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My car seems to be starting at 1500 RPM on a cold start, which I think is high, then drops to 850 RPM after 5 minutes which is normal. I'm sure it used to be around 1200 RPM on a cold start. Honda Service seem to think this is OK as the car runs great.

I told them the car must be guzzzzzeling Gas on a cold start up. Any ideas?

 
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I would not worry about it - I think mine is up around that range as well. At 1500 rpm a Civic is not going to be guzzling gas - especially since Civics like my LX 5 speed turn 2500 rpms @ 60 mph and does not guzzle gas at that engine speed. And fast idle only lasts a minute or so any way.

 
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Actually your car is guzzeling gas during that time. Your catlytic converter needs to get up to temperature, so to help with this car makers put 50% more fuel in to burn hotter on the catalyst activation sites. Plus it helps with keeping the motor running, but that can be handled at normal A/F conditions with moderen fuel systems.

 
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^^^ oh yeah, it's only suppose to run rich for 30 seconds though, if your car is running this high for five minutes, it doesn't sound right. Maybe something in the temp control system is not working??? I would hook up an A/F monitor and see if it is running rich for that long, because it shouldn't. If the A/F drops to norm after30 seconds, then you know it's an idle problem if it stays rich for 5 minutes, then something in the pollution control area, probably an off spec O2 sensor or something.

I wouldn't worry about the 1500 rpm, mine does that too.

 
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So, I guess from what you're saying my car is normal just like Honda are saying.

The only problem is, why does my Mazda RX7 and wifes 2000 Civic Coupe start at 1,200 RPM then drop to 800 RPM after only 3 minutes or so.

Maybe you guys can run some tests on your cars and let me know how your car's are guzzeling gas on a cold start.

 
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after my car is warmed up, it seems that i idle at a really low RPM, is it supposed to be this low at idle?

 
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Mine is around that area when idleing.

 
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My car is at 3000 RPM when i'm doing 60mph. I have an EX 5spd. Does this sound normal?

 
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my cold start idle rpm is 1500 and it will gradually falls to around 700rpm as the car warms up...sounds normal to me

only prob with my car is i get shiety gas milage

 
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Yes, mine is at 3000 too. It's because the EX's have a little smaller final drive than the LX to give them that extra pep (alone with VTEC of course).

As for bad MPG, what kind of oil are you using? How many mile have you put on your current sprak plugs? What type of tires are you running? I drive aggresively and still get 32 MPG and that's mostly town roads. Highway I'm around 36-38, depends on the wind.

 
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oil is honda oil...there's only 13,000km on the car but we've had the car for 1.5 years already. 3 oil changes have already been done.

i get a very steady 10L/100km city driving or mix of city and hwy. the civic si coupe(usa ex coupe) is rated 7.3L/100km for city driving

i'll probably try dumping some fuel injector cleaner into the car.

btw, as for low idle rpm, i think you peeps can try resetting the ecu. the car will relearn the idle if you disconnect the battery

 
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Careful with fuel injector cleaner. That contains lots of methanol and other petro chemical that are bad for plastic parts, like the seals on your fuel pump.

Not sure what to say on the bad milage though, mine was bad for a while, but now it better, I don't get it completely. I think running the occasional tank of high test burns out the junk in the engine, similiar to fuel injector cleaner for you entire engine. It seems to help me a little.

 
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All cars idle high when it's cold, but it doesnt take too long for our cars to reach normal idle (750RPM for me). For me, MPG drops a few during the winter months, (33 average winter, 36 average summer).