My car won’t idle
Ok computer says it's crank senior ireplaced. It I replaced cam senior as well and timing chain I lined up the timing marks and number on piston on compresion stroke distributor is on number one as well and when I crank it .it starts but back fires and like it's out of timing do you think the cam may be worn please help I don't know what else to do call me if you want I can explain better 540-256-1463 my name is curtis my gmail is [email protected]
My car has 345567 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
If the engine is backfiring, there is something wrong with the ignition timing. You may have to go back and make sure the mechanical timing is correct at the timing chain and then do the ignition timing over again; it’s pretty easy to get these 180 degrees off. The camshaft position sensor is located in the distributor and the better thing to do is replace the distributor as a unit instead of replacing parts.
I recommend you have an experienced technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to take a closer look at the timing and offer a personal diagnosis to get your van starting and running again.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Every timing belt has little teeth that help it grip the gears, allowing it to aid in the rotation of other engine components. However, as belts age, they can begin to lose these teeth, which can then fall into the gears, causing rough idling of the engine.
When your car`s timing belt is broken or irreplaceable, your engine will not be able to ignite or turn over properly. This means when you turn the key, you may hear the starter motor engage, but since the timing belt is responsible for operating the crank and shaft, it will not fully ignite.
Any sagging or slipping means it`s time to replace your cambelt. Make sure to check the ridges surrounding the belt as they may wear down too. The cambelt may produce loud noises when your vehicle is running. If you hear a squealing sound, it could be an indication that the belt is loose.
Yes a bad timing belt can cause a car to idle rough, when the teeth on the belt is worn or broken it can cause the belt to slip causing the timing to be out ,also a broken timing belt while driving can cause immense damage to your engine, you should follow the manufacturer`s schedule for replacement to be safe.
Even with proper maintenance and inspection, your timing belt can fail without notice. A broken timing belt will cause your engine to shut off.
Decreased Engine Power or Trouble Starting Your Car
Because your timing belt controls so many moving parts under the hood of your car, as the timing belt wears out, you may notice a decrease in your engine`s power or even difficulty starting your engine.
1: Engine Issues at High RPM
Your timing belt consists of rubber teeth that fit into the gears in your crankshaft. As your timing belt wears, these teeth will become deteriorated, meaning that at higher RPM it will have trouble gripping the gears.
If the engine timing of the cam is off, your car will either be running rough or not at all. If the ignition timing is the problem, it isn`t as easy to notice because it has four cycles: Intake valve sucks in air while fuel is delivered by the injectors. The fuel mixture is reduced.
The idler pulley is meant to provide another smoothly rotating point for the engine belt to loop around, so that the desired routing can be achieved. Most engines use one idler pulley, and one tensioner pulley, though some designs do use more than one idler.
Your car`s timing belt is a key component of its performance. If the belt is off by even a smidge, it can create obvious acceleration issues. Since this part plays such an important role, it helps to have it looked at regularly. With time and use it can wear, creating potential catastrophic engine damage.
Incorrect timing is the most overlooked and misdiagnosed cause of a no-start. Perhaps you automatically think of ignition timing as the position of the crankshaft when the No. 1 plug fires. While this is important, it isn`t the only timing condition that can influence a no-start.
in a modern car they often have two different sensors to tell the ignition when to send the spark. If these sensors are out of time then they won`t send the spark in order to save the engine from damage.
A bad timing belt can also be the cause of sluggish acceleration. This is a belt that is responsible for synchronizing the movement of the engine`s valves. If it is not working properly, then the engine will not be able to function correctly and it will cause the car to move slowly.
Changing the timing value up or down changes the engine speed up or down for the optimum ignition timing. The engine speed operating range affects where the timing is the best. Increasing the timing advance raises the high-end power, reducing the low-end.
Signs Your Ignition Timing Is Off
Some things to look out for: Engine knocking: Engine knocking occurs when the air-fuel mixture is ignited too soon in the cylinder. The mixture then pushes against pistons that are still trying to compress the mixture. This causes loud pinging sounds to come from the engine.
Generally, a timing belt that goes bad makes a noticeable ticking or clicking timing belt sound that is unusual. When the timing belt starts falling the ticking or clicking sound becomes pretty audible.
How to fix it? Cleaning or replacing the fuel filter and adding a fuel injector cleaning treatment to the fuel tank should take care of clogged fuel injectors. If the rough idle persists, it`s time to take your car to an auto repair shop.
