idle flutter

ninjajim4 · Post by **ninjajim4** » December 28th, 2005, 1:02 pm

just this morning the mx has been idling as it should -- right around 700. but now all of a sudden it's starting to flutter. it shoots up to 1500, then down to 1000, and then back up again.. it sounds almost like a heartbeat the way it pulses. this happened once a long while back, jsut as i was getting home. when i started her back up in the morning, the problem was gone. this time is appears that its here to stay.

from what little i was able to pull up, it sounds like it could be the idle sensor, IM temperature sensor, and then i read one thread pertaining to an exhaust leak.

any ideas on this?

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » December 28th, 2005, 1:19 pm

Jim, how old is the accordian intake boot? Perhaps you've developed a crack in one of it's seams. Do you still have the TB coolant lines connected to the bottom half of the TB? How's the coolant level in the reservoir? Have you recently done a coolant flush or add to the filler neck?

*edit*, found a couple of links that may shed more light on the subject;

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... light=idle

ninjajim4 · Post by **ninjajim4** » December 28th, 2005, 4:41 pm

thanks for the links, mr. john.. i am perusing them now. i actually have a CAI and checked out the hoses, so it doesnt *seem* to be anything leak related.

also perhaps worthy of mention, the idle is still VERY precise, it fluctuates to the same exact spots, regularly, which is what leads me to believe it's something sensor related.

i'm going to have a look at my coolant level too... keep ya posted

93_mx3_gs · Post by **93_mx3_gs** » December 28th, 2005, 4:56 pm

I have idle issues and when I pulled codes I got #26 which happens to be the purge valve solenoid or some b.s. I think it's some little shitty black box with 2 lines going into the left side and 2 wires with a yellow ended plug on the right side which mounts to the rear-mid-upper firewall of the car and has a 10mm nut holding it up.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » December 28th, 2005, 6:15 pm

93_mx3_gs wrote:I have idle issues and when I pulled codes I got #26 which happens to be the purge valve solenoid or some b.s. I think it's some little shitty black box with 2 lines going into the left side and 2 wires with a yellow ended plug on the right side which mounts to the rear-mid-upper firewall of the car and has a 10mm nut holding it up.

Your query wrt TPS has been answered in the "Off Topic Forum". As far as a CEL code 26, you've got the right part and it's a matter of verifying is serviceability. Shop manual says;
Check for Solenoid valve connection,
Check for solenoid valve wiring to ECU,
Check for Solenoid valve continuity.
All of this means is that you have to refer to another section of the online shop manual starting at page F2-127. The manual takes you through all of the checks necessary for the Purge Solenoid Valve.

g/l

93_mx3_gs · Post by **93_mx3_gs** » December 28th, 2005, 7:45 pm

jschrauwen wrote:
93_mx3_gs wrote:I have idle issues and when I pulled codes I got #26 which happens to be the purge valve solenoid or some b.s. I think it's some little shitty black box with 2 lines going into the left side and 2 wires with a yellow ended plug on the right side which mounts to the rear-mid-upper firewall of the car and has a 10mm nut holding it up.
Your query wrt TPS has been answered in the "Off Topic Forum". As far as a CEL code 26, you've got the right part and it's a matter of verifying is serviceability. Shop manual says;
Check for Solenoid valve connection,
Check for solenoid valve wiring to ECU,
Check for Solenoid valve continuity.
All of this means is that you have to refer to another section of the online shop manual starting at page F2-127. The manual takes you through all of the checks necessary for the Purge Solenoid Valve.

g/l

Would this being bad cause a small bog between a 650 rppm - 1000 rpm range ? Like sitting at a red light in nuetral then pop it into gear on greeen, go to take off but there is a small dive in rpms and air flow. Been having this issue lately and I checked all my silicone hoses.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » December 28th, 2005, 8:15 pm

93_mx3_gs wrote: Would this being bad cause a small bog between a 650 rppm - 1000 rpm range ? Like sitting at a red light in nuetral then pop it into gear on greeen, go to take off but there is a small dive in rpms and air flow. Been having this issue lately and I checked all my silicone hoses.

Not sure on that one bud. I'd have to do some routing around in the manual for that. Although that same info is in the online manual. I'd start at the F2-010 page (Outline) and continue on into the Trouble Shooting pages that follow right after. What better way to learn about our cars.

ninjajim4 · Post by **ninjajim4** » January 3rd, 2006, 5:54 pm

ok well... i had a mechanic take a look and he said that the idle control valve was stuck open, and wanted to replace it. he said that this costs 500 some bucks from mazda. i'd like to know if a new one is strictly neccessary or if this is repairable, hopefully on my own.

thanks

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » January 3rd, 2006, 8:47 pm

ninjajim4 wrote:ok well... i had a mechanic take a look and he said that the idle control valve was stuck open, and wanted to replace it. he said that this costs 500 some bucks from mazda. i'd like to know if a new one is strictly neccessary or if this is repairable, hopefully on my own.
thanks

Jim, don't think it's really repairable, or at least I haven't heard of it being accomplished. You still didn't answer the question whether the coolant lines were still attached to the TB. If they had been left off for a lengthy period of time than I could see the ISC (BAC valve page F2-099 in the online manual) valve getting siezed from lack of lubrication from the coolant. As per that page, you can do your own test with an ohmeter. You'll need to see a reading between 10.5 and 12.3 ohms @68F. You can always go to the junkers (with multimeter in hand) and test a couple of potential replacements. You only need the bottom half of the TB if everything in the top half is completely serviceable but latch onto the whole thing in case.

ninjajim4 · Post by **ninjajim4** » January 3rd, 2006, 9:23 pm

the coolant level was ok, and the lines were still in place. i've never messed around with those lines at all, so there wasn't a point in time when coolant wasnt running through the TB, AFAIK.

this mechanic said he found some aluminum powder in the intake, so he seems to think that that may have been the cause of the valve failure. i guess i didn't get all the filings out when i installed the CAI sometime last year...?

bad news about it not being serviceable =(

but i appreciate the fast response, mr. john... i guess i'll have to try and visit the junkers

ninjajim4 · Post by **ninjajim4** » January 5th, 2006, 8:19 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 8026448572

coulda been better, but at least it's not 600 bucks

93_mx3_gs · Post by **93_mx3_gs** » January 6th, 2006, 1:27 am

I'll give you one 50.00 + shipping. It will be cleaned thoroughly before shipping.

Amber · Post by **Amber** » January 8th, 2006, 5:48 pm

Hey this happend to me a few weeks ago! The idle kept shooting up then it would back down. Like you said like a "heart beat"...........But i changed my thermastat and it stoped it!