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Low Idle, Poor Stop, Engine Fail, Doom.

Posted: March 30th, 2008, 12:32 am
by Derek_Hart
Okay, so, I had a problem with my Mx overheating, and we somehow fixed the problem with a replacement temp. sensor and thermostat. The car was running fine, except for a very low idle at startup and stops at intersections; so poor that I had to drive with a foot on the wheel when braking so the car wouldn't idle so low that it stopped, which it would if I did not. For the record, in Neutral and Park it idled at a reasonable rate for about 3 minutes before dropping.

I drove like this for a good while, happily assuming that the low idle was a result of plugs in the gas.. something or other. My fiance' reassured me that part of the problem might be fixed if I drove with some premium gasoline through a few tanks. I had almost two tanks driven when my father offered to change the spark plugs, roter, distributor cap and ignition wires as they might contribute. He changed them (he is not poor with cars), and the car suddenly idled -lower-. An hour later, I started the car with no trouble, drove it a mile and a half and went to work. When I got back in it six hours later my car refused flat out to start.

And now I'm kind of.. stuck. We're putting the spark plugs back in tomorrow. I don't know what else to do, though.
So, I'm not sure about other possible causes for the low idle, nor am I sure what might have been done that would make the car not start.

Help prease :?:

Re: Low Idle, Poor Stop, Engine Fail, Doom.

Posted: March 30th, 2008, 8:48 am
by nos92mx3
So did your car overheat? Does it miss?
Check your grounding. i know on the 4cylinders there is a grounding point right near the thermostat housing, if that wasnt put back on or is broken the car will run like dog s---.
I would also do a compression test, just to be sure that you didnt blow the headgasket or anything worse.