'88 accord LX rough idle problems

Give it a good tuneup first, plugs, cap, rotor, air cleaner, fuel filters, then report back. 88 Accord should be fuel injection?

 

The car starts fine. Once it warms up, if the transmission is put into gear
with brake on, the idle will drop to ~250 RPM and the engine makes a bunch
of metallic pings before it picks back up and runs at a rough ~750-900 RPM,
still idling. I also get a rougher idle if I turn the heater fan up to max.
The car also acts really logey from a standstill.

The problem doesn't occur if it's already idling ok in gear and I swap it,
say from reverse to forward or vice-versa. Also, car seems to idle better
in reverse (?!)

Any thoughts? My mechanic thought the carb needed rebuilding and asked how
much money I wanted to throw at the car. I haven't looked at the fuel
filters yet, but want to know if it is worth worrying about or just letting
the car go.

Thanks,

-Chris

 

I'd start off with an inspection (or, better yet, wholesale replacement) of
all the vacuum hoses under the hood. Cheap and can save you some headaches -
or at least doubts! I suspect one is cracked at one end.

Mike

 

IF I WERE YOU I WOULD DO A TUNE UP , SPARK PLUGS WIRES ROTOR CAP AND BOTH
FUEL FILTERS THERE IS A SECOND FILTER BYTHE GAS TANK. ALSO THE PCV VALVE AND
BREATHER FILTER, AIR FILTER, ALL THIS YOU CAN DO YOUR SELF. T HEN , IF THAT
DOESNT WORK YOU CAN SPRAY SOME KIND OF LIQUID ON ALL THE VACUUM HOSES, IF
THE IDLE CHANGES ITS A LEAK. IN FACT TO SAVE TIME. DO THE SPRAY TEST FIRST.