apprenticeb

I have no reference point as my vette needed a rebuild on the engine when I got it. The engine has headers, good exhaust, and zz4 alum intake, otherwise stock. The engine and trans mounts were replaced when the engine rebuilt.

The oldest car I have had before the vette was an 88 rx-7, which was very smooth when running. It seems rough at idle to me but it never dies, even idling as low as 500-600rpm. The plugs show good mixture on the slightly rich side.It smooths out at about 1500rpm.

Is there any suggestions on how the car should idle? right now there is enough vibration that the steering wheel noticably shakes and the side mirrors shake enough to make it hard to focus on the image in the reflection.

Hope this rambling makes sense and any help is appreciated.
nick

Blackflag

Your golden till it stalls. If your RX-7 was anything like my padre's, it was a very smooth idle, no shaking. Older american cars all shake, and sure you can help that a little by giving it a good tune up, but what sounds cooler than a car with an extreme cam in it? Since you say the engine is stock you may want to make sure your mirrors are tight, and then give it a quick timing check.

CGGorman

Idle speed should be somewhere in the 650 range for an auto in drive or 800-ish for a manual in neutral.

adjust mixture screws for smoothest idle.

marshrat99

with the above. Check timing and idle mixture. My bet is that the timing is too retarded. Check for a vacuum leak before resetting timing.

Jughead

The idle is too rough when your tooth fillings start falling out at idle or a concussion ensues. I'm almost there.

Surfer69

Sometimes a bad idle could be a sign an engine is out of balance, especially if there is no rad cam in it.

MartyW

Looks like a new avatar for Jughead today. I kinda liked good ole Marv.

Jughead

Thanks, Marv got voted off the Island.

MartyW

Well now you look like Hillbilly Gandolf

Little Mouse

If your car can idle below 1200 rpm there is something wrong with it.

apprenticeb

thanks for the responses...the timing and vacs all check out...sounds like I just am not used to a 30yr old car.

nick

stingr69

I can't get my 30-30 cammed engine to idle below 950.

-Mark.