Well, here's the problem. I've had this car for about 3 weeks, spent a fortune in parts and it still won't idle smooth. This is what I've replaced so far...
IAC valve
EGR valve
Oxygen sensor
Knock sensor
Air filter
Throttle position sensor
3 tanks of gas with 3 different kinds of fuel injector cleaner
Both coil packs
Ignition module
2 different types of spark plugs
spark plug boots
Checked air ducts, all clear
Checked oil seporator, it's clear.
Listened to the fuel injectors, all click the same pitch.
When the car is first started, it idles *rough*, like it wants to stall. Then it drops to about 500 rpm, bogs, revs up to about 2000, then back to idle. After a few minutes it'll stay at 1000 rpm, but it's chunky at best. And there's not much power until you get over about 2500 rpms. Now the funny part... When you get hard on the gas, it runs great. I can chirp the tires from 1-2 shift and from 2-3.
It's a 2.4 twin cam with 80,000 miles, and a 5 speed.
Anyone have a solution for this? I'd like to get this right so I can move on to that noisy ac compressor!
Thanks, John
John Wilken
2002 Cavalier
2.2 Vin code 4
Auto
Just a thought but did you ever check your exhuast sytem at all, maybe you have somthing stuck in threre that you don't know about, or maybe even your converter is clogged. May even be a vacuum line in the engine bay somewhere, that has to be replaced or that is not hooked up at all?
I am what I am and it is what it is.
I am the 2nd most untrusted person in the world next to a lawyer,welcome to our dealership, may I help you?
Sorry, forgot to list that the exhaust has a test pipe where one of the mufflers used to be. I read on one of the other forums about a clogged cat making it run rough and uncorked it to see if that would help. It'll get new pipes later, for now it's a full tilt weed eater.
Yea, it may be a vacuum line somewhere, but I don't know where to start. It doen't whistle or change rpm when I sprayed wd40 around the intake/throttle body gaskets. Are there any problem areas for vacuum lines in sunfires?
John Wilken
2002 Cavalier
2.2 Vin code 4
Auto
use propane or butaine. wd40 is not very flamable anymore.
you said you replaced your TPS but it sounds exactly like what mine was doing when my TPS was bad.
Did you replace the coil pack housing? If it has a crack anywhere it will do that.
That is a common problem on the 2.4. Usually the first thing to look for when the car runs funny like that.
yeah, im havin about the same problem, but mine doesnt do it all the time, and when i hit the brakes and go to a complete stop, then hit the gas again it usually goes back to normal. I changed my TPS and it actually made it worse? My friend has some computer thing that can tune up cars and find problems and all that good stuff, so hes gonna check it out in a couple days, and i sure hope it finds the problem, b/c it is embarassing as crap...
how about the ignition control module or even the spark plugs. i didnt see that on there
John Wilken wrote:
I'd like to get this right so I can move on to that noisy ac compressor!
Thanks, John
Are you sure the A/c compressor is not "loading" the engine?
Well, it's just a thought
Alont
There has been a service bulletin on bad connections on the fuel injectors causing rough running and idle. Check to see if all terminals on the injectors are clean and making a good connection. GM recommends putting some sort of contact lubricant on the terminals. I know you said you could hear the injectors opening and closing but bad connections can cause the symptoms to come and go.
Or how about take it to a shop and have them TELL you what it is, instead of you trying to FIGURE OUT what it is, since you've already dumped a load of cash into this car.
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Scriz wrote:Or how about take it to a shop and have them TELL you what it is, instead of you trying to FIGURE OUT what it is, since you've already dumped a load of cash into this car.
Thanks, check the date of the original post... 2005. It's a year later, and still has the same problem.
I've taken the car to 2 places, supposedly with "experts". Neither one could figure out what the problem is, and you can add another $300 for "diagnosis".
Fuel pressure tested good, as did compression. Both places hooked it up to their systems, no problems indicated.
Since the original post in 2005, I've replaced the AC compressor, another 2 sets of spark plugs, another o2 sensor, the coil housing, and a sh*t load of other electronics that I don't remember off the top of my head. No difference.
Now that it's cold, the car seems to mess with me. It'll idle fine until I try to back out of the driveway, then it starts to die. Once it's warmed up all the way, it's fine. Replaced the IAT sensor when this started, didn't change a damn thing.
John Wilken
2002 Cavalier
2.2 Vin code 4
Auto
