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+--- Thread: car is puttering (/showthread.php?tid=18625)
car is puttering - Mystake - 12-11-2010
it's been fairly cold here in ottawa...
seems lately that when I pull up to a traffic light, the car will start to die. the rpm's drop lower than idle and the lights all start to dim.
spark plugs done 15-18 000km ago (and wires as far as I can remember).
recent oil change I switched to synthetic.
maybe its just really cold?
i should say, i particularly notice it when pulling up to a stop, put the clutch in, once the car has stopped thats when it starts to get rough.
i do mostly city driving, my excursions are all <15km distance
RE: car is puttering - SL8RZZX3 - 12-11-2010
I know in one of my winter beater honda's i had, that my short distance to work never gave the car a chance to fully charge the battery and it had similar symptoms. But i was only going maybe 2-3kms to work and then the car would sit anywhere from 8-20hrs depending on how much over time i would do
Oh and you have a big stereo too? yeah it could be you've killed your battery or alternator..... try pulling your battery and charging it inside (if you have a charger) and see if that helps?
RE: car is puttering - hardk0re - 12-11-2010
how about on highway, cruising, any surging? could be allot of things, dirty MAF, plugged PCV, torque converter not releasing....
Surging on the highway id suspect maf, pcv or tps... others may have more ideas.
RE: car is puttering - Mystake - 12-11-2010
(12-11-2010, 07:35 AM)SL8RZZX3 Wrote: I know in one of my winter beater honda's i had, that my short distance to work never gave the car a chance to fully charge the battery and it had similar symptoms. But i was only going maybe 2-3kms to work and then the car would sit anywhere from 8-20hrs depending on how much over time i would do
Oh and you have a big stereo too? yeah it could be you've killed your battery or alternator..... try pulling your battery and charging it inside (if you have a charger) and see if that helps?
I hope it's not the alternator. The one I have in is brand new from Ford, installed by Ford. Had it put in in maybe May or so.
i also don't like driving the car without the engine having a chance to get to operating temp, which it does when I drive it.
RE: car is puttering - buzz2.0 - 12-11-2010
got a cold air intake? i was using a shot ram style CAI on my focus, it had the same symtoms, i replaced it with the stock air box and it went away. every winter now when the temp gets to low i always switch back to stock. what i think is happening is when the CAI in on, its taking in to much cold air and the PCM tries to compensate, making it run rough and rich at idle. .....
RE: car is puttering - Mystake - 12-12-2010
no CAI. recently had premium in it but switched back to regular.
I get 450km a tank on regular and about 5-540km a tank on premium