Odd Idle
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 154
Likes: 1
From: Gravette Arkansas
Odd Idle
Heres the deal...
Vette starts fine, no problems at all. Once running, however, the idle starts jumping all over the place between 500 and 1000 rpm. Secondly, the car is running extremely rich. When the engine is revved, once you let off the gas the engine backfires. You can smell it in the car too.
But thats not all...
Gas mileage is way down too.
I'm gussing it has to be fuel delivery. Perhaps clogged fuel filter? Possibly a bad O2 sensor?
Just wanted to get you guys' input before diagnosing to see if anyone has had a similar problem. Any suggestions?
Vette starts fine, no problems at all. Once running, however, the idle starts jumping all over the place between 500 and 1000 rpm. Secondly, the car is running extremely rich. When the engine is revved, once you let off the gas the engine backfires. You can smell it in the car too.
But thats not all...
Gas mileage is way down too.
I'm gussing it has to be fuel delivery. Perhaps clogged fuel filter? Possibly a bad O2 sensor?
Just wanted to get you guys' input before diagnosing to see if anyone has had a similar problem. Any suggestions?
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,212
Likes: 10
From: Sun City West Az
The O2(s) don't come into play until the ECM goes closed loop. If the symptoms are ocurring in open loop it could be several things. Any codes? The CTS, injecotrs, canister purging @ idle etc. Your going to have to trouble shoot it. I'd start with fp guage and a scanner to see whats going on.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 96,443
Likes: 9
From: Fort Knox, KY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
What year? Your IAC pintle could be clogged, too. But I agree with ittlfly. Best to troubleshoot first with a fuel pressure guage and work your way out.
Pro
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
From: Oslo, Norway
Hi.
It sounds like vacuum leak. Check the vacuum hoses and tubes. Then check the areas around the runners where they enter the manifold and plenum. That is easy to do. Take start gas or propane and "spray" it overthe area and see if the rpm increases immediately afterwards. I had that and the same symptom as you.
It sounds like vacuum leak. Check the vacuum hoses and tubes. Then check the areas around the runners where they enter the manifold and plenum. That is easy to do. Take start gas or propane and "spray" it overthe area and see if the rpm increases immediately afterwards. I had that and the same symptom as you.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 154
Likes: 1
From: Gravette Arkansas
Sorry guys...
To answer as many of the questions I can....
Not sure why my sig didn't post. It's an 89.
I changed the fuel filter about 4 years ago but the car was in storage for about 2 of those.
Oh yeah, one last thing I forgot to include...
When driving down the road, under moderate throttle, it "hiccups" and by that it's like it almost cuts out. Going to take a look at the vac lines this weekend. Lets hope it's nothing major!
To answer as many of the questions I can....
Not sure why my sig didn't post. It's an 89.
I changed the fuel filter about 4 years ago but the car was in storage for about 2 of those.
Oh yeah, one last thing I forgot to include...
When driving down the road, under moderate throttle, it "hiccups" and by that it's like it almost cuts out. Going to take a look at the vac lines this weekend. Lets hope it's nothing major!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 89
Likes: 1
From: ca
I don't like "It sounds like my..." trouble shooting, BUT. My M.A.F. sensor went out and it had every symptom including the backfire that you mentioned. Easy check. Pull the plug off and restart the engine. The computer will use a default setting from its memory and it will run better if that is the problem.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 154
Likes: 1
From: Gravette Arkansas
Originally Posted by RichardJ
I don't like "It sounds like my..." trouble shooting, BUT. My M.A.F. sensor went out and it had every symptom including the backfire that you mentioned. Easy check. Pull the plug off and restart the engine. The computer will use a default setting from its memory and it will run better if that is the problem.
**New development: The voltage is down around 11.4 when running. Happened all of a sudden Friday night. I have changed out two alternators in the past 6 months and 1 battery. Sound like a parasitic drain to anyone else. Could this be causing my trouble somehow?