well, fortunately ( or unfortunately ) my IAT was never disconnected b/c it just hangs down in my engine compartment. I will try swapping the map & tps tho.

 

the MAP connector is bundled with the injector wires, right? it won't reach the TPS.

 

If your car was an auto and now it is a manual the check engine light will be on for the lack of connect to the auto shift solenoid. You need to clear all codes then work from there to find the idle issues. CEL can cause more issues that more people think. I have an auto P28 ECU on my manual civic and it runs, but not well.
Adjust valves and check the spark plugs and compression. Not sure what you are running in what, but if you have low compression the engine might idle. When you reinstalled your rings and pistons did you check ring gap clearances and install the gaps offset? If you have low compression, that might be a consideration?

 

we definitely did check ring gaps and the ring gap spacing was done correctly on each piston. I have cleared all the codes and tried to start over with it several times, but, of course, it just throws code 19 again the next time I try to start it. I think I am going to find a manual ecu for my car so I can rid myself of the dreaded CEL (plus I can't get my car inspected with that light on!), but then I worry about wiring issues. Will the plugs match? Will the wires match? Where can I find wiring diagrams?

 

Auto to manual ECU will swap seamless. If you have a P28 Auto plug a P28 manual, no wiring needed. If you are OBD1 stay OBD1 and everything will be fine.

 

now the other question - is a 97 del sol Si (d16y8) obd1 or obd2? I think 1 b/c of the codes it throws.

 

http://crimethink.org/images/obd2_years.html

Del Sol is a civic for purposes of the chart.

-PHiZ

 

That happened my my friends Mustang.....the problem was his alternator was bad

 

i disconnect the map sensor today... it did that... idle but then would not rev up...
i bet that your problem is with the map sensor...