Jump to content

Sudden LQ1 drivability issues


Galaxie500XL

Recommended Posts

My '95 LQ1 Cutlass has suddenly developed some strange drivability issues. I had been having a problem recently with high idle on startup on occasion, but now the car is almost undrivable.

 

No codes are being set, according to my scantool.

 

Temps have been below freezing for several days. When first starting the car, it just sort of "putters" for a few seconds, barely running, then like a switch was thrown, picks up and idles around 1500 RPM.

 

The idle has begun "hunting". Runs for about 3 seconds, drops for a blink of an eye, then idles normally for 3-5 seconds, over and over...but, not all the time.

 

At 55-60 MPH, as long as you are traveling at a steady speed, everything seems fine. Give it a bit of gas approaching a hill, though, and the car begins bucking, until you either let off the gas, or manually drop the car out of overdrive in order to pick up speed.

 

Even when the car appears to be idling normally, sometimes when leaving from a light, the car seems to have no power, and RPM's climb very slowly...then suddenly, it picks up, and feels normal.

 

Fuel filter, TPS, and IAC have been replaced within the past 6 weeks, chasing what began as a intermittent high idle. Again, no codes are being set, and looking at the realtime data on my scantool, I'm not seeing anything that looks out of place.

 

Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LIMG's (easy on a LQ1). Try spraying brake cleaner or quick start around the gasket mating surfaces of the plenum to LIMG and LIMG to heads while idling. See if the revs increase. If so you found your leak.

 

That or a massive vacuum leak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had been thinking the same thing about a vacuum leak...the LIMG was changed about 3,000 miles ago. I did find a bad vacuum hose, but no change. I was wondering, though. I replaced the IAC with a new one just before all this started, could the new one be bad, and cause these symptoms?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Well, it's fixed...bad coil, #2/5. Not much fun to replace, since it's under the exhaust manifold, but it runs like new again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...