st Gen CR-V are almost always a burnt valve.

The leak down test is the only way to know without pulling the head.

I'll let u know any further replies.

[YotaFun]

Alright, everyone is saying burnt valves but I am sorry that just does not seem plausible to me.
Reason I say this is because the misfire is only for the first few seconds of start up, then the engine runs fine.
I feel if it was burnt valves I would be getting a constant misfire till the engine was at least fully warm.

I can't not to a leak down test on the cyl because the plugs are frozen into the head, I used anti-seize like I always do and it still didn't help...

The harness is fine, I did a similar check, but the misfire went from cyl #3 to 2,3,4,random.

I can try to do a pressure test on the coolant system at least and maybe get the kit that checks the coolant to see if exhaust gases are getting in.

I removed the IAC today to look at it, used gum out, also noticed on the center triangular shaped o-ring there was a little corrosion around it, I cleaned the corrosion off and the IAC out so I will see what its like tomorrow, I think if it is at all better then I know where my problem may be, along with the coolant loss...

[Crinale]

Hey Avy - they are sayin it could be a single dripping injector (apparently common on Hondas).. Its common enough that there is even a section in the owner's manual "How to Start A Flooded Engine". They say the best solution is to run a bottle of your favorite injector cleaner and see if they will close up properly afterwards.

[YotaFun]

Nope, I'm not replacing the remaning 3 injectors at $140 my price.
I flooded the engine when I hottie gas a few times while cranking, the rest of the times there is no sign the engine is even flooded.

This morning I tired something, I cycled the key off and on about 5 times and it started right up which makes me think it's defiantly a fuel issues, or lack of fuel, and that the coolant loss is a completely separate problem.

But I just don't have any more time to work on it, I go flat rate wed and I have to train my replacement Tuesday, so I am dropping it off to Honda and let them at least do the diag I have been failing at. Plus I need this thing running, the axles seals have gone afaik on the 4Runner and with the rear brakes being way out of adjustment as is and having a 70 mile
Round trip, I need my Camry back.

Keep you posted as to what Honda says tomorrow

[YotaFun]

Honda FAIL!!!

Get a call from Honda at around 330 this afternoon.
"Sorry to inform you but we can not duplicate the problem, the vehicle started right up. We looked at it all day, and it could possibly be the valves but we really don't know. It was a common problem of that year but the vehicle is running fine."

I'll see what its like tomorrow morning...
Also I opened the hood when I was putting gas in it today and could strongly smell coolant from the radiator, so next time I get it to the shop I am going to pull the fan assembly and tilt back the radiator and see if it is seeping anywhere.

The only thing I can think is that when I cleaned the IAC, all the junk finally blew itself out and its fine now....

ah the mysteries of a Honda, even though I bitch and complain about Toyota sometimes, I love them and there just so much easier to understand...

[CJM]

Im willing to bet its gonna happen again, they often do that bs "it didnt do it when we had it" line when they dont have a clue themselves.

[YotaFun]

no I believe it, it started right up when we left...

[CJM]

no I believe it, it started right up when we left...


LOL! Crazy stuff huh?

[Crinale]

cars are conspiring against us.. they never have the problem when we take it to someone who can fix it :P

[YotaFun]

Well, they were driving it today after it started fine in the morning and now its misfiring everywhere, so it sounds like the valves finally took a shit

[YotaFun]

Alright,
So here is the issue.
Random misfire cyl #3
Engine is overheating,
No coolant loss, no coolant being burnt.
No smoke what so ever out of the back.

Can a burnt valve overheat an engine?
And can it show no signs of being burnt?

[YotaFun]

Checked valve clearance again!
All good, 2 was a little tight so I adjusted it again.
Still randomly misfiring on cyl #3
Usually only at idle, I couldn't get it to mis under load...
Still no coolant loss
Oil still clean

I am straight out of options, I'm feeling this thing is getting a new motor.