MadDuck

GSL-SE Idle is suddenly inconsistent

I've had this GSL-SE since December. I drove it all winter in extremely cold temps, 0 F, etc. I never had any sort of idle problem with it at all. Now, as of about 2 weeks ago, the idle has become very inconsistent. It varies between the following:

a. Completely perfect, about 70% of the time
b. Won't idle at all, have to feather the pedal to keep it from stalling, about 25% of the time
c. Surging, about 5% of the time.

Couple details:
0. It seems to idle a bit better once the car has warmed up some. Not always tho...
1. My commute is extremely short. I work about 4.5 miles from my home, and I'd be lucky to break 45 MPH for 1 mile. I go home for lunch every day so that makes it about 20 miles a day, 5 days a week.
2. Coincidentally? last Sunday, 2 weeks ago, I dumped 1/2 pint of Sea Foam in about 1/3 tank of gas in the car. The idle problems have definately seemed to coinincide with that... but I'm not sure why Sea Foam would cause the problem.
3. After the Sea Foam I ran the tank nearly empty then broke the bank filling it back up completely with premium fuel. That fill up still has 1/2 tank to go.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I know "my idle sucks" thread abound in this forum, and I did search. I even followed the excellent write-up on GSL-SE idle problems and remove, cleaned, and lubed my ACV/BAC.

Very best regards, Jon
Ann Arbor Michigan

ratboy

iTrader: (1)

If you went thru this whole link
http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/firs...gslseIdle.html
then start looking for vaccum leaks. I had similar problems with my SE and cleaning the ACV/BAC didnt do squat for me. Adjusting the TPS helped a little but after poking around I found several loose and brittle vaccum hoses. Im getting ready to just replace them all when I do the pulsation dampener mod.

rolfs_7

does it have any problems under accel?? i just recently had 2 change my fuel filter and then i got a carbed filter and my injectors were clogged so then i had 2 get another filter and clean the injectors. i have crap in my tank so when i put seafoam in it eats the crap off the tank and sends it into the fuel system....i still think seafoam is great tho. o yeah last week i must have hit a bump or somthing because i could rev past 3500-4500 cuz the fusible link for the computer i believe came out so check that. get a can of carb cleaner or somthin and spray around 2 check for leaks in the intake or on vac lines. update us asap

rotaxrave

its probably the throttle position sensor. Unless the sea foam comromised your oil seals... But idk about that stuff I use Marvel Mystery Oil

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

Start with the trouble shooting flow chart in the FSM, follow it step by step. The Seafoam may have loosened some debris in the fuel system and it may be sticking in one of your injectors. There are a good many items that can cause poor idle, that's where the FSM comes in handy to narrow the problem down.

It's very doubtful that removing the carbon around the oil seals would cause an idle problem, unless there is a considerable amount of oil now bypassing the oil seals and fouling the plugs. If that were the case, it would be accompanied by oil smoke out the exhaust.

First thing I would do is remove and inspect the spark plugs. You don't state how many miles are on the engine, nor if the injectors have ever been serviced.

rolfs 7, buy the FI fuel filter. I know they are more expensive, but the carb filter will not withstand the higher FI fuel pressure and stands a good chance of blowing out. The carb filter is also more restrictive than the FI filter and if the filter media fails, guess where the pieces go.

GavinJuice

first burn of that tank of premium and put the cheap **** in. then get it warm and check for bad or loose connections while it's running. hit the ignition parts (plug wires coils ignitors tps bac solenoids). a jiggle here or there might help you find out your problem. also check your AFM door under the air filter isn't sticking, should glide nice and easy and clunk close. the FSM gives you resistances to check and see if it's still good. and of course the tps.

but from everything it sounds like you have a loose connection, or something is sticking. like and injector or the AFM door.

MadDuck

Sounds like great advise guys. Just about what I expected - "go thru the FSM" plus all the relevant pieces in the top-end.

When I had an N/A FC last it had a ECU diagnostic plug under the hood up by the battery. It was green and I was able to put 2 LEDs on it and get flashes when I turned the key on. That was helpful for MAF and TPS errors... does the 13B in the GSL-SE have that?


As far as the fuel filter is concerned: I put a brand new one on in December. When I got the car in December the fuel tank was rotted and leaking gas, so I dropped the tank and renewed it and replace the fuel filter at the same time. So providing the Sea Foam didn't react with the renew, my tank and filter should still be immaculate.

Per the mileage and the injectors: The car has 135 K on the OD with completely unknown past. I scored it from a knuckle head who thought it was a 4 cylinder. He said his "pee-paw" ("Grandpa") had it stored in the garage for years. (Oh YEAH!) and he had only been driving/abusing/neglecting it for 6 months before I bought it from him. I don't know if that is the original 13B in it, but based on the utter stock state under the hood it may very well be. I have never flow tested or cleaned the injectors because the car has run so smooth.

Thanx for all your feedback. I kinda thought another thread in the "my idle sucks" genre might get neglected.

best regards, Jon
Ann Arbor Michigan

rolfs_7

the SE does have an error code type thing but im not sure if what ur talking about will work. i have the error code LED mod or w/e u wanna call it in my car. i like it. trochoid i did buy the FI filter and thats why my car still runs . i would check everything else before the injectors. the injectors are easy to get to. i thought it would be hard but i had them out and back in and running all in just a couple hours if that. just make sure after you take your UIM off that your gasket is still good or just replace it. did you check your plugs to make sure they are good and clean? also make sure your getting spark. but yeah def go over the FSM. if you want the link for the error code LED deal i might have it if not i can search or trochoid might have it?