Engine Idling Problem

turnfan

I have a 1996 VW Golf which has a habit of idling at a very low rev and almost cutting out - it makes for taking off and awkward slow manovering difficult.
I have replaced the carboretur (sic), but the low rev is still there.
Anybody else have this problem on a petrol car?

Anan1

If it's any help to you, that car doesn't have a carburettor as it's fuel injection.

dublinhead

I had the same problem with a VW golf 00.
It would cut out going into roundabouts!
It turned out to be dirt around the "butterfly valve" which was causing it to stick.

$Leon$

sounds like a dirty throttle body to me

murphaph

Yep, oftentimes idling probs are just down to the throttle body (motor) being unable to work properly due to gunk around the flap. Clean it with alcohol or carb cleaner or somesuch. Even a drop of petrol would do. Use a cotton bud. You'll have to turn the ignition on, and get someone to put their foot on he accelerator to open the butterfly so you can clean all the gunk off from the walls of the throttle body and the flap itself. Even fairly new cars (particularly VW 1.4 motors) can give this sort of grief. Nice cheap fix though. Hopefully that's all it is!

Lex Luthor

don't know if this is any help, but my Alfa 156 had erratic idling. Mechanic cleaned the butterfly valve but it didn't resolve the issue. I read on an Alfa specific forum that the Air Flow Meter was the cause.
I replaced it yesterday and what a difference.
Its like a new car. Apart from the erratic idling, i felt it wasn't as responsive when I needed it for overtaking.
Now it ticks over like a new engine and when I need to put the foot down it responds and the acceleration is great.

zuutroy

Lex Luthor wrote:

don't know if this is any help, but my Alfa 156 had erratic idling. Mechanic cleaned the butterfly valve but it didn't resolve the issue. I read on an Alfa specific forum that the Air Flow Meter was the cause.
I replaced it yesterday and what a difference.
Its like a new car. Apart from the erratic idling, i felt it wasn't as responsive when I needed it for overtaking.
Now it ticks over like a new engine and when I need to put the foot down it responds and the acceleration is great.

Idle air control valve is often the cause of these type of problems

Lex Luthor

zuutroy wrote:

Idle air control valve is often the cause of these type of problems

is this another term for an air flow meter?

murphaph

Lex Luthor wrote:

is this another term for an air flow meter?

No. The normal name for the "idle air valve" is the ISV or Idle Stabilisation Valve. Nothing to do with the MAF (mass air flow meter).

ninty9er

I've a 1.0 Corsa (00 old type) and it idles very low. It seems to be a general problem with the cars, especially high spec ones with elec to power. Is there a way that the idle speed can be upped maybe to 1250 1300 rpm

AMurphy

turnfan wrote:

I have a 1996 VW Golf which has a habit of idling at a very low rev and almost cutting out - it makes for taking off and awkward slow manovering difficult.
I have replaced the carboretur (sic), but the low rev is still there.
Anybody else have this problem on a petrol car?

I'd be inclined to agree with Anun1; this has EFI, but possibly not the super-duper Fly by Squire kind, in which cleaning the throttle body and Idle by pass may be simpler.
also, if it is that simpler type, raising the idle rpm may be just the turn of a screw. Can you post a pix or link to a pix of the throttle body.
also, what type of MAF?.
and does thing have a distributor, may be off a bit on the timing.

Again, depending on EFI system, it may or may not have an auto idle adjust system.

750~1000 rpm is fast enough for idle. over 1K (unloaded) is unnecessary racing of the engine.

kluivert

The Astra's have that problem very common, its the EGR Valve.

Lex Luthor

ninty9er wrote:

I've a 1.0 Corsa (00 old type) and it idles very low. It seems to be a general problem with the cars, especially high spec ones with elec to power. Is there a way that the idle speed can be upped maybe to 1250 1300 rpm

cars typically tick over at about 850rpm

turnfan

Thanks to everyone here for their advice.
The butterfly valve was cleaned - so it didn't make a big difference.
I'll post a pic of the engine later.

turnfan

Anan1 wrote:

If it's any help to you, that car doesn't have a carburettor as it's fuel injection.

Apologies - thats what my local mechainic told me - thanks for setting me straight.
Does any body else notice that the engine layout in the manual is completely different from whats under the bonnet!

AMurphy

kluivert wrote:

The Astra's have that problem very common, its the EGR Valve.

Could be if it had a very small leak and has an EGR valve. given the age, I'd suspect it does not... up to 2000 I saw very few engines with EGR's.
Usually if the EGR leaks at all, the engine simply stalls.

ToxicPaddy

I have the same issue with a 97 Mondeo..

When I first start the car on a cold morning, she starts fine. I drive aboit 150 metres to the estate entance and there are traffic lights, as soon as i get to them, put the foot on the clutch and she dies on me. Takes a few seconds to start up and then its fine. Ticks over a little on the high side, about 1100, but then when it warms up, this drops to about 800 - 850 and its fine.

The car is serviced regularly, the mechanic is good, but by his own admission doesnt know a lot about fords, most of his work is on BMW's, Merc's and Jap cars..

Anyone any ideas?

Was gonna bring it to a Ford Dealership but I'd probably end up getting fleeced and the car is only worth about €1500 if even that..

