Common questions

Why does my car run rough at idle?

Why does my car run rough at idle?

That is to say combustion may be disrupted. You will feel, and maybe hear, this as a brief stutter in the engine. You might feel that the engine runs rough or vibrates at idle, say, when you’re sitting at a red light. This is similar to the above in that it stems from poor spark timing.

Why does my Chevy S-10 idle so bad?

Computer does show that it is in OPEN LOOP MODE and O2 Sensor shows RICH and while working the throttle and watching the code meter, the reading will move from RICH to LEAN and back to RICH again. While all of this has helped the engine somewhat, it still barely idles and it still lops really bad.

Why does my son’s 95 Chevy S-10 quit running?

My son’s has a 95 S-10. Was running great, until one day a couple of months ago, it started running really rough at a red light ( as he tells me ) and he had to work the throttle to keep it running and then about a block or two later it quit and hardly would start. When it does, it will not stay running well even with throttle work.

That is to say combustion may be disrupted. You will feel, and maybe hear, this as a brief stutter in the engine. You might feel that the engine runs rough or vibrates at idle, say, when you’re sitting at a red light. This is similar to the above in that it stems from poor spark timing.

Can a bad throttle position sensor cause idle surging?

Idle surging can be caused due to other issues in the car, but if it happens in conjunction with other throttle position sensor symptoms, the culprit is often the TPS. At idle, the ECM will not get the correct information and the throttle will variate randomly causing idle surges. 3) Check Engine Light

What causes the Check Engine light to turn off at idle?

At idle, the ECM will not get the correct information and the throttle will variate randomly causing idle surges. The check engine light will randomly turn on and off even if the car is running smoothly without any jerks and stalling.

What causes idle surges on a car ECM?

Idle surging can be caused due to other issues in the car, but if it happens in conjunction with other throttle position sensor symptoms, the culprit is often the TPS. At idle, the ECM will not get the correct information and the throttle will variate randomly causing idle surges.

Why is my Chevy Silverado running rough at idle?

Really, your Silverado will be running rougher at any RPM, but a misfire will be most pronounced at idle. Spark Plug Wires – While not every model and engine combination of vehicles today comes with spark plug wires (a lot are now coil on plug), if your Silverado happens to have them, they can go bad and cause a rough idle.

What causes an Audi A4 to idle rough?

A super lean running engine will often idle rough. The fuel injection systems job is to atomize the fuel into fine mist. If a fuel injector has an issue with this process, it will either let too much or too little fuel into the combustion chamber relative to the amount of air.

What are the symptoms of a failing ignition coil?

A failing ignition coil can create several symptoms: Check engine light comes on Engine runs poorly or stall Increased emissions Reduced fuel economy Car won’t start I… Read More When spark plugs fail, the engine will struggle.

How to troubleshoot an automotive engine high idle?

The troubleshooting procedure for high and low idle conditions are similar, which are included in the following: Step 1 – If the check engine or service engine light soon has illuminated retrieving the diagnostic trouble codes could lead you in the right direction of what the problem is, or is related too.

Is the drivig engine smooth at low idle?

So smooth you could balance a coin on the engine even at low idle revs of around 650 rpm. In fact drivig with the TPS disconnected is quite acceptable, except that automatic gear change down does not happen (as expected). Have had the car for approx 13 years and has been a great, reliable family car.

Why is my Chevy 4.3 engine still running?

Checking your vehicle’s fluid levels is always a good idea to maintain the overall longevity of the engine. Once you have ruled out all the basics, you can go back to what the Chevy 4.3 engine is known for: bad idle air control valves and throttle control switches.

Is the engine idles fine but no power on acceleration?

This is for a 1995 chevy s10, 2.2L four cyclinder, automatic and regular body style with approximately 170 K miles. After every long trip I have to top off the engine oil. Now, I smell burnt oil and it loses power when driving and also idles rough. Also, on your conclusion, what would be a estimate ( by average ) for repairs. helpful?

Why does my Chevy truck shake at idle?

While the truck is idling with 02 lean, a quick shot of carb spray in the throttle body will cause the 02 to go rich. And when the truck sometimes starts shaking at idle it will smooth out with carb spray. I jst don’t understand why the computer is not trying to richen the mixture up based on the 02 saying lean.

Can a bad crankshaft sensor cause engine to run rough?

You will feel, and maybe hear, this as a brief stutter in the engine. You might feel that the engine runs rough or vibrates at idle, say, when you’re sitting at a red light. This is similar to the above in that it stems from poor spark timing. As seen with rough idling, sometimes crankshaft position sensor problems are worse at low engine speeds.

Can a lack of spark timing cause an engine to run rough?

Lack of proper spark timing can cause a different problem: one or more of the cylinders may misfire. That is to say combustion may be disrupted. You will feel, and maybe hear, this as a brief stutter in the engine. You might feel that the engine runs rough or vibrates at idle, say, when you’re sitting at a red light.

I’ve TRIED EVERYTHING AND THINK IT JUMPED TIMING…Does anyone think it is possible that it jumped time and would cause it to run like it does. If it jumped timing it’d likely be hard to start and run rough at idle.

Why is idle speed not coming back up?

If the ISC system is working correctly, the PCM should adjust idle speed to keep the engine from lugging down when the A/C compressor engages. If idle speed drops down and does not come back up, the ISC system is not responding the way it should.

What causes reverse switch to break during idle?

Vibration induced by certain RPM’s can cause the reverse switch spring connection to break contact briefly, turning the limiter on intermittently – try grounding the wire and see if the problem goes away. (I’d guess, from info so far, that this is the most likely culprit)… I cleaned the carb after the problem started.

What to do if your car starts and idles but then backfires?

Keep in mind, that if the reverse limiter is being turned on intermittently by vibration at the connection, the RPM that it settles to may be higher than if the limiter were on continuously. I’d suggest grounding the wire and riding, to see if the issue has gone away.

What happens to the idle air control valve?

When the battery is disconnected the computer loses it’s adaptation for the idle air bypass and the idle air control valve resets to it’s default position.

What happens when the idle control motor is disconnected?

With the Idle Control Motor disconnected, get back into the vehicle and start the engine again. The engine should still start and run without any issue despite the idle control motor being disconnected. Be sure to tuck the wiring you disconnected up in the engine bay so it doesn’t get caught in any moving parts.

What’s the idle speed on a new car?

Couple of notes: Initially, it ran fine till it warmed up, at about 1200 rpm , then back to the terribly rough idle…. feels like it’s missing, too. On several cylinders. Would cycle between 500-800 rpm, kinda hunting and gagging around, at about a 1.5 sec interval. Let it idle for about 15 mins straight, not touching anything.

When does a car have a rough idle?

November 27, 2017. It’s easy to tell when your car has a rough idle: When you start the engine, it won’t run at a steady rate. It may almost stall, or it may run at varying RPMs without your putting your foot on the gas, or it may do both.

What should the rate of revolutions be on an idling engine?

A properly idling engine should be able to maintain a steady but low rate of revolutions, somewhere in the vicinity of 1,000 RPM. Your tachometer needle should be steady and not jumping around.

Why does my vacuum have a rough idle?

Leaks in these hoses and in other parts of the vacuum system can be another cause of a rough idle, often because of a lean air-fuel mixture from excess air entering the system.

What causes a car idle to be unbalanced?

Since a smooth idle depends on just the right mixture of fuel and air, there can be many possible places where that combination is getting unbalanced. Some of these causes can be simple, and some can be complicated.

Author Image
Ruth Doyle