Another Honda Acty Losing Power Thread 1. 1992 Honda Acty V-HA4 92KM - New Jersey - Excellent condition, clean gas tank. Everything looks sharp in the engine compartment. No cracks in hoses. Bought from Amir in NJ. 2. Ran out of gas 1 month ago. Cranked it a few times to limp home (I was about 1 mile away) Finally gave up and pushed it home. Filled it up with a gallon of gas and brought it to pump to fill it up. Ever since then problems!!! Before this not a single problem. Strong and powerful and zippy total attention grabber! 3. Truck cranks fine. Idle initially high then “normalizes” after a few minutes. This all how it worked before. 4. Drive it and it loses power like it wants to stall as I press the gas. Does this through all the gears. I get it to 4th at about 10mph and chug around my neighborhood for about 10 minutes feathering the clutch and accelerator and like black magic the truck wakes up full power through all the gears no problem runs around town without issue. I thought maybe it got some air in the system or got messed up from me trying to dry start it so much. Figured a couple of starts and let the fuel get through the system this would fix on it own. (Yeah I know all probably stupid ideas to experienced mechanics) The engine temp never overheated needle always came to the middle. No idiot lights on the dash. 5. Does this at cold start ups every time. I did this method about 5 times through the last month. (This isn’t my daily driver) so whenever I took it out for an errand I accounted an extra 10 minutes of “warm up” time. Looking back I was probably killing it softly. 6. Creeped around this forum for a bit - read about Seafoam “magic”. Bought a can. Poured the whole bottle of sea foam sf-16 in the tank with maybe 3 or 4 gallons of gas in the tank. 7. Drove it around. Initially no change. Parked it over night. Next morning same limping around drama for 10 minutes. Then catalytic converter light came on and now the truck has no power and doesn’t come back to full roaring life like before. Also the engine temp gauge does not lift off cold. 8. Took cat off and cleaned out a bunch of carbonized? junk. Put it back. Sensor light still on. Truck still drives like crap. 9. Ordered a bunch of stuff online today - no clue how to change it all but figured I’d google/YouTube my way through it? 1. Fuel filter 2. Spark plugs 3. Spark plug cables 4. Distributor cap 5. Oil filter 6. Air filter 7. Carburetor rebuilt from Japan 8. Honda Acty key ring 10. I have no experience in any of this. Learning from all your posts and YouTube videos and a local mechanic who has some patience for my “google research” who is helping out. 11. Read about the solenoids and choke also. I guess I’ll add that to the eliminate variable list but I figured a refurbed carburetor swap may be easier? (Are those solenoids in the carburetor? I have no clue!) 12. Also read about “ethanol clogging it up” - don’t think this was happening to be honest - only because I have been using low octane Wawa gas the whole time I’ve owned it without any problems. But could that be a slow problem that came to head now? Who knows!? Will keep you posted if anyone has interest in this suburban TukTuk drama. Anyone have a shop/experience on working on it in NJ and want to help out? Any tips or info appreciated! Btw this mini truck is the talk of the town and gets more honks, waves and thumbs up on the road and people coming up and talking to me about it than any other “exotic”. To be honest I did get a middle finger when I caused congestion merging on the turnpike trying to get to speed!
Ok, you most likely have a fuel delivery issue. Since you ran the tank dry, you may have picked up some crud, and it can block the filters and prevent fuel delivery to the carb, or clogged teh valves in the fuel pump. First thing check the fuel pressure at the carburetor, it should be about 2 to 2.5-psi. To do that you need one of these, a fuel pump and vacuum test gauge: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GHD0NAK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_D5rZFb8NHY7E7 If it is low, you need to start working your way back to the tank, check your fuel pump, then look for clogged filters, and don’t forget that there is a filter in the tank, which can get clogged.
Jigs, Good idea - thanks I’m gonna just swap out the main fuel filter - it seems relatively easy. I’ll search for one to replace in the tank. If the filters were clogged - why would it start running fine after 10 minutes or so like nothing was wrong? You think it can be a transient blockage? What do you think the connection is to the catalytic converter light?
