Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,

When starting, unless a bit of throttle is applied the engine (2.1DJ) will not idle and just cuts out. However the engine will start and maintain an idle if throttle is used when starting. The engine has up to now always started and maintained an idle without additional throttle input so I would like to know where to bash it in order to resolve the issue!

Does anyone have experience of this and if so what might be the possible cause?

Many thanks in advance, Stirling

Sounds like an automatic choke malfunction. It could be as simple as the power wire has become disconnected from it. Check this first. It is (obviously)attached to the carburettor. Good luck.

Its injection though, right?

Could you try winding out the idle screw a couple of turns (noting where it is to start with) and see if it starts better? Just to test.

Does it idle fine once warm?

Time to check the idle control system.

First question - is the throttle position switch actually working? With engine off, and your hand in the engine bay, open the throttle and close it a few times. You should hear it click every time, off and on. If you don't, then the idle control system doesn't know it needs to do anything.

Turn the ignition on, but don't start it. Can you hear/feel the idle control valve (cylinder on top of the engine, towards the rear/centre) buzzing?

What's the idle speed like once it does idle? Hot/cold?

Ours was ~900 cold, 1600 hot - throttle switch wasn't doing anything. Got that sorted, it's rock solid ~850 at all times, EXCEPT when it's first started and very cold (freezing or below) outside - then it won't _quite_ idle until there's a little warmth in the coolant. I've yet to figure that out...

(1.9DG)This problem was driving me mad for weeks & after trying a lot of different things & head scratching I checked my timing to find it out, re-set timing happy days. Give it a go.

Good luck.

All, Apologies for not having responded sooner, thanks for the suggestions to date. Here is a further update:

The throttle body switch is operating as it should, making and breaking dependant on the throttle position.

The air idle control valve is buzzing when the ignition is on although does anyone know whether the valve should open completely when operating? I imagine as it appears to be a straightforward solenoid once energised its either open or if faulty closed?

I haven't managed to check its impedence to see whether the coil winding its within its tolerance, that has to be the next move (have cleaned with carb cleaner in the vain hope it might just be sticking!)

If the air idle valve is removed but still left connected (electrically) and its connecting pipes joined together the engine will run at idle albeit a bit on the 'lumpy' side.

Don't want to 'shell' out for a new control valve (why are they sooo expensive anyway?) if there is something simple that I have overlooked!

Cheers