$1000 down still broken, help!!

[cphillips1982]

Hi everyone, can you please help me. its a 1993 30x or MX3

Symptoms.
low idol speed, around 100-300 and rough
Rich as hell
no codes except for 5 "knock sensor" which I have had before and reset it,it went away but now its back.
idol screw makes no difference in diagnostic or normal mode
rev's drop even lower when there is a load. eg A/C headlights stearing full lock etc....

work just done today $1020
front and back tapper gaskets
throttle body clean
gear stick bushes
new battery
oil/air/petrol filters

If anyone can help me and my mechanic diagnose this problem it would be truly appreciated.

[Nd4SpdSe]

If the idle screw makes no difference, than I'm guessing you've got a vacuum leak

[Daninski]

Yes vac leak, check all your hoses for cracks and such. Take your time and use a flashlite. Spray carb cleaner or brake cleaner around your intake to check if the gasket is leaking. Good Luck
I'm hoping your talking about the idle screw on top of the TB not the allen key jam nut one on the bottom. It's factory set and shouldn't be touched. If you turn the screw on top of the TB in the engine should stall. Pre set is 3 turns out, screw it in till the engine starts to stall then out till your running at 650 in Diag mode (TEN Grd jumped).

[cphillips1982]

mechanic is going to change the timing belt tomorrow because the distributor is hard butted in the advanced position yet the timing is retarded, He thinks it maybe a slipped belt or incorrectly installed belt??? his charging 500 for labour and whatever the parts are going to come to......... I love this car but its really pushing me to the limit. I'm guessing by the end of tomorrow I will be another 1000 lighter. this sux

[Flyer]

mechanic is going to change the timing belt tomorrow because the distributor is hard butted in the advanced position yet the timing is retarded, He thinks it maybe a slipped belt or incorrectly installed belt??? his charging 500 for labour and whatever the parts are going to come to......... I love this car but its really pushing me to the limit. I'm guessing by the end of tomorrow I will be another 1000 lighter. this sux

Uh, where are you located? A complete timing belt/aterpump/thermostat change should not be that high...I got a quote of just under $600 for it...

timing belt kit 140
thermostat 25
all the belts 45
water pump 140
labour is 240
all these prices include taxes

[projectzemx3]

you should tell your mechanic to actually find out whats wrong with it rather then guessing all this.

[Ryan]

If you ask me, its time to stop bending over infront of a mechanic and pick up a wrench. If you took the labour costs he's about to charge you, and go out and buy a decent socket/ratchet set, and a few torque wrenches, and heck, maybe an impact gun and tank, you could do all of this yourself. For way cheaper.

Its so stupid that he's replacing random crap without actually knowing whats happening, especially on your dollar.

[cphillips1982]

I'm in australia, Trust me, I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty but I have no place to do it.. working on the street is a pain in the arse

[chrome730]

i work in the street. its not so bad. Definitely tell the mechanic to figure out what is wrong first.

[cphillips1982]

its not the belt.................. can anybody tell me why the computer would retard the timing so much????

[xxwhiteboyjim22xx]

Are the knock sensors codes back? Sounds like bad news....