help with Idle please
 

hey all, I need some help... Again. so I went out driving and my car ran fine, untill I got off the freeway. when I got off and came to a stop my car diled at 100 rpm, no I didnt typo, 100 rpm. The car backfires badly during deceleration, and untill 4000 rpm or so the acceleration is pretty slow, and surges. I thought the fuel filter might be the problem, so I changed that and no go, I checked my plugs, and though they are only 6 months old, almost 6000 miles (I know I needed to change them anyway, and will in the morning) they have rust on the threads, and are fouled, is this common? The rust I mean? I didnt think it was, but the first time I changed them (when I bought the car) they were the same. any advice as to why the plugs rust like that, and what the problem might be with my idle is appreciated.

It is an '82 gsl, 12a stock but with a magnaflow muffler, and new cat.

thanks in advance,

me

So many possibilities..... I am sorry to say it but you should check the FAQ page. There are alot of good links as well as info on just that particular problem. I wish I could be more specific on a solution, but there are several checks you can do, read the FAQ page and you will get a good idea of where to start.

Sounds to me like you might have lost your lead ignition (coil or ignitor).

I agree with you Kentetsu.

ok, those two sound like a good place to start. I am a complete noob however I learn quick, so could someone tell me how to check my coil first, and then myt ignitor if that isn't the problem. again, many thanks.

Quickest way to test ignitor: swap leading and trailing ignitors. The little black boxes on the side of the dizzy. Swap 'em and give it a test drive.

^^^ Bad idea you won't even get out of the driveway... If you swap them and one is bad your fuel pump cuts out.... Easier way, take a timing light to the plug wires and see if they are getting spark...

Why? he's got an 82, which means there is no fuel pump relay. I think.

Yeah, if you have a timing light just check your lead plugs for spark. If no spark, then I would swap the coils around first, then if that doesn't correct it switch the ignitors around.

Last fall I stopped for gas, and when I left I had your symptoms. I got lucky and checked the coils first, bingo!

Good luck with it.....:)

ok, first what and where is a dizzy? second, which plugs are leading and which are trailing? and third, I am going out to buy a timing light now, how do I use it? sorry, like I said, complete noob with anything that isn't stereo, or alarm related.

dizzy = distributor the ignitors mount on the sides of it top plugs are trailing, bottom are leading... With the timing light you turn the car on, hook up the timing light to battery, clamp the timing light wire thing to a spark plug wire... Then you hold it looking down at the main pulley to fine tune it but you are just making sure there is a spark so you should see it flashing steadily...

dizzy = distributor. Front right of the engine as you face the car. Cylindric. Black. Cables coming out of it into the spark plugs.

Leading plugs = lower plugs. Trailing plugs = upper plugs.

How to use timing light: follow instructions that come with it.

ok, so I changed my plugs, wires, leading and trailing coils, I guess in the morning I will go buy a timing light to test my igniotor, damn expensive thing to need if that is the problem tho.

also, I changed the fuel filter, but I have read in other posts about other filter or screens or some such else in the lines. can anyone explain where I can find the (I believe I read there are 2 of them) and how to clean? also where and how to clean the fuel lines?

thanks for the replies/ help, keep em rolling in please...

Don't even worry about those right now, not too often that they cause problems.

You replaced both of your coils? Did that affect it at all?

If you have a bad ignitor, you can always just swap the trailing ignitor for the lead to get you by for a while. If the trailing ignition is not working, you won't even notice a difference in performance. That's mainly just for emissions.

If you don't already own a timing light, don't worry about getting one. There's a Redneck way to verify spark that will work just fine;

1. Remove front, bottom spark plug from engine.
2. Hook the plug wire back up to it again.
3. Lay the plug on the engine block, but leave about a 1/4 inch clearance between the tip (sparky part) of the plug and the engine block.
4. Have your hound dog turn the key for you while you watch for the spark to jump across that gap. Keep your hands clear of moving parts, because the motor might start up even though you have the plug out.

If there is a spark, then we're on the wrong track here and need to start over. If there is no spark at all, and you have already replaced the coil, then you either have a wiring issue or bad ignitor (my $$$ would be on a bad ignitor).

So.....If that's the case, then remove both of the little black boxes from the side of the distributor (don't mix them up accidentally!) and put them back in opposite positions. Then take it for a drive and grin like an idiot....:) Sometime down the road you can pick up an ignitor cheap on Ebay, or cheaper from a salvage yard. Or better yet, you can look into modifying the system to improve performance and get by even cheaper.

Good luck man. By the way, Anvar420, I see you posted at 420 AM.....Cool..

Hey Kentetsu;
It's great to see a Forum Member try to help one of us in need instead of suggesting
Do A Search!!!
(Good Job On Your Write-Up).
sgieldon
steve

great help, I will check it out and let you all know, as for the 420 thing, well I am in california, and yeah 420 is always a good time....

also, still trying to figure out why my top 2 plugs had rust on the threads, and if this is a bad thing and how to stop it from happening.

oh, and when I switch the 2 plugs like you said to try, my tach stops working. is this normal, or is it an indication that something isnt working?

last thing, if it is my ignitors can I replace them, or do I have to replace the whole distributor?

you mean the ignitors? if so, that's an indicator your leading ignitor, now in the trailing position, is bad.

yeah, I mean seitch the ignitors. so this is a sign my leading ignitor is gone? how can I fix it? do I need to replace the whole distributor?

thanks again all for the help.

You just need to replace the ignitor with a good one. That's all.

Yep, how's it running since you switched them around? Umm, you actually switched them around, and didn't just switch the plugs around, right?

Awe, shucks!
 

Thanks for the kind words man... :p:

I've been at both ends of it before, so I remember what it's like...

uh, no. I just switched the plugs, I need to remove them, and switch the entire thing around? also in the chiltons it says the 929 was the only car to have separate ignitors, if this is right am I missing something? my car is an 82 if this helps...

thanks again, youve been a great help.

nevermind, looked through the VB caalog, and now I see. ok, I will switch them and post tomarrow to let you know...

ok, so I finally got around to removing and switching the ignitors. The idle SEEMS to be better, but the tach does not work now. so this means that one of them is bad right?

also I noticed, and am not sure about this:

just behind the alternator, next to the air filter, on top of the engine are 4 connectors, the first 3 have no vacum lines leaving them, and the last has one attached to and leaving it. my question is this... the second from the front of the car is sucking air, and the first and third do not (not sure of the fourth as it has a hose on it) is this supposed to be the case? if I cover it with my finger the idle seems to drop a little.

thanks again for all the help guys, great info.