Idle problems - new idle valve fitted now car throbs!!

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jwildish

New member
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
7
HI. Hope someone can help.
I recently had a problem with my idle speed, (intermittantly) so i replaced plugs and leads, and then found what i thought was the solution, the Idle valve, got a new one and straight away after the car idles better when parked but when driving at low speed (not tried it fast yet) it revs up and down in a pulsing throbbing type way.
Any ideas please as im off to cornwall in 2days time Arghhhhh
:cry:
 
I have just disconnected the battery to reset the ECU. off home now - will post on here if that fixes it or not.
 
My first suggestion would have been to reset the ECU. :eek:k:

Other causes could be something simple like a blocked air filter restricting the air flow.
 
Hi.
Ok. after resetting the ECU the lurching/throbbing has stopped and it seems to be better on idle, occasionally still dipping down esp when the aircon or lights etc are on.
Whats been goin on is this.
I stupidly added a KN air filter, a few weeks(not sure when) later the car wouldnt idle very well sometimes stalled, so i bought a new idle valve fitted it, and new plugs and leads, removed the airfilter - it made me sound like a boy racer!!!! (not good!) then had the problem mentioned above.
The moral of this story is before you buy /do anything with your pumas reset the ECU (by disc the battery for 1/2 hour)

Just another question what sort of MPG are you all getting? a full tank (£35)is getting me about 180 - 200 miles (just about)
Any ideas? maye the ladba ox sensor?
Also i was advised recently to get the oil out - i had 10-40w in and the pumas need 5-20w for the v-tech. Have done this now.
True or not?
Cheers in advance for your replies.
 
I think the oil they need is 5-30 semi synthetic.

What condition is your battery in?
 
jwildish said:
Just another question what sort of MPG are you all getting? a full tank (£35)is getting me about 180 - 200 miles (just about)
Any ideas? maye the ladba ox sensor?

Sounds like bad MPG if you're driving on half decent runs and not stop / start city driving or bouncing off the rev limiter all the time. The oxygen / lambda / HUGO sensor (or whatever you want to call it) would be a good place to start. Averages of 270-320 miles a tank (to the light) are normal.

jwildish said:
Also i was advised recently to get the oil out - i had 10-40w in and the pumas need 5-20w for the v-tech. Have done this now.
True or not?
Cheers in advance for your replies.

5w30 is what is needed, but any oil is better than no oil to be honest. The VCT (Variable Cam Timing) works off oil pressure, so if your oil is the wrong grade - I.E. thicker or thinner, it won't work as it's designed to do. That's why you should always wait 10-15 minutes from start up before you give it some stick as your oil won't be up to temperature / pressure correctly until then.
 
Hi.
Battery is in good condition - i think... no problems there.
Just drove the car, it seems to be doing what its been doing for ages now, i can feel a very slight splutter, not really a splutter just like the car is heding into wind gusts, ok on exceleration but cruising. its very faint but as soon as the aircon is switched on full blast its stronger!
 
Grr i hate my puma right now. Any offers... just washed it its bright red and gleaming.... a great drive if you dont have to stop.
 
my puma has just started a problem similar to yours! pulled into my drive and the revs wouldn't drop any less than 3,000... i cant get it in gear properly which worries me .. i.e clutch?.... BUT when i removed the airbox to expose the throttle body it was fine it just had a very STRONG pulsing rev pattern which wasn't right either.... something between the throttle body and the airbox?

PLEASE HELP!! going to have to bike to work tomoz if this ECU reset doesnt work! its d/c ryt now .
 
NEW ICV fitted!

now im awaiting for the ECU reset process to finish. (1/2 hour) it will be done in 5 mins!

wish me luck!
 
Sorry to revive a very old thread, but had the same problem on my 2000 reg puma earlier. Is my first car and only driven it for 2 days so was quite worried!

After it had cooled down, both the high revving & pulsing noise stopped which was nice, the water reservoir has some pressure in it after a long drive too.. unsure if that's normal.

Hasn't come back since fortunately, but next time it does I'll give the ECU reset a go
 
It's perfectly normal for the coolant system to be pressurised when the car has been running a while.

If you've not changed any physical part of the engine or electrics, an ECU reset is unlikely to do anything other then temporarily fix the issue, it will reset all the parameters of the ECU, but once the sensors get the same feedback it was getting to cause the issue, the symptoms are likely to persist. If the problems are when the car is warm, it's possible it's a reading from lambda, MAF (mass air flow sensor), or TPS. It's normal for revs to drop temporarily when load is added to the electrical system, headlights, electric windows, A/C, heated screen ect.
 

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