Rough Idle

[weaverms]

Need help from anyone who can give it. I've just returned to VA from, shall we say a warmer place, and couldn't wait to drive the SC. Even had the wife start it up and drive it for me every once in a while while I was gone. Drove it to work on Monday with no problems. This morning as I was leaving, she started up just fine, and I pulled off. I was only maybe 50 yards down the street, when she stalled out. Threw it in neutral and attempted to start her up with no luck. Pulled over, put her in park, and after several attempts she started and was idling extremely rough. Decided to go ahead and drive her back to the house. I looked her over this evening and didn't see any visual damage anywhere, and fluids were fine. Started her up again with the same result, very rough idle. I'm only a beginner and you guys are the experts so any opinions? Beverage of your choice available to the winner!


BTW Keith, I no longer live in Buckner Farms. Before I left, brought the wife and kids up and moved over on Ewing Place in Salem Lakes.

[rickbtbird]

Need help from anyone who can give it. I've just returned to VA from, shall we say a warmer place, and couldn't wait to drive the SC. Even had the wife start it up and drive it for me every once in a while while I was gone. Drove it to work on Monday with no problems. This morning as I was leaving, she started up just fine, and I pulled off. I was only maybe 50 yards down the street, when she stalled out. Threw it in neutral and attempted to start her up with no luck. Pulled over, put her in park, and after several attempts she started and was idling extremely rough. Decided to go ahead and drive her back to the house. I looked her over this evening and didn't see any visual damage anywhere, and fluids were fine. Started her up again with the same result, very rough idle. I'm only a beginner and you guys are the experts so any opinions? Beverage of your choice available to the winner!


BTW Keith, I no longer live in Buckner Farms. Before I left, brought the wife and kids up and moved over on Ewing Place in Salem Lakes.

Who gased it up last?

[frdlvr30]

Is it misfiring or just idling rough? Does it smooth out at higher rpm? Or is it a dead miss? Any engine noise? Dave

[frdlvr30]

Year? ?/??

[weaverms]

Year? ?/??

Actually I was the one who gassed it up and it was Monday afternoon. I even double checked the receipt thinking I maybe used the wrong gas not thinking, but I put premium in the tank. It's a 93, and it sounds like it's missing completely and misfiring, and hardly accelerates at all. Engine sounds real bad as well and shaking pretty violently in the compartment.

[nickleman60]

didn't you just do something with the harmonic balancer? if so check it and make sure everything is ok. check for any loose vacuum hoses and check i/c tubes and sc top for leaks.

[frdlvr30]

You need to run both KOEO and KOER tests and see what codes you get...

[rickbtbird]

Actually I was the one who gassed it up and it was Monday afternoon. I even double checked the receipt thinking I maybe used the wrong gas not thinking, but I put premium in the tank. It's a 93, and it sounds like it's missing completely and misfiring, and hardly accelerates at all. Engine sounds real bad as well and shaking pretty violently in the compartment.
Personally I'd start by pulling your plugs and see if they're fouled out and check for vacuum leaks on your intake system.

Last summer (2005) my 90sc had the exact same problem right after I added a 10% blower pulley. On my way to work the next day it started to misfire and shake. I could never isolate it to any one thing but I did find a few vacuum leaks. No codes came out of the diagnostics either. I ended up rebuilt the entire upper intake system with new gaskets and o-rings around the injectors along with new plugs and wires. When I got it all back together it worked fine. It's been 18 months and no problems.

[frdlvr30]

A professional would CHECK CODES FIRST...

[weaverms]

Yeah John had come over and helped me to replace the harmonic balancer back in June(?), but I never had any more problems after that. I'll check again this weekend, by the time I get home from work it's already dark and the little one year old won't give me a break to go work on my other baby! I'll check the codes to see what happens and pull the plugs as well to eliminate that part of the equation, as well as all the tubes and hoses. Anything else?

[weaverms]

Thanks to Dave and Keith for coming over and trying to help fix the Bird, but unfortunately the problem is not electrical, it's a mechanical one. Possibly the engine not holding oil pressure. So therefore, does anyone know a good place to go that knows our cars fairly well?