Rough Running?

I have a 99 honda passport. And I must say first, this car RUNS great. This is the first rough running issues I have experienced.

Its got 140k miles on it.

I have owned this car for 2 years, since 110K miles, when I first got it I had the fun EGR cleaning job to do, becuase of the check engine light.

Mid last year I ran into some deep water, everything seemed to be working (except a couple check engine lights that stopped coming on after a little while) The lights were for the O2 Sensors. I was told just dirty sensors, I also think the water got near the top area of the suv, (battery was wet). So I was told to mabye change the spark plugs (I never did either, har har :-/)

Anywho. Tonight we got some really cold florida weather... 35-40f.

I got home after a short drive from work, and as I pulled to park. I noticed the engine sounded a little different. (10-20min slow 40mph driving with heater)

And what my main quip is, when I reved in neutral the engine did not steady smoothly at all, it came to the point where it was like stopping and choaking as it idled out.

I was just wondering was this the colder weather?

Just the other day, I was parked and my engine was idling up and down, it would rev to 1000 ish, then idle down to 200 then go to 300 and stay then a minute or two later it would repeat the same thing. This went away later in the day.

:screwy:

Thanks guys!

Kinda sounds like a failing intake manifold gasket issue, or possibly bad gas, spark plugs could be due for replacement too.

How old is your fuel filter??

You could have enough moisture in your gas, especially if you run it below half a tank frequently or picked up bad gas.

Oh, I have to tease...I love your *really cold weather* statement of 35-40F ....try being in Colorado tonight/tomorrow where the night time temp is currently 3F BEFORE the windshield factor! And then try and start your Rodeo on a bitter cold morning where you swear the engine is saying some choice words! Tomorrow's high is only supposed to be 13F again before the windshield factor....it was 30F here on Saturday, we were loving it, things were starting to defrost a bit and we could go outside without shivvering!

Umm.... windsheild factor? :rofl:

I agree with either bad gas or intake manifold gasket. Dont know if you can even find it in florida but you might try some heet fuel anti freeze (http://www.sta-bil.com/heet/products.htm) in the gas incase there's alot of water in it. I've heard dumping a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the tank will do the same thing. If you tank is low enough try filling up with fresh gas from a different station.

Are you getting a check engine light? Usually you will with a bad intake gasket but not always.

Been outside too long!!!!!

Outside too long?

I did fill up with 87 octane recently and I thought I noticed pinging.

Also I do frequently practically all the time drive on below half empty or around that.

Ill give those things a try and let you guys know sometime :)

And btw, no check engine light yet. The car has only overheated once, and that was becuase I ran out of anti-freeze. There wasn't any smoke or anything, just got really hot and I stopped the car before anything bad happened.

STOP running that truck on near empty, you'll not only pick up crap off the bottom of that fuel tank and run it through your engine, but you'll burn out your fuel pump fast too.

Half full or slightly less is no big deal.

Are you saying you normally run fuel with higher then 87 octane?? I run 87 just fine, it's 85 that mine has issues with.

Tell me that you don't have the original plugs in there!

No, there not original plugs.

I had them replaced before I had some flooding issues. Haven't had them replaced since.

I normally use higher then 87 89? however gas is kinda expensive recently so I move around.

My mechanic seems to think its the EGR pipe issue acting up again. He told me to come by tommorrow morning and he will give it a cleaning.

Im thinking otherwise but what the hell, its free work hehe.

I will focus on keeping the tank full rather than empty, technically I already got a fuel pump issue, I was told its a bad fuel pressure regulator (by someone on this board). If I put the key in the ignition (on) and wait 5 seconds and start it, it starts fine. Otherwise it cranks over awhile before it starts. This issue started when I got my fuel guage sensor fixed. Fixed one thing broke another hehe..

You had your plugs replaced before running into deep water, but didn't replace them after the deep water crossing?? If so, get them replaced, could be part of the problem.

You should be able to run just fine on 87 gas, if you're having to run solely 89 octane, you could be do for a major tuneup if it's pinging badly; i.e. new spark plugs, air filter, pcv valve, fuel filter, etc.

I HOPE you changed that air filter and fuel filter after your deep water crossing, otherwise, you may have sucked water into that engine....not good.

In all the years of owning our boat, that's been my one fear, a truck slipping on the dock and ending in deep water....we've been lucky to never have that happen, but there are a lot of parts that need replaced when that does happen.

Keep talking to us...let us know what you did and did not replace.