Werid Idle Issue + CEL Missing...

[tjd2010]

Hi,

Two days ago my car for the first time started to have a problem.

What happens is when I am preparing to come to a stop at for example traffic lights and I take the car out of gear the revs drop down to between the two lines at the lowest point on the rev counter and the car starts to shake. Sometimes the revs will recover and bounce between this low point and around 500rpm but most of the time the car just dies. This also happens if im going for example at 70mph and just knock it out of gear and coast the revs drop low and the car stalls.

After searching the forum for the past two days I thought I had found what to do which was to see if the car was holding any error codes and potentially adjusting the idle myself. So I found the correct diagram of the diagnositcs socket to know which pins to connect, I connected them and sat in the car with a pad and pen ready to note any down. Turned the ignition on and there was no engine management light (CEL) turning on, which I thought was strange but then again I have never noticed it turn on before either.

On further investigation aka removing the clocks to see if a bulb had gone I discovered that my car does NOT have an engine management light (CEL)... but it does have a light that if you shine a torch behind the clocks says "HOLD" whatever that is. So if my car does not have an engine management light (CEL) how do I check the error codes if there are any?

My car is a 1996 1.6 DOHC UK model.

Also does anyone have any idea what might be causing the idle issue?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[umcamara]

Wow... that was nearly a perfect first post. This should be stickied as a first post template..

Hmmm... aside from all your standard tune-up items (timing, plugs, air-filter, etc), I'm not too sure what to say. Check for vacuum leaks (spray a flammable fuel like propane around engine parts until engine speed increases - at own risk). The rubber intake tube is prone to cracking, causing a vacuum leak, but this tends to get worse when you step on the gas, not when you let go.

There's a procedure for adjusting your idle too. Jump TEn and Ground in the diagnostic connector, etc... It's in the online manual.

I'm not entirely sure about the UK, but in North America, '96+ model vehicles had to be OBD-II. If your's is OBD-II, the method that you tried for reading codes won't work. The OBD-II connector would be under the passenger side dash, closer to the center console. If you lie on your back on the passenger side floor, you should be able to find it. It's in the vicinity of the glove box, and the climate control.

That hold light is to do with an automatic transmission, which you obviously don't have. You press a button and it's supposed to keep the auto tranny in the gear it's in.

Good luck. Hope you figure it out. And welcome to the site...

[tjd2010]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I just had a quick look in the passengers footwell and could not see an OBD II socket, will have a more indepth look after I finish work though.

Just to help me find it easier does anyone have a photo of where the socket is located if my car does have one?

The other method to check if the car is OBD II is to check the amount of plugs on the ECU is that correct?

Thanks again

UPDATE

I have had an indepth look in both the passenger and driver footwells and there is not OBD II socket I even checked my 1997 1.6 DOHC mx-3 to see if that had the socket and it was not there on that car either...

Is the socket in a different place on UK model cars?

[the_twig_187]

hay dude

I (and upon searching a lot of others) are experiencing the "braking, RPM bouncing problem" I have spend $700 having my mechanic take appart all my throttle body, clean out my fuel lines, check for leaks, replace gaskets and reset the computer system...and still the bounce reving continues.

mine only bounces when I apply the brake, I idle at 1500 RPM when stopped (before the problem, I idled at 800 RPM) and when im breaking it bounces between 500-1500 RPM and you can hear the engine reving up and down during the bouncing. As soon as I release the break while in neutral it catches back up to 1500 RPM and does not bounce anymore until the break is depressed

If you fix your problem plz let me know but im done throwing money into "I think this might fix it" from my mechanic.


peace
Chris