I guess it's my turn to work out a gremlin. The past week or two my car has a fairly rough idle with noticeable deflection in the tachometer needle. In "D" it idles at 600 RPM or so. I've done a base timing test and I see the mark bounce anywhere from 4 degrees BTDC to 12 degrees. It generally stays near 10, like it should. But just as the engine begins to idle rough, the timing mark moves. In other words it's fairly sporadic. While driving, with my foot on the pedal just enough to maintain speed, the car shudders and surges, also with noticeable deflection in the tach needle. It almost feels gutless for a second or two. I thought it was the chip (RPCChip) so I removed it and reset the computer with a battery disconnect and had the same thing. I also popped a code 172 with my Actron scanner in Key on Engine Running. It refers to Heated O2 sensor reading lean condition. But it doesn't specify what bank. It's the only code that comes up (other than EGR codes since it's been disconnected). My mods are in my profile. I am curious if the MAF could be the culprit. I'm looking for any input that could prevent me from paying through the nose to figure out it's a $20 sensor I can replace in my front yard. Help! Thanks.
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Real rough idle and surging
- Thread starter jjmoriset
- Start date
unstoppable
Registered
RE: Real rough idle and surging
Hey, you never called me back to let me know if the code popped back up after you reset the computer.Today I'll be going back to Reno, but my phone works most of the way there and works fine when I get there.call me.
You metal should be there Mon. bye the way.
Hey, you never called me back to let me know if the code popped back up after you reset the computer.Today I'll be going back to Reno, but my phone works most of the way there and works fine when I get there.call me.
You metal should be there Mon. bye the way.
RE: Real rough idle and surging
I haven't checked yet to see if the code remained after resetting the computer. But it is still acting bad. I went to AutoZone yesterday to check on a Throttle Position sensor and an Idle Air Control Valve. They claim I don't have an IACV in my car. I told them they were mistaken and that my manual says there is one and they argued with me. I just wanted to know what the prices were in case it comes down to them being bad. Don't know yet what the problem is. I did put some Marvel Mystery oil in the fuel tank to see if cleaning the internals will work or not.
I haven't checked yet to see if the code remained after resetting the computer. But it is still acting bad. I went to AutoZone yesterday to check on a Throttle Position sensor and an Idle Air Control Valve. They claim I don't have an IACV in my car. I told them they were mistaken and that my manual says there is one and they argued with me. I just wanted to know what the prices were in case it comes down to them being bad. Don't know yet what the problem is. I did put some Marvel Mystery oil in the fuel tank to see if cleaning the internals will work or not.
unstoppable
Registered
RE: Real rough idle and surging
The last time I bought a IACV it was around 40 bucks for a motorcraft one.And a TPS is around 25 bucks at Ford.
Reset the computer and leave the chip out.Drive it for a little bit and then have it scanned with a good scanner like we talked about.I hate just throwing parts at something.
Oh and plan some time to do the IACV it sucks.
The last time I bought a IACV it was around 40 bucks for a motorcraft one.And a TPS is around 25 bucks at Ford.
Reset the computer and leave the chip out.Drive it for a little bit and then have it scanned with a good scanner like we talked about.I hate just throwing parts at something.
Oh and plan some time to do the IACV it sucks.
RE: Real rough idle and surging
The TPS looks like a nightmare too! I took off the air inlet and examined the motor fairly thoroughly. I found no bad hoses anywhere. They're all soft and no cracks, even in the surface. You mentioned on the phone to spray them, but I can't get to them with the air inlet installed and the car won't run with the inlet removed because of the MAF. So I inspected them visually. Also I noticed two items(one on each side of the motor) I thought were the IACV. Are there two of them? They're equally serarated at the back of the motor near the TPS and look similar in shape or style to the FPR but connections are at the bottom of each. What are they?
The TPS looks like a nightmare too! I took off the air inlet and examined the motor fairly thoroughly. I found no bad hoses anywhere. They're all soft and no cracks, even in the surface. You mentioned on the phone to spray them, but I can't get to them with the air inlet installed and the car won't run with the inlet removed because of the MAF. So I inspected them visually. Also I noticed two items(one on each side of the motor) I thought were the IACV. Are there two of them? They're equally serarated at the back of the motor near the TPS and look similar in shape or style to the FPR but connections are at the bottom of each. What are they?
RE: Real rough idle and surging
Don't have any starting fluid right now so I'll have to check for vacuum leaks later. I do have a complete crack in the air inlet tube near the inlet air temp sensor mount. I put super glue in it to seal it but I'm not sure. Got my fuel pressure tester out and got 38 psi at KOEO. Then I got 36 psi at idle with no fluctuation. It did got up to 40 psi when moving the pedal and then it gradually decresed to 36psi back to idle. I still am thinking the O2 sensor might have crapped out. Ran outta time to check it tonite.
Does anyone make a new metal or carbon fiber/ fiberglass inlet tube to replace my current one? I'm going to need to replace it eventually. If so does it have the inlet air temp location in it?
Don't have any starting fluid right now so I'll have to check for vacuum leaks later. I do have a complete crack in the air inlet tube near the inlet air temp sensor mount. I put super glue in it to seal it but I'm not sure. Got my fuel pressure tester out and got 38 psi at KOEO. Then I got 36 psi at idle with no fluctuation. It did got up to 40 psi when moving the pedal and then it gradually decresed to 36psi back to idle. I still am thinking the O2 sensor might have crapped out. Ran outta time to check it tonite.
Does anyone make a new metal or carbon fiber/ fiberglass inlet tube to replace my current one? I'm going to need to replace it eventually. If so does it have the inlet air temp location in it?
RE: Real rough idle and surging
Next update, R squared the Oxygen sensors finally (under warranty) and the idle evened out and revved nice. Haven't had the time to put it on the road yet. Cleared the computer and got only my EGR codes. Now I need to send the chip in to Dennis again and see if he can fix the tranny file in my program. It has no defined shift points. They were crisp the first time, but had to send it back for not having the EGR cancel in the program. Now that works, but the shift improvements disappeared. So i'm gonna see if he can correct that. I just wanted to work out all my bugs before I said it was the chip. (Keeping my fingers crossed) I just hope this fixed my rough idle and stumbling.
Next update, R squared the Oxygen sensors finally (under warranty) and the idle evened out and revved nice. Haven't had the time to put it on the road yet. Cleared the computer and got only my EGR codes. Now I need to send the chip in to Dennis again and see if he can fix the tranny file in my program. It has no defined shift points. They were crisp the first time, but had to send it back for not having the EGR cancel in the program. Now that works, but the shift improvements disappeared. So i'm gonna see if he can correct that. I just wanted to work out all my bugs before I said it was the chip. (Keeping my fingers crossed) I just hope this fixed my rough idle and stumbling.