Idling problems.

[KBCobra95]

I just got done putting my car back together (AFR 165 Heads, Crane 2031 Cam, Ported lower intake). Well my car runs really strong, but.... it won't idle. It starts up as normal then dies. It will stay running as long as I give it gas. Its weoird cause it idled for a few startups and now it won't. What do you suppose my problem is? Please help my haven't had my car together in 3-4 months. Needin to hear the lopey idle! BTW, I have deleted smog/ egr if that means anything. Thanks.

 

['95svtcobra]

94-95 computers don't like H/C/I swaps. When I put the heads and cam on my car I got it to idle by messing with the idle screw on the throttle body as well as fuel pressure and timing. You have to give the computer some time to 'learn' the new setup. Mine would idle fine for the most part but would die if I was at a stop and cut the wheel all the way or if I had the AC or heat on at all. I solved my driveability issues with a custom SCT tune, my car idles rock solid at 1,000 rpm no matter what. So I would try messing with the idle screw and all that stuff before sinking the money into a chip. I waited several months to take the plunge but I wish I had done it sooner.

 

[KBCobra95]

Ive always heard that the 2031 cams are computer friendly? Thanks for the reply!

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

I'm not sure if it's necessarily that the cam is computer friendly or not. Some people run cams that are supposed to be an absolute no-no for our cars without a tune, and they have no issues, but others use a cam that is supposed to be friendly, and have nothing but headaches. Try driving it for a bit to let the computer learn the cam, and maybe pull codes to see if there's anything going on that you aren't aware of.

 

[KBCobra95]

Well.....I went out to start my car and adjust the idle. It start up fine and ran good for about five minutes, then i get inside to rev up a little and it hesitates sputter and dies. Acts like it is running out of gas? and coolant is leaking from somewhere? What is the dealio? Please help!

 

[final5-0]

Sounds like a V leak to me.

Even more so cause ...... you just got done putting it all back together.

Grady

 

[R.J.]

Try adjusting your idle like this:
'94-'95

Begin with a cold vehicle. The idea here is to get the car to a firm cold idle with enough air bleed capacity left in the idle circuit for IAC adjustment.

The idle stop should be set first. Back out the idle stop screw, away from the bell crank arm, until about 1/2 turn past the point where it no longer makes contact (blade fully closed). Using a 0.010" feeler gauge, tighten until gauge just drags between screw and bell crank arm. Remove feeler gauge. Tighten screw exactly 1 1/2 turns. If the screw is very loose, put a drop of loc-tite or silicone on it, so it doesn't work out of adjustment.

Now remove the connector to the Idle Air Controller (IAC) just on the other side of the throttle body. Start the car and allow vehicle to warm for 2 minutes. Give a small "blip" to let it settle. If it is having a hard time staying running you may have to get an assistant until you can get to the front of the car. Now open or close the air bleed screw (CCW opens) next to the IAC until the car idles at 575 to 600 rpm. For guys with aftermarket cams and an EEC tuner, you might want to idle a bit more briskly, say 650 to 675.

Obviously, this rpm range is by what the car and driver wants...IE, no set idle speed, whatever works for YOU.

Turn off the car. Now count the number of turns clockwise to close on the idle air bleed screw. If it falls between 1/2 and 2, it's okay, now reverse it out the same number of turns. Log the number somewhere in case you need it for the future. Reconnect the IAC. You are done.

If the air bleed screw is above 2 turns, it's a good idea to tighten the idle stop screw another 1/2 turn, and then repeat the idle setting. If it is below 1/2 turn, then loosen the idle stop screw by 1/4 to 1/2 a turn, and repeat the idle setting. Be sure to put another drop of silicone RTV on the stop screw if it was disturbed. Reconnect the IAC. You are done.

 

[KBCobra95]

Never mind about my other post....I was outta gas.

 

[HoofnIt]

I need to reset my idle as well but I cannot adjust the idle stop. I see the screw but there is no nut just a brass/teflon piece. How in the HE** do I adjust this thing? I set the idle before with just the IAC but that makes the car idle too fast during decels.

