Idle Problem

Problem is the idle is bouncy, sometimes for a few seconds it will hold at about 750.....then it may go high, bounce down low and go back up.....now it is very minor, and no one in my car has ever noticed anything, none of my car guy friends so its something that just bothers me because its my car......i know everyone know how i feel so help guys


first thing is ignition, what do you guys think would cause this??

second do you think it could be a clogged fuel filter, i changed it maybe 8 or 9 months ago........so i sorta want to rule that out......

fuel injectors, do you think they could be clogged and maybe a major cleaning service done on them would fix it??

also I have heard the o2 sensor may be bad??

Id like to know if theres anything else to add, as to what could be wrong, and what order I should go in on replacing things, and also dont be afraid to list the worst conditions whatever they may be......

[alero168]

how many miles do you have? have you tried one of those fuel system cleaners or fuel injection cleaners? oldsman suggested i try this on my car and i swear it idles much better, and comes to a lower rpm after start her much faster too just a fast and cheap suggestion

[ptrudel]

start with a cleaning like 168 said...if that don't work, check the filter, it probably won't be the o2 sensor cuz those send a code and ur SES light would be on...if that don't work, then it's ignition

[jamcllw]

Did you remove your MAF screen?

I have had the same problem with my 01 Alero. It started at about 32,000 miles, took it in and was told nothing was wrong with it because the computer reading didn't show anything. Since then it has only gotten worse idling up and down almost stalling at times. I have tried just about everything mentioned in above messages. Now I have several lights lit up on my dash and the computer reads there is something wrong within the computer system. I have to go to a GM dealer and have them break it down for me I guess. I don't know much about cars but am concerned about having problems with the computer system in my 01 already. Will get back to you all when I take my car in again.

Well Yes I have put in the additives but its always been the stp cheap ones should I spring for the more expensive like ten dollar one, I heard to run a tank full of the expensive gas and the fuel cleaner and I thought it helped but then it came back. I havent removed the maf screen or anything like that.

so no one recomends going to a shop and having them do their clean thing??

It really isnt that bad, 1/2 the time I forget about it, and when the stereos even 1/2 way up you cant notice........but its just something that bothers me.........so whats the first thing I should do.....

o and the fuel filter was replaced prolly 7 months ago........they last longer then that realistically right??

[ptrudel]

o and the fuel filter was replaced prolly 7 months ago........they last longer then that realistically right??

mine lasted 6 months <_< ...all depends where u get ur gas man...i got unlucky and got really bad gas in the tank...

the same thing happened to me and it was caused by a miss fire from one of my spark plugs. i have that checked first.

justin

[Cyber Knight]

I think I have the same problem too. I replaced my plugs, that didn't help. Shops will do fuel system cleanings for around $150. When my 1st car had this problem I got the $20 injector cleaner, it does 5 treatments, so for the next 5 tanks of gas I added a shot of this stuff and it cleaned it out perfectly, ran a lot better, the idle was back to perfect. I'm gonna pick up some of that stuff again, can't remember the name of it tho, it was a funky shaped bottle.

[King Asoka]

^let us know what the stuff is called, if and when u remember.

[Cyber Knight]

I will for sure, I'll know it when I see it.

[freeze12]

Buy a can of Throttle Body cleaner & pull the intake hose off the Throttlebody & look inside the TB. You will see a hole in it where the Idle Air Control Valve sits. With motor running & giving it gas shoot the TB Cleaner in that hole as the Idle Air control Valve is carboned up. If You want You can also remove the Idle Air control valve & clean it & the TB.

I guess I will give the fuel filter a check even though I dont really like working with gas lol........yea and make sure you post what kind it was, and the fuel services are a lot cheaper over here...like 50 bucks.....and I just changed my spark plugs and it was no change(a little better gas mileage, and picked up a lil low end torque but idle stayed the same).......

I gave the fuel filter a go, and i did pick up a lil robbed horsepower, especially in the low rpms but did not help the idle, i bought a lil more expensive fuel additive and put that in so I will let you guys know in a few days how that works out, let me know what the next step would be.........

[Redog]

Sounds like a sensor. That's the PIA about cars today. If the PCM wants to act up, it will.

As for the fuel cleaner, I just put some in last week. My car wasn't giving me problems except it was feeling a little sluggish. I put the stuff in, then put a full tank of gas in, and wow!! I felt a big jump right from the start. If I push the throttle about 1/2 way, I can spin them up a bit.

I reseached it on the net first, since I was leary about doing this (had a problem with the old car) and found that "Gumout" is the best.

MAx Formula clear bottle, follow the directions on bottle

[FormulaNERD]

Originally posted by jamcllw@Jun 10 2004, 12:54 PM
Did you remove your MAF screen?

mine does this too (sometimes) and yes i removed the MAF screen... i'm assuming you had something to add about that since you asked? curious on what it was.

[bdyman]

i dunno but gin to give it a shot, i say break it down with a scan tool, the scan tool will go over almost every sensor on the car
check the throttle postion sensor
if ya need everything with the gas,spark plugs so on and so forth, if ya know someone with a scan tool take the time and read all the sensor`s with it

[bdyman]

oh sometimes the iat sensor will cause a bad idel as well

I just changed all the spark plugs, so maybe ill give changing the plug wires a try, ill check the iat sensor, to make sure the connection looks alright, if the idle feels even a little bit better with this additive im goig to concentrate on the fuel system whether the injectors need to be blow through, or maybe a new regulator.......

[freeze12]

Man....You like wasting money$$$$...do what I said in My previous post TB cleaner is less than $3.00!