Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Ultimate Subaru Message Board

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Idle problems driving me nuts

Featured Replies

HELPPPPP

 

Well I've gotten about 2K miles on the new 5SPD -D/R tranny I put in my "new" 88 GL Wagon. However, I still have not been able to kill the idle gremlin living under the hood.

A few days ago I thought I had it when I pulled the full sized spare and saw it rubbed a crack in my new vac line. I replaced it, nothing; just as bad as before.

All the vac lines have been replaced and still I have this problem:

Start car, idle goes to 2.5K. As car warms up idle lowers just a bit. After driving for a little time the idle will come down to 800RPM just fine. Now lets say I'm in stop and go traffic I idle along, slow down to where the tach is at 700RPM, push in the clutch, whammo idles at 3.5K for a few minutes. Get up to highway speed, push in clutch, idles at 800RPM.

 

Help, my head hurts from::banghead:

 

I'm good at following instructions. Where do I start with the trouble shooting. The Haynes and other manuals I have, never mention anything about idle problems.

  • Author

EA82 - SPFI

 

Skip sent me infor about the IAC valve. Thats getting cleaned tonight.

now, when we are talking about cleaning the IAC valve, does it involve more then the little gold cylinder (behind the power steering reservoir)? I think mine is bad but I'm not sure what to clean.

Sounds like something is possibly sticking.

 

Does this scenario happen?

 

You are sitting at a stop light in neutral with the clutch pedal not pushed in. The motor is idling at 700 RPM. Then you push in the clutch and the idle raises to 3500 RPM.

 

If this is the case then something in your clutch linkage is probably hitting the gas pedal linkage.

  • Author
Sounds like something is possibly sticking.

 

Does this scenario happen?

 

You are sitting at a stop light in neutral with the clutch pedal not pushed in. The motor is idling at 700 RPM. Then you push in the clutch and the idle raises to 3500 RPM.

 

If this is the case then something in your clutch linkage is probably hitting the gas pedal linkage.

Nope, thats not the problem; good thought though, one of the things I did rule out. I chug along with the clutch in at idle, you know stop and go, when you are forced to puch the clutch in because the engine would sputter the RPM's go way, way up and very, very, very slowly come back down to normal. There is nothing binding the throttle pedal nor clutch.

I don't get to check anything last night, had to plant my flower bed. Will do it this weekend when I get some free time.

  • Author
Try this manual:

 

http://www.finleyweb.net/docs/SubaruEA82-ServiceManualPart1.pdf

 

http://www.finleyweb.net/docs/SubaruEA82-ServiceManualPart2.pdf

 

Look at tests for IAC valve and circuit. Do you have a code set? I doubt it's a problem with linkages physically touching if it only revs to 3.5k.

I got the manuals printed out in my car right now. I looked and looked, didn't see a section that deals with this. What section, what page?

Codes as in read out the fault code? Damn, didn't think of that. Good idea. The IAC valve has a code?

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

Sign In Now

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.