sdo (11/16/82)
My 81 Accord has had a hot-starting problem for about 7 months (since the
weather got warm last spring, I guess). The factory rep told me that
this was characteristic of the CVCC engines. It happens when the car
has been sitting for at least 20 minutes after being shut off, and lasts
until it cools down. At times it takes over 30 seconds of cranking,
and when it finally starts, it sputters and emits smoke for a little while.
Apparently, when the car is shut off, the heat builds up and causes the
gas in the carburetor to boil. Until the hot gas in the fuel system
is used up, the engine will not run smoothly.
Another problem I have occurs when the engine is very cold
(and I don't mean 60 degrees, for you people in Texas).
>From what the rep told me, until the exhaust manifold heats
up and heats the intake manifold, the car will run very rough, as though
cylinders weren't firing. He told me that the best thing to do is to
just start driving it. (It feels like you're sitting on a jackhammer.)
The purpose of this is 1) to inform, and 2) to ask if they were telling
me the truth. Is this characteristic of the Honda engines? I know
other Honda owners who don't have the problem. I didn't have the problem
the first summer I had the car. The rep described the exact behavior
of my car in much better words than I was using, so I guess he's seen
lots of these. He said that people in hot climates have it much worse.
I'd like to hear from others with this problem - YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
(By mail or phone, not news please.)
Scott Orshan
BTL Piscataway
201-981-3064
houxm!u1100a!sdo