bad idle...car's shaking - Northern California Ford Owners

This is topic bad idle...car's shaking in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners .

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Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

hey everyone, need help.
fired up the car and it's shaking, idle's jumping a little bit even after i drove it and when it sits. funny noise coming from under the car. could this be an exhaust leak? would an exhaust leak make the car shake and the idle jump around like 100-150 rpms up and down?

thanks!

Posted by Blown GR40 Mystic (Member # 476) on :

shouldnt be an exhaust leak. check your plugs/wires.

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Blown GR40 Mystic:
shouldnt be an exhaust leak. check your plugs/wires.

i'll check that out first thing tomorrow when i get home from work, thanks! [patriot]

anyone else have any ideas?

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

if this were the sparks plugs (haven't checked yet) and the cables are new, the plugs have only been in there for about a year and a half. would one of them go bad already?

thanks in advance. [patriot]

Posted by MoostangGT (Member # 2894) on :

How long has your car been doing that? Any new mods? What mods do you have?

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

quote:
Originally posted by MoostangGT:
How long has your car been doing that? Any new mods? What mods do you have?

just since sunday when i installed my boost gauge.
H/C/I etc.

[ June 12, 2003, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: castor ]

Posted by MoostangGT (Member # 2894) on :

Sounds like you have a vacuum leak somewhere. Check both sides of the gauge.. also, does the gauge appear to be working properly?

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

quote:
Originally posted by MoostangGT:
Sounds like you have a vacuum leak somewhere. Check both sides of the gauge.. also, does the gauge appear to be working properly?

good call....i clamped the area down next to the vacuum tree near the wiper moter, but i don't think i clamped it tight on the boost gauge side as i just slid the vacuum tube over the nozzle behind the gauge...could this be it?
as for the gauge working properly, i'm only seeing 4lbs boost max when technically, i should be getting 6-7.

thanks

[ June 12, 2003, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: castor ]

Posted by MoostangGT (Member # 2894) on :

Its possible,try disconnecting the hose and plugging it with your finger so there is no leak and see if it runs any better, if no the leak may be somewhere else, check any other vacuum hoses you may have touched or mistakenly pulled off.

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

quote:
Originally posted by MoostangGT:
Its possible,try disconnecting the hose and plugging it with your finger so there is no leak and see if it runs any better, if no the leak may be somewhere else, check any other vacuum hoses you may have touched or mistakenly pulled off.

will do!

Posted by 87 Saleen (Member # 1549) on :

quote:
Originally posted by MoostangGT:
Sounds like you have a vacuum leak somewhere. Check both sides of the gauge.. also, does the gauge appear to be working properly?

Definitely. I had a leak in that plastic pipe by the wiper motor once also. It made my brakes hard and gave me the same characteristics you describe.

[ June 13, 2003, 12:14 AM: Message edited by: 87 Saleen ]

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

UPDATE:

checked out the vacuum line and it was better after i plugged it back but went back to it's shakyness afterwards and the check engine light went on for a split sec and then turned off.
strange. gonna get a buddy to scan for codes to see that's up.

thanks! [patriot]

Posted by TRIX02GT (Member # 2844) on :

cheap way to check for leak is to spray carb cleaner in the area and the idle should rise a little just be careful not to start a fire!! [Eek!]

Posted by castor (Member # 2765) on :

quote:
Originally posted by TRIX02GT:
cheap way to check for leak is to spray carb cleaner in the area and the idle should rise a little just be careful not to start a fire!!

Posted by outlawd94cobra (Member # 265) on :

have you checked your balancer lately? Just a suggestion......

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