check engine light, please help!!!

[forwhatimnot]

hey guys, newbie here!
Ive got a 97 civic lx and im having some problems. My car has over 140,000 miles and has been regularly maintanced. Lately, I have been experiencing some hard starts, rough idles, stalls, and a check engine light. I thought it could be fuel system related so I added a bottle of valvoline fuel injector cleaner to the gas. This seemed to help. The check engine light went away and the car seemed to run better. But now, I am experiencing the same problems again. What could be causing this? How do I fix it?
Thanks,
>> Kevin

[GScivic7]

jump your ECU and get the code. I'll post how to do this after my class if no one does before me.

[GScivic7]

I almost forgot to post this

http://www.bseries.net/html/garage/engcode.php

[vtec92civic]

find the code and let use know, but chances are with a rough idle, and stalling it's your IACV valve . . . they get clogged and need cleaning becuase I had that problem. Get some carb cleaner, take off your IACV which is located on the back of the intake manifold and it is being held on by I beleive 2 bolts. It should have a screen on it in which should be free of gunk, but if it's black spray it with carb cleaner, let it sit and air out for a minute or two, and then start your car up and let it idle for a bit to burn off any of that extra carb cleaner, and that should help out or solve the problem.

Hope that helped.

[forwhatimnot]

I am getting two error codes, 41, which I believe is Primary o2 censor, and error code 45, fuel system to rich or to lean. I will try the carb cleaner idea. Please let me know if something more serious coud be wrong. Thanks!
>> Kevin

[forwhatimnot]

also, do you think it could be timing belt related?

[vtec92civic]

Originally Posted by forwhatimnot

I am getting two error codes, 41, which I believe is Primary o2 censor, and error code 45, fuel system to rich or to lean. I will try the carb cleaner idea. Please let me know if something more serious coud be wrong. Thanks!
>> Kevin

I use to get that fuel system code and it sucks. The fuel system is huige and it sucks tos ee that honda couldn't nmake it a little more narrow, but they just left it at fuel system. How long has it been since you replaced your o2 sensor? I had 145k on my o2 sensor, but I replaced it and that made things better. Usually it is recommended that you change it every like 80k or soemthing around that area. If you don't have the money for a new one what you can do is take your o2 sensor out, and hit it with a lighter, or a torch to brun off some of the carbon deposits on it and that will prolong the life a little bit, but still pln to replace it sometime soon. Having a bad o2 sensor gives ouff bad readings and can either cause you to run lean or to rich.

[forwhatimnot]

ok,
thats what i figured. A buddy of mine says the same thing so we are going to look into it this weekend. We are also going to clean the IACV like you earlier mentioned. Is there anything else I should lookout for? I need to get it done my gas mileage is going to sh*t! Thanks again!

[vtec92civic]

gas mileage is going down? Def the o2 sensor then because when that fouls up it causes you to run really rich to prevent anything bad from happening to your motor. YOu're gona need to replace your o2 sensor, check your fuel filter, and check your IACV.

[forwhatimnot]

thanks a TON!

[vtec92civic]

no problem just trying to help out where I can.