why do i need to warm up my car before i go anywhere???? its a 98 2.4L. its didnt used to be like this. i could get in my car start it up and go. now if i try that it just stalls! i have to rev it to like 2000 rpms, hold it for like a min or so, then i can go. it doesnt matter if its warm or cold. i could drive for an hour or more, turn if off for like half hour, turn it on and still have to "warm it up" even though it never totally cooled down. anyone else have this problem? any ideas????? Thanks
Jason
What does it do if you don't let it warm up?
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
cars get old...it happens. i used to have to warm up my 83 celica for like 10 minutes. i'd start it up and then go back inside the house and finish getting ready for work.
GO PATS!!!
one possibility...
the carbs and throttle bodies had it, likely the newer ones too...
between the intake manifold and throttle body is a rubber mounting block and it has a small heater grid in it. Its on the "small side", not the "large side" of the throttle body on mine. The ECM monitors a EFE temp sensor. When you turn on the car, it starts to heat up to reduce warm up time, works pretty good. When the temp sensor is satisfied, it changes position, and the ECM senses it and turns the heater grid off.
this sensor can stick on or off position, either leaving the heater grid on permanently anytime the car is running, or never turn it on at all. Or the heater grid could have died...or, it just lost its connection. Its a fairly thick red wire that comes from under the throttlebody, but on top of the intake manifold. MIne comes out on the passenger wheel side and snakes back to the firewall nd the main wiring harness.
Mine is hard to locate until the carb is off, then its easy to see. The rubber block its in, plays the part of a carb/throttle body gasket.
first, locate the wire, usually red, and a little thicker than a o2 sensor wire in thickness and quality of insulation due to its near-engine location. This is half the battle.
follow it back, and about a foot out of the mounting rubber block, you will find a square electrical connector.
using a 5 dollar voltmeter, let the engine completely cool down. Completely cold. break the connection, and the wire leading to the connection, should have constant juice the instant you start the car. When the engine is fully warmed up, this juice should stop and never come back on until a cold start again. In warm weather, it might never come on in the first place.
if theres never any juice, even when cold, you can look at the switch sensor. Its a typical coolant temp sensor, mines located near the thermostat housing, a little lower. I dont know where ona newer one. Mine has a couple vacuum tips on it to feed stuff. The switch wont flow vacuum till its warmed up.
changing it is no harder than any other coolant sensor, think teflon tape on the threads.
Is an '82 Olds Firenza a "Flash Ride" ?
check ur IAC motor
96 Sunfire,SE/GT, 2.4L Twin Cam, est 180hp
Hott98Z wrote:IAC motor????
IAC = Idle Air Control
Basically it's a little valve that, like the name says, controls how much air goes into your engine at idle, mostly on startups. I'm used to OBD1 cars, but I know that you can do a relearn procedure for these, I don't know if you can on the newer cars.
Basically you start the car, let it idle for about 5 minutes, shut it off, start it up, let it idle for 1 minute, then shut it off, then start it up again and it should have "relearned" the proper position for idle.
The IAC valve/motor is used especially during startup (cold or warm) to control the amount of air that can burn off remaining exhaust gases in the catalytic converter and header/manifold. If it goes bad, symptoms can include stalling, surging, and a possible SES light.
about the relaern preocess... the best procedure is to
1. pull your ECM/PCM fuse for 5 seconds
2. then put fuse back in, and (for autos)
3. start engine, put in gear with brake on for 5 minutes. DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE
4. shut if off for 10 seconds
5. start and do the same as in step three
6. viola, idle relaerned.
this needs done anytime the battery is disconnected on sum older cars.
also is it an auto? if it is, does it stall when u come to a stop in gear? if it does, it also maybe a TCC switch, which is your Torque Convertor Clutch. when this is engange, it basically locks the TC as if it was like a clutch in a stck shift. If this does not dissengae when u stop it stalls the engine like stopping a stick shift without pushing the clutch pedal or putting it in neutral
96 Sunfire,SE/GT, 2.4L Twin Cam, est 180hp
its a 5spd... but i'll try it, thanks
Hey, my 98 z24 five speed was doing that exact same thing, id get into my car, start it up, and just try to go, and it would almost stall, i had to rev it up for a few seconds before i could move, my problem was fixed by putting in new spark plugs.
hope this helps
