Engine is idling rough, especially with AC.

[Baltothewolf]

Man with all the money you have been spending on repairs you could have bought an ok condition insight like I did. I got tired of fixing the Black Mamba's problems.

[Xist]

Oil pan: $85
Alternator: $142
Replacement visor: $75
Replacement dome light lens: $6.11
Door lock: $85
Purge and recharge AC: $100
Fix AC leak, top off AC, and replace brake cylinders: $139.26

Anything else? That totals $659.58 and I have had the car eleven months.

[3n3rgystar]

Originally Posted by Xist

Oil pan: $85
Alternator: $142
Replacement visor: $75
Replacement dome light lens: $6.11
Door lock: $85
Purge and recharge AC: $100
Fix AC leak, top off AC, and replace brake cylinders: $139.26

Anything else? That totals $659.58 and I have had the car eleven months.

Thats not too bad, $59 a month , thats some cheap car payments. Plus you might be over the hump of repairs where none might not be needed for a while. When I work on car like that I chalk it up to education, exercise, hobby, and gaining a practical skill that might can help others or myself in the future.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by 3n3rgystar

Thats not too bad, $59 a month , thats some cheap car payments. Plus you might be over the hump of repairs where none might not be needed for a while. When I work on car like that I chalk it up to education, exercise, hobby, and gaining a practical skill that might can help others or myself in the future.

I accept responsibility for all of the AC work, we will just classify that as education. The problem is that it is still not working right, and it keeps turning on and off when I am idling, which is why the mechanic said that I need to replace the expansion valve. I understand that when you do that, you also need to replace another component or two, and had read that you should replace all of that any time that you have a leak in the system.

So, unfortunately, I am not over the hump yet, need to replace the timing belt in 3,500 miles.

[3n3rgystar]

I went thru something similar with my car but it was just when starting it would it die. I cleaned the MAF, throttle body, pcv, egr, replaced all the vacuum hoses, cleaned iac, went thru procedures to setting timing and idle. Now it is pretty much fixed only does it every once in a while, but at least it only does when starting and not running. Luckily I found message board articles doing a run down of fixing issues with my particular car. Maybe you do the same with your car? Not familiar with your type of car sorry, but the in general things I listed may help, I know mine was a combination of things.

One trick I do know that I have used in the past(wastes a little gas if you idle alot) is set the idle higher where it might not die when you drive it, then when you have more time to work on it lower it again, try a fix if it works you are done, if not set the idle higher so you can drive it without dying then next pay day try another fix, if that works your done, etc. Might get you by until a permanent fix, kinda a work around.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by 3n3rgystar

One trick I do know that I have used in the past(wastes a little gas if you idle alot) is set the idle higher where it might not die when you drive it, then when you have more time to work on it lower it again, try a fix if it works you are done, if not set the idle higher so you can drive it without dying then next pay day try another fix, if that works your done, etc. Might get you by until a permanent fix, kinda a work around.

At stops, I use the accelerator to idle higher. I have not been driving much lately, although I had been driving without air conditioning even when it was well over a hundred degrees, but I always use it if I have passengers.

[3n3rgystar]

My first car a 1978 Datsun B210 I had to do that with. I was 16 and knew nothing about cars so sold it, regret that I should have tried to fix it and learn something.

Maybe with it setting it the gas has gummed something up in the fuel system, have you tried running a bottle of techron thru it?

[Xist]

Originally Posted by 3n3rgystar

My first car a 1978 Datsun B210 I had to do that with. I was 16 and knew nothing about cars so sold it, regret that I should have tried to fix it and learn something.

Maybe with it setting it the gas has gummed something up in the fuel system, have you tried running a bottle of techron thru it?

Why don't I just fill up at Chevron?

I put a bottle of seaforium into the gas tank a few months ago, my car was idling rough, and I believe that I had a CEL for engine misfire, but I used my Ultragauge, which I keep in the Forester, which had those exact codes after Pep Boys replaced my timing belt incorrectly.

Somehow, my Civic keeps having the same issues that my Forester did.

My Sergeant was a certified mechanic, but said that he did not enjoy working on other people's cars, so he changed careers, at least twice now.

[Xist]

I have not noticed any improvement after filling up at Chevron.

[2000mc]

So the check engine light is caused by the ac cycling?