'82 - rough idle / hard steering

[Big Tex]

Low mileage '82 idles rough at start up. Smooths out in a few minutes as car warms up and idles fine unless it is cold. Any ideas? EGR maybe?

Same car steers a little bit stiff. Not a problem at all but is harder to turn than others. Cannot turn it with the palm of your hand while sitting still. Any ideas about this one?

Thanks...

 

[atmmac]

bought a car huh. Check out your power steering fluid. not sure on the idling rough part. Maybe bad gas?

-Andy

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Since it is only when it is cold, I would suspect something in the cold idle circuit on the cross-fire.

 

[Big Tex]

Haven't bought it yet but I will. It's Guy's s/g '82. These are the things that he says it does. Has checked PS fluid - not it. Not bad gas because it has always done it.

 

[Big Tex]

How do you check that?

 

[Bob Chadwick]

No idea Tex. Mine has a carburetor. The problem with the 82 is it is one of two years that has cross-fire injection. It can work great if you can find someone that knows it but that's not always that easy and therein lies the problem.

The same thing is said about the Q'jet as well. :L

There is a guy here that know the cross fire. I can't remember his name but I think he was posting with JohnZ on a cross fire issue. Send John a PM and see if he can give you the guy's name.

So I guess it's official. Guy is selling one of those two beauty's. I saw the silver green when he bought it here at the NCRS show in Atlanta. A very nice car.

 

[brusso]

I believe that if the EGR wasn't seating properly then you would have rough idle all of the time. Cold or hot, the EGR will cause rough idle if accuated. May want to try a bottle of quality fuel injection cleaner, in the tank. I'm leaning towards the cold idle control side of the FI system.

Power steering? Possibly a worn or loose belt. Also may be time to replace the P/S hoses. There may be a restriction in one of the hoses. I think that you will be surprised at how relatively cheap "Corvette" hose replacement kits are.

 

[Big Tex]

So I guess it's official. Guy is selling one of those two beauty's.

Yep. He doesn't deserve to have both of them while I have neither, right? I can't wait until the snow melts.

 

[Guy]

Looks like it's going to happen so I can get a C5 .

Let's add a little history to this.

The car has run just about the same for 9k miles since last April except for one shorting spark plug wire (they were all original).
Atlanta to Ma, round trip to St. Louis, round trip to Carlisle and another trip to Atlanta. Two tanks with one bottle each of GM injector cleaner were run. I changed the power steering fluid since THAT could have been original and it's not a belt problem either. Hoses? Could be, I think they are all original. Remember, I bought the car with only 28k miles on it. Since these items do not bother me, I have not looked into it much further. However, tonight reading the shop manual, I read that worn "O" rings (injector rings) will cause a rough cold idle. Again, these don't bother me, but Marc is looking for suggestions, so I thought the history would help. Nut and I still hit 24 MPG at one point on the way back from Atlanta with that bad pug wire, and NO we were not going down hill .

So with the above in mind, throw Marc your suggestions.

Marc - You might want to toss the question out on the Crossfire Injection Vault: http://www.crossfire.homeip.net/cftest/startdefault.asp


Guy - Guess I'll have to change that sig soon.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Hey guys,

There is a vacuum line that runs from the left Throttle body to the temp sensor on the intake snorkle on the air cleaner housing.
If the diaphram is perforated on the air diverter actuator(the flap that holds down to allow air from the exhaust manifold shroud flex hose), air will be sucking in the hose into the TB causing a lean condition in the left TBI, during warm up.
Once the sensor warms up, the valve closes and the air flow stops, and the engine runs fine.
Suck on the line, and see if it holds vacuum when cold, or pull the vacuum line off the TB and put your finger over the metal tube and see if it smoothes out.
My 2 cents....

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Also,
A worn power steering control valve, or power steering pump will cause your Vette to drive like a truck.

 

[Guy]

Pete - Sounds like that could be the problem. Last fall I put my finger on one of the lines that connects to the bottom of the air cleaner housing and the car smoothed out.
Must be the line you are refering to and I believe it runs a little lean.

Also, I was told to lean more to a worn power steering control valve. I just never took these issues any further.

Now if the winter would just end so Marc can come pick his new car up...


Guy

 

[Guy]

I spoke too soon. I just tried Pete's suggestion on the vacuum line and it didn't smooth out and the line holds vacuum.


Guy

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Woops, I missed.

It seemed like a good place to start.
Check out Bobchads posting about the power steering control valve to learn more about that issue.

 

[Stallion]

Hey, Guy, which one are you selling? The black or the light green one?

 

[Guy]

Hey, Guy, which one are you selling? The black or the light green one?

The silver-green one.


Guy

 

[Stallion]

The silver-green one.


Guy

That's my favorite one out of yours. I love that color!

 

[Guy]

Update:

It turned out to be 2 motors on the throttle bodies stuck open (I think that's what they said). A local Vette shop figured it out and I pick it up tomorrow morning.

BTW - The car is still for sale (so is my black 82).


Guy

 

[Guy]

Idle Air Control Motors - One stuck open and one stuck closed. The silver-green runs like a champ now and took her for a 150 mile spin Saturday.

My thanks to Ron at Ron's Restorations: http://www.ronsautorestoration.com/



Guy

 

[bh3chevy]

What did it run you to take care of the problem ? I think I've got the same issue on my '82. Thanks.