Idles at 3000RPM's????!!!!

MarkMoore · Post by **MarkMoore** » January 29th, 2005, 4:14 pm

ok, first off, the car i'm talking about is not my mx-3, but instead a Nissan Pulsar. The reason i posted this in this website is because mx-3.com seems to be a fairly reliable source for good advice (that, and plus the fact that this is my favorite place to be when i'm on the computer so i'm here all the time anyway).

So, like my title says... my car idles at 3000RPM's!! And the weird thing is, i drive it everyday for over an hour's time straight, and the idle never seems to go down even after driving it for an hour+!! Also, it seems that my heater performs very poorly. It takes about 25-30 minutes just for it to put out warm air in the cabin, and even at that, it only puts out warm air when i'm actually moving---once i come to a stop sign/light, the heater almost always goes cold again until i start moving for a little while.

Let me give a little bit of history about my car.

1) I've owned the car since July, so i've never owned it in cold weather before.

2) I stupidly let my friend "learn" how to drive a 5 speed on my car, and he kept on REDLINING my poor car!!! After that experience, i had a sever oil leak! so i gave it to my mechanic friend who told me and eventually fixed the timing cover, as it had a whole worn through caused by the tensioner guide breakin. The broken tensionners allowed the timing chain to whack up against the wall of the timing cover(creating a whole).

3) Anyway, my mechanic friend had my car from October-January, and i just got my car back last week (he tried to not charge me for labor since it took so long, but i felt bad so i paid him labor anyway)!!! And by the way, this guy knows what he's doing too, as he's been a Ford mechanic for over 30 years. Also, this guy is impossible to get ahold of, so i dont feel like waiting another 4 months just to get an answer to my problem!!!

Here are some things that crossed my mind about what the problem could be

1) The high idles could have NOTHING to w/ my recent timing cover repair and could have something to do w/ my thermostat being stuck open (or maybe the previous owner took the thermostat out all together to prevent overheating in the summer, i don't know)

2) Maybe my coolant is low???????????

3) Maybe when the mechanic put my car back together he messed up w/ something or tightened the throttle too much????

i know i wrote a lot, but PLEASE HELP ME! it would be greatly appreciated!

plusinfinit · Post by **plusinfinit** » January 29th, 2005, 10:26 pm

Don't know much about your nissan, i have a maxima but that doesn't matter now. IF you suspect the mechanic than ask him what he did to the car? Maybe you can back trace, step by step.
About the throttle cabel... i think its fine but if you wana check than disconect it from the throttle linkage and start the car.
I hIgly sugest to backflush you cooling sistem (i know its winter outside)it gona suck.
Check to see if your thermostat is good, if you ar not sure, just buy a new one.
Make sure that all belts are tightened properly, all sensors are connected and all vacuum lies are ok
In the end try adjustiong the idle conform specifications.
About yopur heater problem... uh either bad thermostat or clogged heater core. Of course you might have a bad vent door in the heating duct but thats not so important right now.
Hope i gave you some ideas for the beginig, good luck

Shady469 · Post by **Shady469** » January 29th, 2005, 11:38 pm

have you tried adjusting the idle via the throttle body (should be a screw somewhere: clockwise lowers, counter raises)? i would definately check the coolant level, and as was mentioned before try flushing the system. another thing you might try: is there anyway that your mechanic bypassed the coolant going to the throttle body or something? i know i had mine bypassed thinking cooler intake charge=more power but when it got cold the idle was like 500-700 higher than normal, so i put it back. Maybe its a combination of things?

illicitQ · Post by **illicitQ** » January 30th, 2005, 1:08 am

i suggest having the IAC (idle air control) valve check before tampering with the idle screw.

MarkMoore · Post by **MarkMoore** » January 30th, 2005, 1:46 am

hey thanks guys, hopefully i'll see the guy at church tomorrow and quick ask him... but i have a feeling i might miss him... then after that, i'll try to solve this by starting w/ some of these suggestions and see if i can resolve the problem--as this is wasting MAJOR gas $$$.

Thanks

Typhoonk · Post by **Typhoonk** » January 30th, 2005, 5:07 pm

1. Get a new thermostat installed. They are only a couple of bucks. I would also check the tubes under the dash that go from the blower to the heater core. Mine did that and the tube was half disconnected, so I got hot and cold blowing at me

2. Check the throttle cable. Might be adjusted too tight and the holding the high revs. After that adjust your idle. (I'm sure some one knows how it works on a nissan)

and good luck!!!!

MarkMoore · Post by **MarkMoore** » January 31st, 2005, 7:34 pm

i'm not exactly sure if you have to drain the coolant when changing the timing cover, but my problem was that there was practically no antifreeze in my car... as soon as we filled it up w/ antifreeze my heater worked like a dream and the high idle went away... if you do need to drain the coolant when changing the timing cover i guess it must have been that my mechanic friend forgot to fill it up before he gave back my car... well in any case, i'm happy now

thanks to all for all the help and suggestions about this little problem