Our cars are known to do strange things from time to time but this past Monday something very odd happened:

On Monday it was cold, very cold, 15 degree cold and windy. So I decide to drive my 7 that day. I typically only take her out once or twice a week. I go outside start her up and then go back in. I return about 5 mintues later to find that it is warmed up but the idle is at 2k. WTF. I tap the gas a couple times and still it climbs back up to 2k. At this point I said screw it, cut the engine and take my DD (95 Altima) to work.

Yesterday was warmer so I decided to try and tackle the high idle issue. I start the car up, let it warm up but now the idle is back down to 800. What? So then I drive around a little and everything is fine. Well except for my boost issue (work in progress) but thats another story.

So whats the point to this story? I guess it may be more of a question, could it be that the cold weather that day just didn't agree with my car? Anybody else ever have this issue or better yet anyone know why this happened?

 

Check your TPS.

 

Didn't think of that. Thanks. What do you think may have happened with it?

 

Do FD's have thermo wax?........ forgot if they did or not but i think they do.

you bac could be doing that too (stuck open)

 

Everyone that has high idle problems ussually traces it to the TPS. on www.robrobinette.com there's a how-to on adjusting it.

 

I've seen more vac leaks cause high idle than a tps.

the map system is pretty good about it but still can make a difference.

 

It could also be the thermowax never kicked down since the throttle wasn't operated, it was just sitting there. The thermowax may have stuck slightly.

May not also have had enough time for the thermowax to fully warm up and extend. I've had cases where after my 15 minute drive to work the idle is still a little high from the thermowax if it's 30-40 deg. outside.

Regardless, I don't think it's something major.

Dale

 

that's what i was thinking............ the fast idle cam on the thermo wax could possibly be sticking.

not a big deal.

 

Thanks guys for the info and suggestions.

 

augh... i wish i would have known to search for thermo wax a while ago. about three weeks ago, i started having this exact same issue. I've made two or three posts about it now beceause i couldn't find a difinitive answer.

darkness, did you ever figure anything out or did you just say "c'est la vie" and let it be?

 

My car has been doing exactly the same thing. It's my DD so it's been doing that all winter. Everything has to warm up COMPLETELY for it to go away...not just the water temp. Once the throttle body and everything connected to it get up to normal operating temp it will go away...hence the normal idle on a warmer day.

I think it's the thermo wax thingie, too, but i just haven't felt like messing with it yet. I'll wait until it gets warmer. (Of course by then it won't be doing it and i'll probably forget all about it. )