Not smooth with new EGR valve

**interestedguy** · 02-05-2012, 08:25 PM

Guys, I need a little help. My silver insight that only has 70K miles on it has the classic herky jerky at light throttle. The problem is I have no idea what the issue could be. The standard answer is to replace the EGR, what do you do when that doesn't work?

New in the last 5K mile (without fixing it):
EGR valve
Correct letter Honda spark plugs
Air Filter
PCV valve
EGR passages cleaned (with gaskets replaced)
3 bottles of Chevron injector cleaner

Like I said, I can't think of what else to replace, it isn't that bad and has never thrown a code. Also I have a better battery in the car and 99mpg's grid charger so the IMA system should be as strong as it can be.

Eli · 02-05-2012, 08:29 PM

If it's not the EGR valve and plate, the next likely culprit is the fuel injectors.

Techron isn't going to do anything if they're clogged enough to cause herky jerky.

samwichse · 02-05-2012, 08:42 PM

Or the coil packs

. They really have to fire hot in lean burn to properly ignite the mixture.

Eli · 02-05-2012, 08:47 PM

Yeah, I thought about that too.. but I'm pretty sure he would have codes if that were the case. Bad herky jerky can cause codes, even.

But yeah it's a thought.

Wish I could drive the car and diagnose. I'll be home in 4 months if you don't have it fixed by then.

**interestedguy** · 02-05-2012, 08:51 PM

The coil packs didn't look "cooked" like I had seen on my other insight with 160K miles.

Are fuel injectors a DIY? Any thoughts on the best place to get them? They are 100 bucks a pop at majestic.

Like I said it isn't very bad or all the time, generally just enough to knock me out of lean burn

Willie Williford · 02-05-2012, 08:55 PM

Injectors are easy to remove, send out to get cleaned, flow tested, not expensive and installed. Other posts about the cost here at ICN.

HTh
Willie

samwichse · 02-05-2012, 09:15 PM

I'm just saying this from my experience with my wife's Fit. The coil packs are very similarly made, Beck & Arnley, missing, stumbling, jerking around 2000 rpms... about 110k miles on them. All of them appeared mint, no burnt look or swelling.

Absolutely no codes.

Replaced them and the car runs like it just rolled off the factory floor.

Now put a weak coil pack or two in an Insight where it runs a lean, difficult to ignite mixture...

Sam

Eli · 02-05-2012, 09:19 PM

Agreed. I would probably go after the coils before having the injectors flow tested and cleaned, since it doesn't really require any downtime to replace them.. lol

samwichse · 02-05-2012, 09:23 PM

If you've got another local I1 with no stumbling, you could even try just trading with them for a week or so to see if your problems go away.

BTW, Honda seems to have fixed this problem forever in the HCH by having two spark plugs per cylinder. Haven't had this thing miss or stumble once, even on transition in and out of lean burn.

**interestedguy** · 02-06-2012, 01:00 AM

Thanks guys.

And a couple of things before I share what I did. I am going to be driving both ways across country this summer so I can't afford to have issues. I also sold my second insight so this is my only car and I can't deal with the two-three days of down time that the local injector rebuild places are talking about.

Sooo....

I ordered new coils, injectors, and the gaskets to do a valve job from majestic.

I am an engineer and we call that shotgunning it.

Expensive but effective.

It was a pretty penny but still less than 2 months of car payments on a new one. *shrug*

I will update after I get it all installed.