Bad drivability and vibration at idle
I've talked to numerous people on SC about a problem I've been having with the '89 sedan.
Nobody has been able to help me.
1.)
The symptoms are partially intermittent.
On cold starts, the car runs noticeably rich at idle. There is misfiring and vibration accompanied by an unmistakable smell of gasoline. These symptoms gradually disappear after about one-one and a half minutes of idling.
Occasionally the car starts up smoothly and doesn't run rich. This is not temperature dependent.
2.)
At any temperature, the car vibrates at idle. It vibrates more than father's SPG, so I'm assuming it's not normal. It doesn't "sound" right. The exhaust doesn't blow unevenly and the misfire isn't the kind that you would see when you pull the cord on a sparkplug. But there is a noticeable "shake" if you really look at the engine or the things attached to the engine.
This might attributed to the worn engine mounts and the noisy drive belts which contribute to the sensation of a misfire through sound.
3.)
When applying throttle at idle, the engine noticeably shakes to the side and shudders. Hesitates. This is not heavily pronounced, but it is noticeable to me.
Under low load, when starting the car from a stop, there is excessive vibration that feels like "knocking". There is no sound, but the vibration is very heavy in the pedals and steering wheel.
I swapped an air mass meter from another car (turbo), which runs the ECU richer. This eliminated the hesitation and drivability problems, but the bad idle remained.
What I've checked:
-replaced distributor cap
-checked, cleaned, tightened ALL grounds
-cleaned intake manifold and throttle body with various solvents
-cleaned AIC
-cleaned AMM
-checked for vacuum leaks THOROUGHLY
-checked for loose wiring
What I've confirmed:
-no coolant loss
-no oil loss (other than a rear main seal leak)
-I just calculated that I burn 2.8 gallons per 110 miles
I don't know what to tackle from here on. I have no funds to buy any parts.
This is not preventing the car from driving, but it is annoying the hell out of me!
I am trying so hard to prevent the car from becoming a "clunker".
I tried to replace the fuel filter. I couldn't because it's impossible. :roll:
Any help is appreciated. Winter is here and I don't want to keep driving it like this.