not idling - Help

[altonhobbs]

Hi

For some reason my beat has decided not to idle. IT runs fine but as soon as your foot is off the accelerator it just stops. I have had the ecu tested, and I recently replaced the main relay with a new one. The ECU tests fine. Any ideas what it could be?

Thanks

Alton

[Wh1teLeopard]

Have you checked the air intake for blockage?

Is it smoking, using a lot of oil, any other symptons?

[altonhobbs]

no other symptoms - all seems fine but no idle. The idle was fine before the ECU was removed. Do i have to reset the ECU in some way? The ECU has been re-tested since the problem appeared and is, apparently, all fine.

[Wh1teLeopard]

It maybe something like a previous owner experiencing a fault, it still being on the ecu, but now it's been cleared.

You could try altering the idle valve, see where that's currently set.

[altonhobbs]

thanks for the advice...

where is the idle valve?

Think I may have to take the car to a local garage to take a look - just need to find a decent garage in nottingham who are not scared of a beat!

[Wh1teLeopard]

let me know what they say, if you have any trouble with them send me a PM, and we'll see if we can take a look at it here for you.

[altonhobbs]

Thanks - I'll do that. Just took the engine cover off for the first time and have to say that it all looks very good - was expecting to find somethiong covered in oil but all clean......if it wasn't for the idle problem the rest of the car is now running fine. Think I may have the first Beat with stop-start technology - very green.
Anyway - I can't do anything next weekend but will try and get it into a nice little garage by the end of the month. I do hope it is something simple. I bought the Beat in september and, as yet, haven't had much of a chance to enjoy it.

Anyway thanks for all your help and advice. Do you know any Beat owners in Nottingham?

Thanks

Alton

[Steve_M]

You could check the base idle setting.

This requires the idle valve disconnecting and then checking the idle speed and adjusting on the idle screw until the idle is 850 +/- 50 RPM.

Then reconnect idle valve, turn off engine and clear engine codes by removing the back-up fuse in the rear mounted fuse box.

Restart engine and idle should be 1000 - 1200 RPM.

Idle valve is located on top of the inlet manifold.
Idle adjusting screw just beside idle valve.

I have experianced a beat which would not idle - result was failed ECU.
Does your engine light work??? goes off 5 secs after ignition on etc. ??

[altonhobbs]

Yeah the light comes on when i start the engine and then goes off after a few seconds...

[Steve_M]

Thats Ok then.

Have you checked for any diagnostic trouble codes??

[altonhobbs]

no, not yet. not really sure how to do this

[Steve_M]

http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=1448

should help.

[aj17ay]

To resurrect an old thread .... The Beat the original poster had, I am now the owner of that Beat! :-) back to the problem ...

The beat is meant to idle at 850 rpm

My beat still idled at 500/600rpm when I got it. I followed the procedure to disconnect the IAC valve and turn the idle valve screw. (My screw was not covered by the rubber grommet! Is this a problem ?? )

Anyway, I adjusted the idle and the maximum idle I could get to was up to just below 1000rpm, anymore and then then I could hear air coming out of the valve! as the screw was becoming really loose. If I turned the lights on, during idle, the idle speed drops a little.

I reset the ECU today (fuse) and now the idle has gone back to 500/600 rpm.

I know my air filter needs changing and I checked the intake for leaks too!

Are there any other suggestions that I can try out?

Thanks guys

[Steve_M]

Anyway, I adjusted the idle and the maximum idle I could get to was up to just below 1000rpm, anymore and then then I could hear air coming out of the valve! as the screw was becoming really loose. If

But your supposed to be setting it to 850 +/- 50 RPM NOT 1000 RPM

[aj17ay]

Cool, I'll adjust it again tomorrow. To 850rpm +/- 50 rpm!

But I still dont understand why after the ECU reset it decided to idle at 500/600 rpm.

I'm going to see if I can get to the bottom of this problem!

[Steve_M]

After the ECU is reset, the idle control circuit will work. so possible problems: Faulty idle valve, faulty ECU, Faulty throttle position switch. Items like that

Also Igniton timing can have an affect on idle speed. If you say the engine has had distributor/cam problems also could be an issue.

[steveinjapan]

After fitting a new exhaust system and intake funnels everything was about like usual, with 1100/1200 rpm idle speed when warm. Then I decided to let the ECU relearn whatever it does so pulled the fuse and waited a minute before putting it back. Now the idle drops to about 500 rpm after a high-rpm run and then will bounce up to 1000, but still nice and smooth. Is this going to go away eventually and will I ever see the steady 1100 rpm idle?

Next day - after another 30 kms.... it appears to be running rich, jusdging froman unusual amount of soot in the tailpipes. Idle still dipping to 600, then comes back to 1000. And runs very strong, I just don't care for the look of that soot.

[steveinjapan]

For the record: it did sort itself out after a few days. No more fluffy black soot, smooth constant idle, with just a hint of rich running. Great low-end torque and a nice kick at 5500 rpm and above.

How does the ECU do that? It must re-establish hundreds of fuel mixture points on the throttle opening/rpm/temperature map. Pretty dam clever.

[Obsessive]

Fantastic news, that must be a relief and it sounds like the changes have been worth while.

I think the ECU needs about 200km to re-learn, but I don't recall anything idling problems when I changed my Exhaust, funnels etc and reset the ECU.