Idle Problem. Please Help.

[Will'sBimmer]

You will love them!! I love mine. Very comfortable and stylish. You will have to post pics of them once installed in your car. Anytime I can help you think of something to buy just let me know. I want so much but just don't have enough money.

[95EurOLoVin318ti]

nope my car idles wicked messed up too it almost boggs out sometimes does i need new plugs i have no lisence i cant driv eit soo i just run it for a lil around my block it sucks badi think i need a new car tooo but ill never abandon it project car now

[Will'sBimmer]

Well if you read my thread. I had to replace the Idle Control Valve, and Crankcase Vent Valve. You need to pop the hood and listen to the crankcase vent valve. Have some give it some gas while you listen to it. If it is hissing loud at you, then it is no good. Another way to check it would be to take it off and look at the under side. You can see if it is broken. How does the car idle when you are at a stop? How does it idle when you put it in neutral and are coming to stop? does it jump around and stay high? Or does it go low, and then finally idle around 700-800? Could be your AFM also. You can unplug it while the car is running. If it seems to run about the same or even better, then that is your problem.

[iking3i]

Will you my friend have explained exactly what ive been needing to hear.. Im going to explain what is wrong with my car, and please help me out if you guys have any input.

My car had a horrible idle and terrible misfire.. I replaced the Camshaft sensor becuase it was bad.. Fixed the misfire and the idle.. It idled like new! wonderful! Well 2 days later, my car would idle normally, then after a period of 5 mins or more, it would start to bounce the idle.. It would drop so low to either almost stall, or actually stall the car. If it didnt stall, it would bounce up to about 1500RPM - 2000RPMs..Thats how it starts.. i come up to a light and wait for a min or 2, the high stays high as it drops down, it then starts to bounce. When it drops low, i see dark smoke out of my pipe.. i smell it pretty bad sometimes..

I went to autozone and i got a CEL read. 2 things came up.. MAF malfunction and O2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1 which is precat, correct me if im wrong please.

I have checked my hoses, and i replaced hose # 13 in that diagram going to the CCV. That hose was very gummy and i believe it wasnt flowing right. When i connected the new hose, the CCV was hissing like its never been turned on before.

Now while it sits in my drive way and i start the car to warm it up, after a period of 10 mins of idle, it doenst bounce, it just shuts straight off..

What input do you have for me?

[Will'sBimmer]

I would look into the Crankcase Vent Valve. If it is hissing then that could be a problem. It has two allen or torque screws on the underside of it. Take it off and give it a look and see if you can see anything broken or anything that may not be right.

[cooljess76]

Couple things. You probablly have a clogged CCV. This part usually can't simply be cleaned as it's made out of brittle plastic and once removed, it usually falls apart in your hand. The primary symptom of a bad CCV is irratic idle and a hissing sound coming from the CCV itself. Second, If the code was for a faulty MAF, did you replace it or at least swap it with a known good one to troubleshoot it? Sometimes MAF's can be cleaned, but take note that they're very delicate and can be easily damaged. Most auto parts stores sell MAF cleaner in their chemical section. You can also use a Qtip and a little alcohol, but be very gentle. Inspect the sensor carefully for broken electrical connections, damaged/melted film, debris etc. And finally, check your intake boot. Sometimes they crack in between the creases and you can't see it. Remove and inspect it. It should be soft and pliable. If it's dry, hard and cracked, it's time to replace it. The best way to check it, besides visually inspecting it, is to take a can of brake cleaner and spray it directly and all around it including all of the adjacent vacuum lines and connections. Do this while the engine is idling and take special note if you hear any fluctuations in the idle. If you hear the idle change/rev, wait a few seconds and spray that area again. If you hear the fluctuations start to repeat themselves, then you've located your leak.

[iking3i]

Cooljess, thanks for your input.. I forgot to mention that i did replace all my boots about a year ago, so they are still intact and comeplete.

I will try to clean my MAF and also buy some brake cleaner so check for leaks.. When i replaced my Camshaft sensor, i took a look at aas many hoses as possible, and most looked good, but im pretty sure the brake cleaner will find the tiny cracks..

So you recommend taking out my CCV and cleaning it? is there anything special to clean it with and would i need to replace any tiny parts on it? I certainly can hear a hiss coming from it..

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by iking3i

Cooljess, thanks for your input.. I forgot to mention that i did replace all my boots about a year ago, so they are still intact and comeplete.

I will try to clean my MAF and also buy some brake cleaner so check for leaks.. When i replaced my Camshaft sensor, i took a look at aas many hoses as possible, and most looked good, but im pretty sure the brake cleaner will find the tiny cracks..

So you recommend taking out my CCV and cleaning it? is there anything special to clean it with and would i need to replace any tiny parts on it? I certainly can hear a hiss coming from it..

If you hear a hiss, it's bad. Honestly, I've never heard of anyone successfully cleaning it because they're so fragile they always break. You should replace it, IIRC, it's a pretty cheap part.

[iking3i]

what the difference frmo the PCV to the CCV??

[6speed ti]

Any vacuum leak will affect the idle. You may have more than one problem. Repair the obvious. Once you eliminate all vacuum leaks the next thing to check is the Idle control actuator. It is a rotary vane type and mine failed miserably. Remove the connector and clean it up with contact cleaner. Then remove the idle actuator and see if it has carbon build up on it and also check to make sure it rotates freely. Then carefully inspect the outer housing of the actuator for any hairline cracks. This will suck in air and affect your idle. My actuator had carbon build up as well as two hairline cracks that I found by spraying brake parts cleaner on it while it was running. You can literally see the fluid get sucked in. I did a temporary fix by sealing the housing with JB weld until I replaced it. ($145) OUCH! That solved my idle problem.