 

[legalize420]

I just got done putting my car back together (AFR 165 Heads, Crane 2031 Cam, Ported lower intake). Well my car runs really strong, but.... it won't idle. It starts up as normal then dies. It will stay running as long as I give it gas. Its weoird cause it idled for a few startups and now it won't. What do you suppose my problem is? Please help my haven't had my car together in 3-4 months. Needin to hear the lopey idle! BTW, I have deleted smog/ egr if that means anything. Thanks.

which injectors are you using? fwiw, i was having a surge problem also, but mine was only on hot starts. once i got in and drove a few feet it stopped surging. someone mentioned leaking injectors. anyways, car runs fine now that im back with the 19's.

 

[legalize420]

and coolant is leaking from somewhere? !

find the leak could be leaking from a few different places

 

[KBCobra95]

I believe it is from the Thermostat housing.

 

[KBCobra95]

well after playing with the idle screw i got it to idle around 850-900 rpms. I took it out for a spin last night but when stopped and turning the wheel it would die? Why would it do that? Thanks.

 

[wytstang]

Check the loose nut behind the wheel......Check how much vaccum is being pulled at idle.

 

[RIO5.0]

FWIW try this link...run all 5 steps....Granted I run a Fox set-up but this article, specially step 3 fixxed my problem...which was like your problem...
At this point it's worth a shot...They always start fine the first day after a H/C/I swap...its the day's after that are a mother....

the 2031 shouldn't have killed your vacuum to much...As mentioned you should go over it and search for a leak...have you thrown a vac gage on it to see if its a steady reading or way low??

Turning the wheel and having it die could be from a load being put on it at idle points to the IAC.... Mine did that the same thing but with the AC running...I had to shut if off at stop lights or it would die...once I did the reset, things were fine...get it to idle where you want then do step 3....my RPM was set to 750-800 then I performed the step...

just some thoughts....try the link...you got nothing to loose...as mentioned the puter is somewhat freaking out....

http://www.muscularmustangs.com/maintain.php

 

[final5-0]

well after playing with the idle screw i got it to idle around 850-900 rpms. I took it out for a spin last night but when stopped and turning the wheel it would die? Why would it do that? Thanks.

Dadgummit

I had some info all typed up for you and my puter decided to freak on me after thinking all that stuff up and everything

Here is a brief version of that original post.

The example you give and others like

Turn ac on
Put car into drive
etc, etc, etc

Anything that will put a load on your car at idle and cause the rpms to drop or rise a bit is all about what the isc (idle speed controller) is used for.

I know ya'll call it something different but I can't recall the leters.... you know what I'm talkin about, lol.

The isc sends a signal to the pcm that is uses to judge airflow. The pcm uses a table of airflow/rpm values to determine how to adjust your idle speed for a somewhat constant level when those different conditions come into play.

Say you put some hot rod parts on your car (which we all do, lol). That can be where things start to get all hosed up cause the airflow from the mods has most likely changed things to the point that those values in the pcm's isc table are no longer accurate.

The mods alone can cause issues.

If you got things goin on that are not normal like v leaks, electrical connections, and the like (which we all know can happen after a major upgrade like h/c/i) ...... those things can all the more compond the problem of the pcm NOT being able to compensate.

If I were you, I'd make sure all the above stuff is like it should be and when you are sure EVERYTHING is as it needs to be .......................

Disco the batt for a pcm reset and give the pcm a few days for its adaptive strategy thing to learn under all of those various conditions and see how things turn out for you.

Who Knows ??? You may or may not get lucky

And be one of the few who has found the ..............................

Ever Elusive Stable Idle

Grady

 

[wytstang]

Grady are you refering to the IAC.

 

[final5-0]

Grady are you refering to the IAC.

Most likely

ISC = idle speed controller

IAC = I would guess ...... idle air controller

or

is it ...... intake air charge

This stuff is starting to be more than I can keep up with

Grady

 

[wytstang]

First one is correct and yes I lose track quite a bit as well.

 

[final5-0]

First one is correct and yes I lose track quite a bit as well.

I only know all of those little sensor thingies by the names that the EEC Tuner and Tweecer founding fathers gave them.

Why they picked those names I really don't know.

Another example is the sensor in the intake pipe.

I know it as ACT or air charge temp.

I believe most call it IAT or intake air temp.

Is that not correct?

Then again ...... Whats in a name? ...... Because as I see it ......

The name of all those little doo dads matters not to me as I've still been able to make that little silver box do my bidding even though it didn't want to at first

Grady