Strange idle problem solved after 5 months.

**Stav** · 11-04-2011, 10:01 PM

The wagon has been idling not so great in recent months. I changed the intake manifold it seemed a tad better then again it came .

The actual problem was the car turning off as I went to a stop occasionally and the idle was very rough. No it wasnt my cam but I did suspect an airleak.
Nope could not find anything so... I turned up the idle screw and tuned the cars idle accordingly. It was acceptable but latley it got worse.
I endured it. Today scooting along the streets of Sydney my cars acceleration went erratic..then the temperature warning light wnet off .I pulled over and thoughts of a lunched engine crossed my mind. The water resovoir was empty.Luckily I had a car full of tools as I do and water bottle. I used a tap in a front yard to fill it slowly and then water came out of the intake manifold side.
On investigation I had found it was a tiny water hose that runs under the manifold around 15 cm long.Had a lovely old split in it. Ironically at the point of the split sat a spark plug lead. The coil pack was wet. I was quite luck as it happend close to wreckng yards so I replaced the hose and refilled it.
Now it idles far smoother and stronger.Alot less lumpy. The car shows no sign of stalling.
I have read many times of similar idle problems with the au .I guess perhaps if you do have this issue then it would pay to check those hoses in case they do leak onto the coilpack...

**Mechan1k** · 12-04-2011, 08:45 AM

Good thing you found it before it killed your coil pack as well.
Hopefully it continues to run smoothly.

Haven't seen you in ages ... how's things going ... you must be busy as I hardly see you on here.

mik · 12-04-2011, 01:30 PM

good onya Stav, another bit of info in the weird problems list solved, it`s something thats always amazed me about hard to diagnose engine problems, and that is that usually they are simple problems but just out of sight or a combo of 2 small problems acting together throwing you off the track,, glad your beast is back to to normal.

**Stav** · 12-04-2011, 08:14 PM

Thanks guys.Its actually running quite well with civility. One other thing is that the engine did overheat and so I changed the oil this morning .It was a few months old and black as ... but it still was viscous..slippery and hadnt broken down. I have to take my hat off to Penzoil.