Funky Idle problem on an -SE
 

Okay comming up on my list of things to fix on Elanore (my '85 GSL-SE) is to try and nail a really strange idle problem. My car normally idles around 1500, but sometimes, (especially when she's running warm, but not always) I get this weird fluctuating idle that revs up to like 3k then drops to like 6-700 back and forth. Driving her hard a bit sometimes seems to fix it temporarily, but not always. I haven't been able to find a vacum leak yet, but I was wondering is anyone has an idea what it might be...

Thanks guys (and girls)...

First of all, 1500rpm cold idle right? After warm-up, it should be 800. Everyone who has owned an SE has had surging. It just took me forever to iron it out. Seems to be more than one reason for it. TPS out of adjustment, instant surging. Throttle plates sticking, voila, surging. Vacuum leak, ditto.

Yeah, it's 1500 cold, but it's hard to get a good read on the warm idle, due to the surging... but it used to ide around 900 before the surging started. The thing that make me wonder is that it's been getting steadily worse over the last 6 months. I don't think the TPS or throttle plates would have that effect...
Besides which I know it's not the throttle plates, and like I said, I haven't been able to find a vacuum leak but it's possible. Any ideas WHERE the leak might be? There's gotta be a hundred or so vacuum hoses in there.

I'll check on the TPS tommorow tho, just to be safe...

When mine had "the surge" I cleaned the linkage around the TPS and lubed it. Voila! Surge be gone! :D

Thanks GSL-SE... sounds like it might be my BAC or throttle body 'cause my TPS is fine:)

For what it's worth, I had an 85 SE with a mild surge problem (150-200 rpm fluctuation). I had to take the manifold off to remove the injectors. When I replaced the injectors and replaced the manifold gasket with a new one, my surge was gone. I'm sure it was surging because of a small leak in the gasket. Spraying starter fluid didn't point in that direction, though.