94 Accord check engine light and fluttering idle

[EnvoyXL]

1994
4 cylinder
5 speed manual
Made in Japan(I think)


My girlfriends 1994 Honda Accord has been getting a check engine light on and off again for the past two days. I noticed that her idle seams to go up to almost 2000 rpms and then drop back to normal and then it flutters around 1500 rpms. She says it seams to have less power, but I havent driven it yet so I cant confirm it. It seams like it has just as much power as before, but I think it is just harder for her to take off with the fluttering idle since it is a five speed. Have any of you gus on here ran across this problem before or have any idea what it could be? Honda wants $75 just to do diagnostics on it. I took it to Checkers but they cant test it because they said it is too old.

Is there a way to get codes from the engine?

[street_accord94]

Originally Posted by EnvoyXL

1994
4 cylinder
5 speed manual
Made in Japan(I think)


My girlfriends 1994 Honda Accord has been getting a check engine light on and off again for the past two days. I noticed that her idle seams to go up to almost 2000 rpms and then drop back to normal and then it flutters around 1500 rpms. She says it seams to have less power, but I havent driven it yet so I cant confirm it. It seams like it has just as much power as before, but I think it is just harder for her to take off with the fluttering idle since it is a five speed. Have any of you gus on here ran across this problem before or have any idea what it could be? Honda wants $75 just to do diagnostics on it. I took it to Checkers but they cant test it because they said it is too old.

Is there a way to get codes from the engine?

Yes, here are the steps to do it:
-behind the glove box you can find a 2P connector (blue plug: red and green/blue wires)
-connect the two terminals with either a paper clip or small piece of wire
-turn the car on
-check the CEL for flashing...long blink stands for the first number of the code, short is the second.
-let the codes go by a couple times to make sure you get them right

[EnvoyXL]

Excellent, hopefully this will get me started on figuring out what is wrong.

Thank you

[EnvoyXL]

I get 6 fast flashes then a pause and 6 fast flashes over and over again so I guess my code is 6, is this correct? Just seems weird that there was only one code.

[street_accord94]

Originally Posted by EnvoyXL

I get 6 fast flashes then a pause and 6 fast flashes over and over again so I guess my code is 6, is this correct? Just seems weird that there was only one code.

correct...code 6 - engine coolant temperature sensor

[EnvoyXL]

I just took it for a long test drive and blew the cobwebs out of it. No check engine light or idle problems. I checked the coolant after the drive and it was just above the min line after everything was warmed up. I will have to check it in the morning when it is cold. Maybe the code is kicking out for the coolant sensor if air is blowing past it. Hopefully me rodding it cleaned everything out. My girlfriend drives it like an old lady.

[EnvoyXL]

I almost forgot, is the ECT sensor just another name for a thermostat?

[street_accord94]

Originally Posted by EnvoyXL

I almost forgot, is the ECT sensor just another name for a thermostat?

the ECT is a thermistor (resistor that changes value with temperature) that is connected to the ECU

the thermostat is a temperature sensitive valve that opens to let coolant flow through the radiator