Idle question

[edudu77]

My car has never idled very high, generally between 100 and 300 RPM. I checked the timing while keeping the car at the correct idle...spot on, next I adjusted the idle per the manual. I turned the screw on top of the throttle body while I had the STI grounded. When I unhook the connector and restart the car, the idle drops back to around 400. I finally gave up and adjusted it without the connector to see if that stays. Should I have waited for the computer to relearn? The reasoning for all this, aside from a worry about low oil pressure at idle, is that my gas mileage has never been that great either. I've seen 40 once, usually 36-38 on a 5 speed. I figure the larger tires are hurting me some, but the mileage hasn't changed since it had factory size tires. It sputters a bit too, some of which is the hole in my new exhaust! I'll keep trouble shooting..hit me with any ideas.

Donovan

[gothguydante]

well the hole in the exhaust is from burrning oil or at least thats what happened to me and how are your driving habits? maybe they have a lil bit to do with the mpg but be thankful you have a 5 spd i have a auto and barely get 32 if i drive like a saint...

[edudu77]

Well, driving is a bit of it, but even when my wife drives it, 38-40 max. The hole is from a shotty weld at the muffler shop...just need to get it back over there and make them fix it. Not burning oil, luckily. Just a bad mechanical day! Went out and the car is idling at 400 again. The Galaxie is running on 6 out of 8, lawn mower only wants to run on level ground...and with the choke on...bah! Beer thirty!!

[GenevaDirt]

^^ your car idles below the first line on the tach? How does it stay running?

[Pu241]

well the hole in the exhaust is from burrning oil or at least thats what happened to me ...

Please explain how burning oil puts a hole in your exhaust?

[FestYboy]

Geneva: when Scrappy was in stock form, i could repeatedly get him to idle SMOOTHLY at 300 rpm. granted the throttle response was lacking, but what do you want from 300 RPM?

[edudu77]

Well, it was stable at around 300, but would drop below the first line every 5-10 seconds, then blip right back up to 300 and go smooth for a few seconds. It has never stalled, amazingly enough. After my adjustments I took it for a spin last night, about 30 miles, and it seems to run better. Much better throttle response, and the idle is up around 600-800. I'll just have to see how it does over the next few days.

Donovan

[WmWatt]

Could be the ignition control module. I'd also try hooking up a vaccum guage and see what it shows. There is a "sticky" at the top of the forum which shows what a vaccum guage can reveal.

[gothguydante]

i was told from the residue of the burning oil can cause the muffler to weaken and give it corrodes it or some such nature.

Please explain how burning oil puts a hole in your exhaust?

[edudu77]

Thanks WmWatt, I'll have to do that...completely slipped my mind. I do wonder if I have a small vacuum leak though. I think I'll do a compression check too, just for the heck of it. I wanna see how everything sealed after the top end rebuild.

Donovan