Anyone know anything about cars?

Lee3dee · Mar 2007

for some reason, every morning when I start my car, it has problems keeping idle at 1 on the rpm dial. I usually have to press down the gas pedal for maybe 30 seconds to keep it revved up, then it idles back to 1. I was thinking it maybe the battery, maybe its not cranking out enough juice in the morning. Or it could be the starter motor, but before I goto the repair place, I wanted to see if anyone else has had similar symptoms.

Thanks
lee

ps. its a 1996 Camry

jgarland · Mar 2007

If I were to ask someone, it would definitely be Flaagan. I'm useless as far as cars go myself, but maybe you could drop him a private message. He'd probably be able to give you some help.

Joao Sapiro · Mar 2007

That happens sometimes to my father`s Old beetle , he fixed it by replacing the battery and cursing alot.

Lee3dee · Mar 2007

hehe, flaggan is our resident car buff, this is true

TechSmith · Mar 2007

Weak battery, clogged injectors, weak fuel pump, ingition timing is off. There are a host of things it could be.
You would need to supply more information about the car.
Is it fuel injected?
Does it use points or CDI?
Are you using a different fuel?
Has there been a large tempature change?
Has anything been changed on the car recently?

I'm a motorcycle guy, but the principles are the same.

Xenobond · Mar 2007

I remember having that happen on some of my older cars. Ended up being something that didn't cost more than a couple hundred to fix. Don't remember exactly what it was. Had a couple Fords that had that problem as well as alternator issues, so I could be confusing them. :S

sonic · Mar 2007

Do you mean it revs at 1rpm, or 1000rpm?

If it's 1, it might be a broken fuel pump. It happened to my old truck, it was about $400 after parts and labor I think.

Thegodzero · Mar 2007

6 posts with out flaagan responding... wow!

Lee IM flaagan

AstroZombie · Mar 2007

When was the last time you had a tune-up?

Lee3dee · Mar 2007

TechSmith: only big temp change is moving to NJ where its colder than Raleigh. I don't think its fuel injected, since it wasn't in the manual or on the engine. This is the first problem i've had while living in NJ. I think my car doesn't like the cold

Xenobond: hopefully, its not a big fix. I have to find a reputable auto shop around me.

sonic: whatever the 1-9 is on the Tachometer. I think thats 1000 rpms. lol

Thegodzero: its saturday, he's probably driving around in his vette

AstroZombie: i had a small tune up around Christmas, usual oil, check fluids, tires, check engine, etc.

TechSmith · Mar 2007

OK,silly question, what is the car? Make,model,year?
Google it and find the idle rpm. 1k is pretty high it seems.
Not sure, really. Like I said I ride bikes. the idle on my present bike is 1.4k which I've been told is high for a car.

sonic · Mar 2007

A 1k rpm isn't that high for many 4 bangers. My V8 95 dodge ram idled about 800 rpm, and my i4 06 ford focus idles around 900rpm i think.

Techsmith: his first post says its a 1996 Toyota Camry

flaagan · Mar 2007

[ QUOTE ]
TechSmith: only big temp change is moving to NJ where its colder than Raleigh. I don't think its fuel injected, since it wasn't in the manual or on the engine. This is the first problem i've had while living in NJ. I think my car doesn't like the cold

[/ QUOTE ]

I think most of these guys hit a lot of the possibilities right off. The temp change could adversely effect your ride, wouldn't hurt to make sure your antifreeze is at the right mixture for the colder temps as a start.

I would be kind of surprised if a '96 Camry wasn't fuel injected. If the car runs good after warming up, I doubt it'd be something like the injectors or the fuel pump, though tossing in a bottle of fuel treatment couldn't hurt. Start the car up some morning and let it just idle without touching it and see what it does. If it starts surging the rpm's then it could be possibly be one of the sensors.

Potential "serious" problems could be any sensors or throttle control computers (but the sensors could be replaced cheaply).