Update: Got the carburetor out. This solenoid isn’t working. Don’t know which one this is trying to source a replacement. Some photos That’s the stuff out of the catalytic converter The carburetor out of the truck The solenoid that’s needs replacement
when I had the problem with the 2 solenoids on the carb, black smoke from the exhaust came out, that was unburnt fuel. see here https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/totally-bizzare-problem-in-acty.2274/page-2#post-110609 for my 1997 p/n's Here you have the part numbers of both valves and you can see on the links the pics 16031-PZ3-000 SOLENOID, AIR VENT CUT https://www.amayama.com/en/part/honda/16031pz3000 16024-PZ3-000 SOLENOID, SLOW CUT https://yokohamamotors.net/product969.html location see here http://jp-carparts.com/honda/part_d...TY TRUCK&cartype=30822&fig=E&fig1=100&fig2=13
Awesome - I was gonna mention in next update I saw your thread! I opted to order parts from usminitrucks.com I ordered both solenoids Figure we’ll replace both at this point. Trying to figure out still how this ties together with catalytic conveyor sensor still lit and why engine temp gauge stopped moving.. Next update next week when parts arrive and work is done...
I have had the same problem with my Acty. Doesn’t make much sense to me but if I start it cold and let it warm up to operating temp before driving it will act stupid just like you described. Yet, if I start it from cold, let it idle for a minute and be on my way, no problems whatsoever. If that’s what the truck likes, so be it. And it is a daily driver. FWIW
I could be wrong, but all that junk you dumped from the Cat converter that stopped the positive flow out the Exhaust, can create a negative flow, causing back pressure, giving you all kinds of problems! Besides the fuel Solenoid problem!
Sounds like the mixture is rich when warmed up. Cold it is a little rich but ok. Armed up it is too rich.
update: solenoid problem (shocking - don’t fight it - if your truck is running rough check the solenoids.) Had both solenoids replaced in the carb Runs good again. Put new spark plugs and wires and cap. New air filter. Oil changed. Some whitish/clear smoke from exhaust even after running for a while... not think white, but def can see it. Not black at all. Don’t know if this is something to worry about? New engine temp valve thing and gasket (make sure to order the gasket - some sites are cheeky and list this as a separate item to buy) has been ordered to fix the temp gauge issue. New cat high temp sensor ordered to replace the current one. Thinking about new “cat back” exhaust modification. YouTubing for ideas. Don’t want it to be too farty.
good news that the 2 solenoids solved the problem with rough running. As for the smoke I would drive more and watch it careful, maybe the exhaust just has to be cleaned up. White Smoke: It is cold now. Usually on cold days - and especially when you only drive short distances w/o the engine getting to operating temperature- white smoke is normal, moisture in the exhaust. In case it is coolant from a headgasket, you can smell it, also the level of coolant would go down. Probably water from condensation that collects inside the exhaust pipes condenses into visible vapor as the vehicle warms up. As the engine comes up to normal operating temperature, this usually goes away. Black Smoke: This typically indicates a rich fuel condition in the engine. The unburned gasoline fumes exit via the tailpipe as black, acrid smoke. Blue Smoke: A blue or grey colored smoke is typically caused by an engine that is burning a significant amount of oil. If you are lucky, this can be caused by a blocked PCV valve, which can start sucking oil into the engine. If unlucky, internal damage in the form of bad piston rings, valve seals. I would watch it for the moment and also check regularly the coolant level.
The white smoke is probably just normal now the Honda’s have that very elaborate exhaust system and the moisture stays in them for quite awhile as they cool off the gases quickly and allowing it condense causing the light white smoke now that it’s pretty cold here in NJ . I’ve seen perfectly good looking Honda mufflers on the outside have the baffling rattle around inside cause they rotted loose inside . The trucks we’re seeing here in the states that are in lower mileage and great shape are that way cause they were puttered around Japan mostly never getting up to operating temps . I think my van was “WTF is this !!!!” When I took it on some 100 to 200km cruises when I put it on the road . The thing is mint and had 46k on it but had been not inspected for 7 years before hitting the states . I had to change the oil 3 times in the 1st 1000kms as after taking on a long drive the oil looked like it was a diesel . It’s no longer getting filthy as quickly but I’m still changing it often as I can buy quite a few rounds of 3 quarts of oil and a filter changes for the same price as a replacement motor . I opted not to put any crankcase flushes into it as that stuff has a nasty habit of knocking big chunks off all at once and clogging the oil pump pickup screen causing a bigger issue .
Air solenoid https://usminitrucks.com/parts-store/ols/products/honda-acty-air-vent-solenoid Fuel solenoid https://usminitrucks.com/parts-store/ols/products/honda-acty-fuel-cut-solenoid
