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Thread: Car went crazy at idle, had to tow it, any idea what this could be?

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    Car went crazy at idle, had to tow it, any idea what this could be?

    Okay, i was out working about an hour away from home..

    drove the car for about 6 hrs for work..i got finished, im heading home..

    and as im at idle at a red light..the car starts to shake heavily as if I ran out of gas..

    so i shut it off, and now it won't start...lately my gas mileage gas went down a very noticeable amount, and it has smelled a little funny outside the car sometimes..a sent of gas but not strong...

    My assumption is the fuel pumps bad...

    maybe a fuel sensor?


    is it possible my fuel filter is jammed? (not sure if its ever been changed and the car has 154k.)

    the cars at a shop near where i broke down..just want to see what im looking at.
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    Idle control valve? (ICV)

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    not sure what that is...more info on that please.
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    ICV commonly causes the bouncing idle problem. Don't know if it would cause the car to "shake heavily".

    The gas smell makes it sound like something fuel related. If you're not sure if the fuel filter has ever been changed, assume it hasn't and replace it. Might be the fuel pump. Check the fuel lines too.

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    Quote Originally Posted by joey79 View Post
    ICV commonly causes the bouncing idle problem. Don't know if it would cause the car to "shake heavily".

    The gas smell makes it sound like something fuel related. If you're not sure if the fuel filter has ever been changed, assume it hasn't and replace it. Might be the fuel pump. Check the fuel lines too.
    Yeah, i don't think it's just the bouncing idle..

    the car will not start..

    i've had a friend look into it more..and it may be the crank/camshaft sensor..which would discombobulate the fuel mixture..making my MPG drop noticeably, and the smell..

    at first i was sure it was the fuel pump, but when i turn the key over i can hear it humming..so scratch that...

    hope for the best tomorrow!

    My gueses are:

    1.) crank/camshift sensors.
    2.) Fuel filter
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    ^^Those sensors going bad would be a viable possibility, is the car throwing any codes?


    Check fuel filter, lines, and the fuel pump. The ICV can cause a bad idle but it shouldn't be so bad that your car would be shaking.
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    Quote Originally Posted by EThirtySicks View Post
    ^^Those sensors going bad would be a viable possibility, is the car throwing any codes?


    Check fuel filter, lines, and the fuel pump. The ICV can cause a bad idle but it shouldn't be so bad that your car would be shaking.
    its not throwing any codes..however, i think it may be a possibilty that my CEL bulb is out, because i've been told it should come up when i turn the key over to start the car..but i've NEVER seen it..

    the car was shaking pretty heavily. im not sure how to explain it..kind of felt like you were about to stall but at a constant rate.
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    Quote Originally Posted by evan328is View Post
    its not throwing any codes..however, i think it may be a possibilty that my CEL bulb is out, because i've been told it should come up when i turn the key over to start the car..but i've NEVER seen it..

    the car was shaking pretty heavily. im not sure how to explain it..kind of felt like you were about to stall but at a constant rate.
    Have you connected a code reader to the OBDII port to confirm that it's not throwing any codes? That isn't dependent on the CEL as far as I know.
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    Quote Originally Posted by EThirtySicks View Post
    Have you connected a code reader to the OBDII port to confirm that it's not throwing any codes? That isn't dependent on the CEL as far as I know.
    I havn't, i was a few hours away from home..

    so i brought it to the closest well reviewed shop...they are supposed to call me in the morning after they diagnose it..

    i just wanted to see what you guys thought and what i'm looking at getting myself into money wise..if it was home i would fix it myself..but i refuse to pay the 400 towing charge.
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    $400 towing charge? shit. I don't blame you. I'd push it home before I'd pay that to have it towed.

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    I would vote for the ICV.

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    Quote Originally Posted by joey79 View Post
    $400 towing charge? shit. I don't blame you. I'd push it home before I'd pay that to have it towed.

    thats my guess..when i had to tow it 15.3 miles last time it was 160...and i was a good 100 miles from home...

    ill find out from the shop hopefully in the morning..

    i hope its just the fuel filter clogged

    but that won't happen lol, my bet goes on the sensors.
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    Yeah, maybe not ICV because of the heavy shaking. It might be a little rough, but not violent.

    If you've never had anything close to this ever happen, somehow I doubt the fuel filter is the issue.... You'd think you would gradually have little "episodes" here and there as it slowly got more clogged. But if this was one big event with no precursors, I doubt it's the fuel filter.

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    i found a broken wire at the ICV after 2 seasons of chasing a CEL on my own. the shaking at idle would get pretty bad at times, barely noticable at others, depending upon where the ICV was stuck at the time i guess.

    just because a code suggests a sensor or component doesn't necessarily mean that the sensor/component is bad, it only leads you to a place to start looking. you need to figure out why that sensor/comonent is throwing a code, a vacuum leak will cause something to throw a code but replacing the sensor will not fix the vacuum leak. a broken wire will not operate a new ICV

    here's what i found after replacing the intake gasket, pre-cat O2, fuel tank breather valve, ICV, tearing through and resealing the S/C and making all the gaskets by hand. the wire itself broke right at the crimp



    i figure i still came out cheaper than having the stealer do it
    Last edited by 2 seater; 09-23-2009 at 01:59 PM.

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    it could be anything. pull the engine codes that it probably stored.

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    okay...got the car back today and my gas mileage is better than ever! lol, which should be for what this cost me..

    it was the fuel pump and the left sender that died..also got a new fuel filter and fuel induction..

    up to 24mpg
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    [QUOTE=evan328is;17478791]fuel induction..

    QUOTE]
    did they tell you this was a part? just wondering

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    evan328is's Avatar
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    [quote=95325i5sp;17478843]
    Quote Originally Posted by evan328is View Post
    fuel induction..

    QUOTE]
    did they tell you this was a part? just wondering

    lol uhm, no......?
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