[ QUOTE ]
Thegodzero: its saturday, he's probably driving around in his vette

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually... yah.. picked up the '86 from the service dept with the bad news of the #1 cylinder's rings are going out. Then took the '01 over the to the shop that's working on the 'cuda... busy day.

notman · Mar 2007

I was wondering the same.... does it stay the same once the car is warmed up. If it stays once the car is warmed up, then it could very well be the fuel pump. Maybe even a fuel filter.
One thing to listen for is when the fuel pump starts pumping, is it loud? Typically the fuel pump pressurizes the system when you first turn the ignition on (without cranking).
The cold is a bitch on vehicles and can cause all sorts of new problems as parts shrink/bind from the cold. There are also so many sensors involved these days (compared to the 70s cars). You probably have an idle controller that may be bad also. Not as likely though.

I live in the Motor City area and I've worked for GM and currently for an automotive supplier. I'm not a mechanic, but I know a bit about cars

Flaagan is a good source also... I just wanted to throw out some of my creds

Xenobond · Mar 2007

[ QUOTE ]
If it starts surging the rpm's then it could be possibly be one of the sensors.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sensors! Now that rings a bell for sure. That was what needed to be replaced on my old car.

AstroZombie · Mar 2007

[ QUOTE ]
AstroZombie: i had a small tune up around Christmas, usual oil, check fluids, tires, check engine, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

That kinda sounds more like an oil change. New plugs and all that jazz as well? Or are you talking about a visit to Jiffy Lube or Oil Can Henry's?

flaagan · Mar 2007

[ QUOTE ]
I live in the Motor City area and I've worked for GM and currently for an automotive supplier.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey notman, any way you could help me avoid the 'corvette tax'?

notman · Mar 2007

lol, yeah, lower the HP's

You talking with the new Vette with the added horsies? Or do you have some Cali taxes that don't apply here?

They removed our emissions laws a long time ago now... and even when we had them, they only applied to vehicles 10 years or newer, so muscle cars were free and clear

flaagan · Mar 2007

State law is set up so anything '75 and earlier is free of emissions woes (and I believe it goes up a year every year), so with cars like our Barracuda we can have a field day with.

I'm referring to the new 'vette.. the "Corvette Tax" is a joke amongst 'vette owners about how much more we have to pay for things that guys with Camaros (and other GM vehicles with similar engines) have to pay, just because of the Corvette name.

notman · Mar 2007

I thought you were refering to the new Z06 where they chose to hit the 500HP mark. I was still working there when they decided to take the hit on the gas guzzler tax in order to pump up the horsepower.

flaagan · Mar 2007

I was talking with a few fellow vette owners recently, and we were chuckling at the idea of Chevy setting up the next LS block to work like Chrysler's Hemi's, where some of the cylinders shut off at cruising speed... combine that with their engine wizardry, and you could easily end up with a 5-600 bhp "stock" corvette that does 30+ mpg on freeway.

notman · Mar 2007

Actually GM's had that for a few years now... aside from when the had it back in the 70s and when they did it mechancially. They had a 350 sitting in an enclosed, glass room at the Auto Show a few years back and they demonstrated it's different modes. Man that was a cool display. It was on the second level of their display and the whole damn floor shook

But yeah, I don't understand the idea of basing the gas guzzler tax on HP (if it works as I've heard). These days HP doesn't mean bad gas mileage. Actually, some 4cylinder engines don't get any benefits over 6cylinder engines just because the weight of the vehicle offsets the power too much.

flaagan · Mar 2007

Cool to know GM's ahead of the game on that front.

Yah, I don't get why things like the gas guzzler tax, but then, I don't get a lot of legislation tree-hugging politicians let fly.

Anyways, enough hijacking of Lee's thread...

LEE! Any luck with the car so far?

notman · Mar 2007

lol, yes, back on track

sonic · Mar 2007

[ QUOTE ]
Actually GM's had that for a few years now... aside from when the had it back in the 70s and when they did it mechancially. They had a 350 sitting in an enclosed, glass room at the Auto Show a few years back and they demonstrated it's different modes. Man that was a cool display. It was on the second level of their display and the whole damn floor shook

[/ QUOTE ]

The version that was done mechanically back in the day sucked though. My old chemistry teacher had one and said it broke down on him more than any other car he ever had and it cost an arm and a leg to fix.

notman · Mar 2007

correct... that's why they left it back then too, cause it sucked

Now they have the technology to cut of fuel supplies to individual cylinders by shutting of injectors. The quadra-steer is a revisited technology from the 70s also. It's cool to see things that once weren't possible, become renewed again.

Anyone know anything about cars?

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