My car is driving me crazy [idle problem]

[bloody_angel111]

Well my car is just not doing so good, I just replaced the front and rear o2 sensor, fuel filter and alternator, and it still is running bad. When i start it up in the morning, it cranks a little slow, and almost stalls out right away, doesnt even hit 1k rpms, drops to like 500, catches itself and struggles to get to 1000-1200 at cold idle.

Then it almost always wants to stall when I let off the gas going slow, or when i come to a stop sign/light, sometimes it the rpms wont drop, they will stay still, but then as im sitting at the light, they will gradually get lower and lower until the 2nd line from 0, and just idle there, and the car shakes and stutters, unless I put it in neutral or turn the steering wheel, then the rpms will go back up for a little while.

And then, when im driving, and go to floor it, it doesnt do what its supposed to, normally the car will pull hard as hell, and rpms will go up to like 5k or so, and pull, but most of the time now, it will just hesitate once or twice, and just go a little faster, or go a higher gear, but not like its supposed to. Its been doing this for a long time now, I just hoped replacing them things might help since they were all bad, but no, it hasnt. Even resetted the battery a few days ago as well, and it still ran like crap almost immediately, I hate it, I just want my car to run the way it should, it doesnt even feel as fast sometimes, I dont know what else it could be...

 

[olmytsi]

Boost/vaccum leak...

 

[bloody_angel111]

Well, im non turbo, so I doubt its a boost leak. I also replaced all my vacuum lines on the TB and intake manifold with that RRE silicone hose kit, but I still may have a leak somewhere on the manifold itself, I dont know? What about the evap canister, isnt there vac lines that go to that as well? I wrecked on that side of my car before, and a shop replaced it all, maybe they screwed up the vacuum lines or something?

I have a ported and polished one coming next week, so I will make sure the gaskets get replaced, even though they were new when it was put on, and if its leaking around the manifold somewhere, slowboy was the one who put it on last, although my car has always been like this for as long as i can remember, it just seems like its gotten worse in the last few months, and I feel like nothing will fix it, and i hate it

 

[robs90tsi]

Well, when was the last time you replaced your plugs/wires?? Also, did it start doing this after you replaced your vacuum lines, or after you crashed your car??

 

[bloody_angel111]

My plugs and wires are new, within 2 months, maybe 3. I really cant remember back that long ago if it was doing that or not, happened like 2.5 years ago, it wasnt a bad wreck, I slid on some ice into a curb doin like 10-15mph, bent the lower control arm, messed the front bumber up bad, and destroyed the evap canister.

Replacing the vac lines hasnt made it worse or better, in other words its been that way before they were changed, but I think i remember it started getting worse when I put on a underdrive pulley, thats when it started to want to stall more, perhaps thats my problem, slowboy even said to get a stock one, as the udp doesnt allow the engine to dampen, but like I said, it was still like this before, wanting to stall, and rpms dropping low at stop lights and such, just got worse around/after the udp install, which was during the summer/fall of last year

 

[bloody_angel111]

would a logger help me out, would it tell me whats going on when i start up the car, and when it trys to stall and whatnot?

 

[olmytsi]

Like i said, its probably a vacuum leak.

 

[bloody_angel111]

Actually, when i went into work today, my cel light came on, and it blinked 23, but the haynes manual doesnt have a 23, so i took it to my job, and they used their scanner, and it came up as the IAT sensor circuit high voltage or something to that nature. I just replaced the sensor in december i think, so i doubt its the sensor, but the wiring looks all weird, even the mechanic at my job said so, would having a SAFC hooked up hace anything to do with the IAT? SBR hooked it up, could they have done something wrong?

 

[RS-RGS-T]

what kind of bov do u have?? if its aftermarket and not recirculated that could very well be the problem as well.??

 

[92_laser]

what kind of bov do u have?? if its aftermarket and not recirculated that could very well be the problem as well.??

Its non-turbo...

What does your timing look like? Have you checked/adjusted?

When I had idle issues with my car I tried everything I could think of to fix it and it just turned out to be the timing... Good luck and let us know what you come up with.

-Eric

 

[bloody_angel111]

As far as I know the timing is good, it better be cause I paid good money to get it fixed, but my tensioner might be bad since its got 103k on it, so if timing is off, it might be from that, but I dont feel like taking the crank pulley off to look at it, not yet anyways, whenever I install my new pulley, Ill check it, but it doesnt seem like its off, although it does idle a little rough, but i do have cams, so its probably just them that make it idle rough. the IAT wouldnt cause none of these problems?

 

[92_laser]

I meant check your base timing with a timing light

-Eric

 

[bloody_angel111]

Is that even possible on a 2g? If so, how do I do it?

 

[92_laser]

You can go to napa or shucks and pick up a timing light for like 30 bucks. There should be instruction included but all you do is put the clamp on the spark plug wire for the number one pistion, connect the positive and negative wires to your battery terminals, then pull the trigger and point it at the crank pully. There will be a line on your crank pulley that should line up with 8 degrees advance everytime the light comes on. You might want to wait until dusk that way you can see the light better.... Oh and dont forget to connect the jumper wire.

This procedure can be located at http://www.vfaq.com/mods/wayback/BradBauer/engine/timing.html.

-Eric

 

[lildragon069200]

Try checking your throttle position sensor and the stepper motor on the throttle body. Any sensor can go bad at any time so have it checked as well. I hope you get your car to running good soon.

 

[Andrew Dahms]

I had a similar problem with my turbo talon a while ago. I dont know if this is constant throughout both but a small rubber plug on the tb had fallen out and cost me about $20 for a new one from mopar.

 

[NitroTalon]

where is that located on the throtle body? i am having the same problems, so if its not that then im gunna have to replace atlot of stuff to see if thats the problem, thanks

 

[Project Draven]

do as a few suggested check your timing. i had a 97 gs that had the same symptoms as yours it turned out the timing jumped 2 off intake and 3 off exhaust and it didn't bend any valves just ran horrible and idled like crap

hope you get it goin
goodluck


by the way.....usually when a vacume line is leaking on a n/t it will usually in most cases not stay running for very long just a thought

 

[kene04]

funny, my 2g nt drove with missing vacuum lines. Also, about checking your timing, I have bought myself a little chip through jcwhitney that logs your timing, engine speed, intake pressure, fuel pressure, o2 sensors and all every 5 seconds. About 180 dollars I think, but I doubt it's as good as DSM Link or anything.