my car idles rough after five yrs of working on it

resmn12

Registered User
hey i just got my car running after 5 yrs of working on it. i know it is a long time but i have not had much time to work on it but it runs now but it idles rough and when i give it gas it smooths out and runs smooth do any of you guys have any ideas about what it could be? i havev new plugs and wires. rebiult motor bored .30 over and a small exhaust leak which will be fixed tomorrow. i am going to pull the codes tomorrow and see what i get but if you guys know something i should try plz let me know. i have waited for this day for 5 yrs now :D and i am going to take it easy the first few miles then i am going to rip on it just once to see what it will do i hope every thing is ok if not i will find out fast lol well if you guys can help out on my idle problem it would help me out alot thanks
 
hell i hope not they are new i just put them in a yr ago and this is the first time they have had any real use other then holding the motor in the car. if they are junk i will be getting me a new set at fords cost. because there is no reason they should have gone bad just setting there doing nothing. i think maybe it is a plug fouled or a loose wire.
 
Well

You are on the right track far as running codes...If you have a scanner it will make it alot easier of course...I would guess that if it is idle related it may be the IAC, BUT..The TPS is can be nasty at start up and idle as well as acceleration...I had a bad TPS and the car was OK up in the revs at cruise speed down the hwy. but the power was just not there....AND the cruise control was all crazy as well...Hope that helps out...If you think it is a toss up the TPS is alot less money...IAC ussually does not affect the cars performance though, just idle problems in my case anyways....TPS did it all to me though...

Cheers
 
Old school

Check all vaccuum lines do you have old gas in the tank after five years. The gas filter may be rotten on the in side,and the filter comming apart this happened to me . Plug wires loose broken, maybe just drive it easy for a while. My SC is not a daily driver and after it`s not driven all winter it runs rough for a short time. Pete
 
It might just need more time/miles to re-learn it's idle. Whenever I remove my battery cable, it takes about 30-40 miles of normal driving to straighten the idle out.

It wouldn't hurt to clean the MAF sensor wires with some carb cleaner either.

David
 
this morning i started it and it toke me some time to get it started then i shut it off and fixed some things that was leaking on the cooling system. I pulled the codes and got a 21 and 24. one is the ACT sensor and the other is the ECT sensor. then i tried to start it again and it would not start it was about 40 degs. today so i thought it would run fine but nothing. so i unhooked the fuel cut off and it wanted to fire off but it would stumble and die so i thought it was needing fuel so i hooked it back up and tryed it again and nothing. I let it set most of the day and tried it again still nothing. would the ACT cause it to run once and idle rough and then the next time cause it to not run at all. I am picking the sensors up tomorrow and change them. I will also get a new fuel filter and replace it again just in case. I put some fuel injection cleaner in the tank yesterday so it would mix in with the gas and be able to get up in the system today when i started it but it wont run so it did not help much. I am getting good spark and good fuel pressure so it is not that. what does an IAC sensor cost? I am thinking of replacing that too. if i cant get it running again i will be asking for more help so be prepared for more questions. would the maf cause it not to start or just idle rough. i cleaned the maf once so i dont think it is bad because it did not give me a code for that.
 
When the cam sensor is off by 180 degrees, the result is much like you described. I got mine started (took two batteries) finally and after I got it to clear out and run, it would simply idle rough. It ran ok and idled, but the idle was rough and it seemed to be loading up some. After getting the car fully up to operating temperature and then shutting it off, it would not restart.

Your codes could easily be just the result of your attempts to start the car. Clear the codes and see if they come back.
 
hey xr7 dave
i have mine set at 26deg aftdc on comperession and set my cam sensor by the book. i have done the many times so i know mine is set right. i have cleared codes and i get the same ones over and over. so i bought all new sensors and a new fuel filter i will replace these sunday and try it again i think it will start ok i hope if not i am all out of parts to change and also on my last nerve working on this car. but i cant give up on it because it is so close to getting back on the road. i am just sick of working on this car i have spent tons of money and time on this car and never even touched the body yet or even the interior. after i get it running and get to drive it some i will have to take it apart to finish my powder coating. if anybody knows about rebuilding superchargers would you send me a parts list and prices on parts needed for that job. and maybe so instructions or a diagram on where everything goes. i am going all this myself how hard will it be to do. it dont look to hard to do. any help on any of this would be nice. thanks guys
 
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