Car failing to idle - solved by a new battery
Discussion
Title says it all but here's what happened.
My friend's Chimaera 500 would just about start (turned slowly) the last week or so and so although poorly, we both thought the battery was not to blame for the fact that it wouldn't idle properly. I'm ahead of you there, stepper motor? So I took it off mine and fitted it to his expecting it run properly and therefore indicate that he needed a new one.
It ran worse! Every time he stopped at junctions or dipped the clutch, the car would just die.
Anyway, fitted a new Varta battery this morning and it's running spot on. Erratic for the first minute of two after driving off but this is likely due to the ECU relearning since the battery had been off the car. Engine now reading 1000-1100 rpm on dipping the clutch, falls to 900 rpm ish a couple of seconds after stopping, like it should. Spinning over a lot quicker too, obviously. I'm thinking that the battery was so bad, it was dragging down the ECU.
For those with shoddy or poor idle, try a new battery. I've learnt it's NOT always the stepper motor.
Edit: Yes we've swapped the steppers back. Mine is a shiny 4 month old one,
his is old and black (not shiny) although working OK.
My friend's Chimaera 500 would just about start (turned slowly) the last week or so and so although poorly, we both thought the battery was not to blame for the fact that it wouldn't idle properly. I'm ahead of you there, stepper motor? So I took it off mine and fitted it to his expecting it run properly and therefore indicate that he needed a new one.
It ran worse! Every time he stopped at junctions or dipped the clutch, the car would just die.
Anyway, fitted a new Varta battery this morning and it's running spot on. Erratic for the first minute of two after driving off but this is likely due to the ECU relearning since the battery had been off the car. Engine now reading 1000-1100 rpm on dipping the clutch, falls to 900 rpm ish a couple of seconds after stopping, like it should. Spinning over a lot quicker too, obviously. I'm thinking that the battery was so bad, it was dragging down the ECU.
For those with shoddy or poor idle, try a new battery. I've learnt it's NOT always the stepper motor.
Edit: Yes we've swapped the steppers back. Mine is a shiny 4 month old one,
his is old and black (not shiny) although working OK.Edited by ianwayne on Wednesday 28th January 17:51
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