Oxygen (O2) sensor
An oxygen sensor monitors and analyzes the amount of oxygen in a vehicle`s exhaust system after combustion. A dirty, damaged or malfunctioning O2 sensor (or sensors) affects the air/fuel mixture, causing the engine to idle rough.
Dirty/Faulty Fuel Injectors – Fuel injection systems play an essential role in starting your vehicle. The system injects fuel and air into the cylinders. If clogged or gummed up, the injectors don`t provide the right mix of fuel and air, resulting in a rough idle or slow acceleration.
It is likely that one of your ribbed or slotted pulleys has seized up causing your belt to be unable to spin. It is also possible that there may be a problem with the crankshaft drive pulley.
A timing chain is a crucial component of your engine`s internal workings, responsible for synchronizing the movement of the camshaft and crankshaft. A malfunctioning timing chain can result in decreased performance, engine misfires, and even catastrophic engine failure.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car has a rough idle when I start my car, when I stop at a light my car turns off. Is it the purge sensor?
ANSWER : This may be a result of a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve reads the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds and at idle. Since this valve is controlled by the vehicle’s computer, it will adjust idle speed based upon other measurements such as engine temperature, intake air temperature and electrical system load or voltage. When you accelerate, the engine RPM increases, and as you let off the gas, the RPM slowly returns to the normal idling speed with the help of the idle air control valve making the transition from a higher RPM back down to idle speed. When the engine RPM drops below the normal range of about ~800 RPM, this often times will cause the engine to stall indicating a dirty or faulty idle air control valve. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and repair your idle air control valve.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
My car is idling very rough.
ANSWER : The idle air control valve is common for causing a rough idle in many cars, but it sounds like you have already corrected that. Another thing you may also want to check is the crankshaft position sensor. A crankshaft position sensor monitors the position or rotational speed of the crankshaft. This information is used by engine management systems to control the fuel injection or the ignition system timing and other engine parameters. When this is faulty or not working properly, this will cause problems with the ignition system and generating spark transmission to the spark plugs resulting in starting problems, rough idling and other performance issues. You may also want to check the fuel pressure as low fuel pressure can also cause rough or poor idling if the fuel pattern being sprayed from the injectors is not consistent. This can also happen in the case of having dirty fuel injectors which may also interrupt the spray pattern of the injectors. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your car.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
My car won’t start back up after idling and won’t read codes
ANSWER : With the car idling for an extended period, your engine compartment will get extra hot and this may cause the ignition module to fail, resulting in a stalled engine that will not restart. In order to determine whether the ignition module has failed or another ignition component is at fault, you will need to check to see if your coil is giving out a strong spark. If you are not getting any spark, then the coil wires will need to be tested. Check to see if the coil is getting power on the red wire with the key in the on position, and then check for a pulsing power on the green wire using a test light. If you are not getting any spark out of the coil, but do have pulse power to the coil’s green wire when the vehicle is cranked, then you will need to replace the ignition coil. If there is not any pulse power getting to the coil, then you will need to replace the ignition module. If you still cannot determine which component is at fault, then contact a mobile mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, to continue the diagnosis of your no start condition.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
High idling, jumping while idling, idle air control valve code
ANSWER : Hi there. This can be caused by the issues that you mentioned or a number of other things. You need to make sure all of the connectors are making good contact. I would then need to know what codes are in the computer to know if this is a circuit issue or not. Most of the time, it is not the circuit but instead a vacuum leak.
If there is a vacuum leak, then the vehicle will act like this and the computer cannot control the idle. Most of the time it is a bad hose or an EGR valve that is stuck open. That is the most common cause for this. I typically remove the EGR to check it to feel the diaphragm on the bottom of it to see if it is moving correctly. If you need to have this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair your car’s idling issue.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
Car is idling at high rpm’s and when the days are hot the car cranks but doesn’t turn on and also exhaust is smoking when i rev it
ANSWER : Hello – your symptoms suggest worn piston rings or valve stem seals (smoking), and a possible air leak in the intake, or idle air control valve sticking open (high idle). Both are signs of a higher-mileage engine with significant wear. I recommend an engine inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
I put the wrong key in my car and a few weeks later my car just shut down and it will not start I believe it’s the computer but…
ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
Water was spilled in the trunk which soaked the car battery. Car won’t start now. Does water destroy a car battery?
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in about the concern with the BMW 320i. If the battery was submerged in water then it’s completely possible for the battery to short out and die. Your friend will need to have the battery replaced. Also be sure to get all of the water out of the trunk. Have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, help you guys out if you need assistance with replacing the battery. Good luck.
Read Full Q/A … : My car won’t idle
