Performance & Maintenance Engine, forced induction, intakes, exhausts, torque converters, transmissions, etc.

Maintainence Q: bad idle, BAD noises; bad sensor?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-24-06, 07:33 PM
  #1  
RSTSpeed
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
RSTSpeed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question Maintainence Q: bad idle, BAD noises; bad sensor?

So here's the deal...

My car has been idling really low (510-550rpms) since last december. I originally thought I just got some bad gas, but it's obviously last longer than a tank of gas.
It generally idles like this 90% of the time, and only after it's warmed up. After it's warm, if I kill and and then start it back up, like if I go into the grocery or something, the car tries to die then catches itself and settles at a "normal" idle.


The other problem:
My car had to sit for almost two weeks (rear window vandalized, had to save moeny to fix). I fired it up once, after about 9 days or so, just to make sure the battery wasn't dead or anything - ran it for about a minute and it was fine. A couple days later, I fired it up and take it to be fixed, and all hell broke loose. It SOUNDED like the crank was rattling and it wasn't firing on all cylinders, and I could hear the lifters ticking louder than usual. It had oil, albeit a bit low, but plenty. Tried to give it some gas and it sputtered and tried to die.
2 days later, fired right up and ran fine. WHAT THE HELL!?!?!

Oh, somebody told me this could be a sign of my H2O pump going out... that sounds ridiculous to me, but what I don't know never ceases to amaze me .
Old 09-24-06, 07:55 PM
  #2  
IndecentSC
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (3)
 
IndecentSC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CLFL
Posts: 1,594
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I have the same problem right now. i want to find out what it is too..
Old 09-25-06, 10:02 AM
  #3  
RSTSpeed
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
RSTSpeed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I just called a local shop and he said it SOUNDS like it's the idle air control valve. Said it probably just needs cleaning, which is @ $60, but a new unit costs somewhere around $200. Not sure if that's the problem or not, but I'll find out this week.
Old 09-25-06, 10:17 AM
  #4  
Sintari
Rookie
 
Sintari's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: VA
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

IAC's and MAF's go hand in hand. Sounds like your MAF sensor may be going bad as well. Someone else on the forum is having a similar issue. I told him it may be his MAF as well.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
hanime
ES - 1st to 4th Gen (1990-2006)
4
11-02-18 01:37 PM
joeyfett
GS - 2nd Gen (1998-2005)
8
02-06-13 02:43 AM
sc-driver
Performance & Maintenance
7
05-16-10 08:38 PM
luckyone
RX - 1st Gen (1999-2003)
27
06-30-07 05:48 PM
gsfan
GS - 2nd Gen (1998-2005)
7
08-04-05 02:33 PM



Quick Reply: Maintainence Q: bad idle, BAD noises; bad sensor?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:00 PM.