Re: [DML] Re: a little more idle work needed

[Soma576@xxxx]

In a message dated 10/9/03 10:34:51 PM Central Daylight Time, Soma576@xxxx 
writes:

> Tonight after work i checked my ignition timing just for the heck of it.
> At idle with the car fully warm, it was advanced!!!
> I pulled the vac hose off the ignition advance and there was no vacuum! 
> Just 
> a popping kind of sound when i first removed it, but no sucking. i put it 
> back on, checked the timing again, it was back to normal. it seems like it 
> is 
> going back and forth on its own. the solenoid is new.
> 
> what gives? i redid the wires on the idle speed switch and they aren't 
> loose 
> anymore. what is going on here?
> 
> how do i hook up my multimeter so i can tell if the switch is operating 
> correctly? it is being engaged and disengaged when it should be.
> 
> i'm really confused now....
> Andy

OK List,

Another update. with help from another DML'er on the instant messenger i 
started checking my idle speed switch.

Here is how it was wired up first.
from the wiring harness covered in black electrical tape, there were two 
wires, a black one and a black/green. the black one went straight to the bottom 
connector on the idle speed switch. the black/green went into a red splitter 
which turned into yellow and black/green. the yellow one went to a noise 
eliminator on the base of the air meter while the black/green went to the top of 
the switch.

My dad and I looked at the wiring diagram and saw that it seemed like all 
three of those wires should be going to the same connector on the switch, while a 
4th wire went straight to engine ground. my dad tested the switch and found 
that with an ohm meter's needles on each of the switch connectors, the switch 
made a circuit when the switch was depressed (at idle). this would mean that 
at idle, the switch would make a ground as shown in the wiring diagram for the 
other wires on the other side. In addition, when one needle was on either 
connector and the other needle was on the brass mount for the switch (or the 
screws that hold the switch to it), it never makes a complete circuit in any 
position - only when each needle is on each connector, which implies that the 
switch requires its own ground to work right.

So, this is what we did:
We took all three wires and crimped them together to the top tab of the 
switch. we ran a wire to the block from the bottom tab. When we put it all back 
together and started the car, the ignition advance had disappeared! i checked 
my base timing which was off about 4 degrees and corrected it. when i remove 
the electrical connector from the advance solenoid, it goes into an advanced 
state.

Here is what i need to know now:
1. is what we did ok? i don't have another car around here to check and see 
if this is how it should be. for all i know, the previous owner replaced the 
microswitch with a different one, rewired it, who knows what. 
2. if this isn't right, won't really work, goes around a different problem or 
whatever, how should it really be wired? seems to work ok now though.
3. i think my only problem now is setting my CO. i believe i have a vacuum 
leak in the A/C system somewhere because when i switch on the A/C, the car runs 
rougher. how can i get the CO set while blocking off the vacuum lines up 
front, in case they are affecting idle quality? 
4. i bought a dwell meter and put one clip on the orange wire for the 
diagnostic plug and the other to my battery aux post. the instructions for the meter 
don't say anything about this use for it, so i have no clue what i am doing 
except for info i found in the archives. anyway, i set it for dwell, 6 cyl. 
when i put the green lead from the meter on the battery and the black lead on 
the orange wire (shop manual says this is the lambda readings), it makes the 
needle go to around 30 deg and doesn't move. when i turn the CO screw, i 
replace the rubber cap and observe the meter. after enough tweaking it goes to 
oscillating between 40-45 in a rhythm. however, the car seems to run somewhat 
rough and the exhaust smells rich. also, when i give it some gas, i hear low 
thumping kind of sounds from the exhaust as it returns to a crappy idle. i have no 
idea how to use this thing or what i am doing. i think i need some real 
instructions. it is actually running worse now that i started playing with the 
mixture screw than it did two days ago.

well this post is really long with a lot of information in it. i know i have 
been posting a lot lately, but i really want to get this solved before winter 
storage. where i live, in Fargo, ND, there are no places to take my car and 
no one has an exhaust analyzer like this anyway. closest one is 300 miles, 
which i am willing to visit but only once i have exhausted all my options. i'm 
pretty much on my own and rely on the DML to get things running ok.

I hope there is someone out there patient enough to help me figure this out!

Thanks,
Andy


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