Anyone know any reliable and someway trustworthy mechanics in the Dublin area who are good with Fords?

Tox

ninty9er

its just the car shudders(mildly, but the gearstick wobbles etc) when idling at 850-1000. I've notice the Focus idles nearly 1500

ibanez

ToxicPaddy wrote:

I have the same issue with a 97 Mondeo..

When I first start the car on a cold morning, she starts fine. I drive aboit 150 metres to the estate entance and there are traffic lights, as soon as i get to them, put the foot on the clutch and she dies on me. Takes a few seconds to start up and then its fine. Ticks over a little on the high side, about 1100, but then when it warms up, this drops to about 800 - 850 and its fine.

The car is serviced regularly, the mechanic is good, but by his own admission doesnt know a lot about fords, most of his work is on BMW's, Merc's and Jap cars..

Anyone any ideas?

Was gonna bring it to a Ford Dealership but I'd probably end up getting fleeced and the car is only worth about €1500 if even that..

Anyone know any reliable and someway trustworthy mechanics in the Dublin area who are good with Fords?

Tox

Idle speed control valve,its located on the underside of the inlet manifold.

AMurphy

ToxicPaddy wrote:

I have the same issue with a 97 Mondeo..

When I first start the car on a cold morning, she starts fine. I drive aboit 150 metres to the estate entance and there are traffic lights, as soon as i get to them, put the foot on the clutch and she dies on me. Takes a few seconds to start up and then its fine. Ticks over a little on the high side, about 1100, but then when it warms up, this drops to about 800 - 850 and its fine.

.....
Tox

Got a similar problem on my truck, if I do not drive for 2 minutes before halting the engine stutters and splutters. Thermo/time valve I suspect..... Given it idles perfectly when when warmed, I might agree with the Idle speed control, IF the EFI temp sensor is accurate. Sometimes the temp sensor is indicating inappropriate temps, thus cut back on teh fast idle before the engine has heated up properly.

Thus, inspect and/or test any sensor or valve that is associated with teh cold/fast idle. It could be a thermo/time air valve or a solenoid valve, or an auto Idle adjust valve in the throttle body. and if you have Auto Idle Stabilazation/adjust (AIS), clean the Throttle body and AIS ports.
That and making sure the plugs are OK works on teh Camry.
btw, do you have Air Con?.

ToxicPaddy

AMurphy wrote:

Thus, inspect and/or test any sensor or valve that is associated with the cold/fast idle. It could be a thermo/time air valve or a solenoid valve, or an auto Idle adjust valve in the throttle body. and if you have Auto Idle Stabilazation/adjust (AIS), clean the Throttle body and AIS ports.

ya wha????????? :eek:

AMurphy wrote:

btw, do you have Air Con?.

Nope, dont have aircon. That part I understood

Tox

tigerman

Hey this is a nuisance, I have my own machine to check my car out when mine or my family does it, It is very easy to fix, Just a little knowelge.

IrishRover

ToxicPaddy wrote:

ya wha????????? :eek:



Nope, dont have aircon. That part I understood

Tox

He means that there's a few different sensors or controllers that you might have to try one at a time to see a fix. Sometimes it'll look fine but still be a dud part, so cleaning won't always fix it. If you can get an error code from the ECU it would narrow it down to a particular sensor.

It mightn't be of much use to you, but to give you an idea, here's a pic attached of the Honda pgmfi fuel injection throttle body showing the location of the high idle and cold idle air controller valve.

ButtermilkJack

I've just bought a Hyundai Coupe and am having problems with the idle revs. Sometimes it would jump up to over 2000rpm and stay there. Other times it would surge up to over 5000rpm and stay there for an 'embarrassingly' long time!!
(Seems to always happen at traffic lights in busy towns )

Also, not sure if this is related, but when cruising at a constant speed it sometimes chugs once or twice like it's struggling to get power?

Any ideas?

AMurphy

ButtermilkJack wrote:

I've just bought a Hyundai Coupe and am having problems with the idle revs. Sometimes it would jump up to over 2000rpm and stay there. Other times it would surge up to over 5000rpm and stay there for an 'embarrassingly' long time!!
(Seems to always happen at traffic lights in busy towns )

Also, not sure if this is related, but when cruising at a constant speed it sometimes chugs once or twice like it's struggling to get power?

Any ideas?

Most idle bupass ports, no matter how they are activated only pass sufficient air to get an engine up to 2500rpm, worst case 3000, and you report 5000.
That would mean something is actually opening your throttle plate at traffic lights and may also be responsible for closing it when cruising.

Is this a fly-by-wire (stepper motor operated) throttle, and not cable operated. I presume we are talking a petrol engine. What year, engine hardware, etc.
Air con, Cruise control, etc?.

ButtermilkJack

Petrol 1.6L, basic 2002 FX model. No cruise control or air con.

It climbs to over 2000rpm most times and stays there. (Normal idle is around 700-800rpm). Being a complete novice around cars , the first time it happened I thought the accelerator was stuck so I gave it a quick tap and this shot the revs up to over 5000rpm where they stayed.

Not sure if the car is drive-by-wire? But whatever's happening it's very dangerous, and annoying!