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Author Topic: Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up  (Read 5627 times)

1991---Capri---AT--NonTurbo

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« on: November 09, 2008, 04:33:00 PM »

For the past month or so my Capri has exhibited odd idle behavior, though only upon initial cold start-up like in the mornings. Here's what it does:

The car is cranked up and it immediately "stutters" and stumbles (like it's only running on 3 Cylinders) then shuts off. It's then cranked back up, at which time it will idle high softly up to 3,000RPMs then softly float back down to 1,000RPMs and stutter a little while around 900-1,000RPM then gently float back up to 3,000RPMs then softly come back down to ~1,000RPMs, back and forth etc. etc. until it finally settles smoothly at about a 1,000RPM idle. The exhaust note, after warm-up, etc. around 1,000RPMs sounds a bit "gurgly" or "throatish." It once sounded that way years ago and a new set of plugs took care of the problem. The car does not smoke at all when it "acts up" like this. Once the car is warm it idles fine and drives great...exhaust sounds really cool and "throaty" though...like an old Jag "gurgle." Normally it sounds very lame and uncool like a Honda Civic etc.

The thing is, I'm stumped...within the last 500 miles, as regular maintenance, I've replaced the following parts:

-Fuel Filter (Made in Japan)
-Air Filter (CarQuest)
-Battery (CarQuest 60 Made in USA)
-Distributor Cap and Rotor (Both Made in Japan)
-Sparkplugs (NGK BKR6ES-11)
-Valve Cover Gasket/Grommets (Made in Japan)

Any ideas?

The plug wires do not seem to be damaged anywhere...they pass the "water spray" test, etc. and conduct fine. Think I should replace them? If so, what's the highest quality source/brand? I don't like playing the game "let's replace everything and see"...I like to diagnose and pinpoint the problem, then replace the problem.

Anybody out there ever experienced something along these lines at the 159,000 mile mark?

The distributor was replaced at ~115,000 miles.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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1991 Capri Automatic, Non-Turbo 163,000 Miles, Driven Daily
Owned Since 2001

spiro

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2008, 10:47:00 PM »

On cold start up mine idles between 2500 - 3000 and slowly comes down after 5 minutes or so just like yours.
I think that might be normal for them. Some sort of warming up procedure in the ecu or thermostat or thermo setting etc, not sure, which quite frankly shits me.

When I get the ECU changed on mine I want to make it so that when you cold-start it sits on 800-1000 revs straight away, and stays there.

 I dont know what is causing your stuttering or idle fluctuation up / down though...
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spiro - 1989 SA Ford Capri

D22A

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2008, 09:22:00 AM »

my works 1700 RPM and gos  down
and when you changing from P to R   Rpms going to 500????????? hot engine???
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i do not drive capri enymore but i am still here and not going anywhere  
1996 MT 3000GT LS
1993 CAPRI n/a

Slocs

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2008, 09:35:00 AM »

Spiro, mine starts and idles normally straight away - that said it's not really a cold start given the temps that we experience here in Sydney.

Rgds

Rob
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spiro

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2008, 11:36:00 PM »

hmmm, interesting... yeah I always thought that was strange, although I do recall when I used to have a Suzuki Sierra JX 1.3, which was carby, it use to do it also.... but alas, I am going to get rid of it one way or another... soon...  
prior to this car I had a 2000 Festiva B5 Engine EFI. Beautiful starts, perfect idle everytime. Wish the capri was like that... My capri acts more like a carby instead of an EFI car. Runs good, but not as "crisp" and "fine" as I would like it..
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spiro - 1989 SA Ford Capri

Slocs

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2008, 09:15:00 AM »

Spiro, don't forget that if you can make it this weekend, the Capri Car Club of NSW has its show 'n shine in Parramatta park.

Kicks off at about 10am - not too sure what happens if it rains.

Cheers

Rob
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CapriTypeR

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2008, 11:15:00 AM »

Make sure you guys post pics somewhere!!
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spiro

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2008, 07:16:00 PM »

Is it saturday ? sunday? or both... I can only make it on sat... maybe.. might drive past or something...
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spiro - 1989 SA Ford Capri

Slocs

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2008, 03:59:00 PM »

Spiro, unfortunately just Sunday.  If the weather is good (and hopefully all of this bushfire smoke will have cleared) I'll take some photos and post them up.

Rgds

Rob
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spiro

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2008, 08:46:00 PM »

ahh okay, I have a christening on Sunday. Yeah take heaps of photos man, wanna see the potential.

yeah my car is covered in ash and dust from the fires... it was bad today...
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spiro - 1989 SA Ford Capri

1991---Capri---AT--NonTurbo

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2008, 12:39:00 PM »

Hey guys...let's stay on topic and work on the initial posted question alright? I'm sure there are other places within Team Capri's website to "Chit Chat."

Anyway, back to the issue at hand...

I found out what was causing the problem. There was multiple air leaks in the rubber/plastic air intake tube that runs between the MAF/Airbox Assy and the Throttle Body.

Most of the unfiltered cold air was coming in from tiny cracks that were in the "valleys" so to speak of the corrugated rubber tubing (where it goes from the plastic air intake tube to the corrugated rubber to the air filter box).

What I did was this...I took some old exterior rubberized clear gutter caulking that I had laying around and squirted a bead in each "valley" or low spot within the corrugated rubber section. I then took my finger and pushed it in and went around each circle completely...even if there were not any hair line cracks there anyway...to give it extra strength in the future. While the caulk was still wet, I installed the tubing and tightened down all of the hose clamps. Then I ran my finger underneath (the corrugated portion that gapes the most) to ensure that any cracks resulting from the bended position were in fact sealed. I then let it cure in the INSTALLED position for 24 hours before running the car.

Problem solved. Starts great. No more revving, stuttering, stumbling, or gurgling upon initial cold start-up.

P.S. Never changed the plug wires, simply diagnosed where the problem lay and fixed it.
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1991 Capri Automatic, Non-Turbo 163,000 Miles, Driven Daily
Owned Since 2001

CapriTypeR

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2008, 01:33:00 PM »

Nice job on diagnosis and repair!! Nothing works better than old-fashioned shade tree repairs.
I'm going to have to remember this fix if I end up with the same problem!!

--Russ
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Gus Kelley

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Idle Issue Upon Cold Start-Up
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2008, 08:27:00 AM »

Hey Russ! Now he can buy a replacement tube from you.  Gus
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