Idle issue?

[otoz]

The problem I was having is more of a "returning to idle" problem than an just an idle problem, I'm not positive its the same issue as everyone else. Fast forward to the end where i turned off the AC and you can hear it better. This is with the car in neutral. Clutch is fully out and i'm not touching it. I estimate it dips to about 350 rpm but i haven't confirmed it with a scanner yet, additionally it has never stalled out from this but it has sounded like it might.
http://youtu.be/rxtgmCTgTR0

[civicdrivr]

Originally Posted by Rabble

You guys should post the section of your vin that says which number it was off the factory line. It would be interesting to see if there is a pattern of a specific batch of cars having this issue or if it is random.

#180

[Hawaiian]

Originally Posted by Re~Mix

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Can someone provide a succinct description of this phenomena?

My MT FRS is 2 weeks old and I have yet to notice it really drop below 500-600 RPMs except during user error (first time stick shift driver).

I've posted in the poll thread with the details of it happening with me. It has only happened with a missfire 4 times. While ignoring the low shaky randomness of the idle, my car has had what I can only describe as 4 noticible occurances.

Twice it happened after starting my car in the parking lot while Idling and messing with my pandora without going anywhere. Both times I'm guessing it was in neutral with the E-brake on and the clutch out. There is a slight decline to the parking lot, and the outside temp was in the upper 80's (it's been warm here the 2 weeks since I've picked up my car) so my A/C was on.

The second 2 times happened in a short time span on the same drive. There is a double stoplight set up with the front light being 15 yards ahead of the second light. Once again it was a warm day and my A/C was on. Coming to a stop I was clutch in, with the car in neutral idling. The idle dropped low causing the car to sputter and almost stall, but the car responded and reved the idle up to 1000 rpm with a audible pop/missfire noise coming from the engine.

The light turned green and I moved up to the next light, clutch in, this time in first. While idling again the same scenario happened; rev drop, near stall, rev to 1000, and the pop.

Things to note,
I have a MT
I have 1100 miles on my car.
I put only 93 in my car, and have had my fillups at Mobile stations.
I fill up at the half tank mark.
All 4 times my A/C has been running.
My car has been both clutch in and out.
I have been in and out of gear
It has occured on a decline, and on level ground
I have not stalled or gotten a CEL
The noise, while audible is not loud.
I have tried, but have not been able to re-create the stutter.
While I have had the low rev/rev up happen a few times, there are only 4 times that I have noticed the sound with it.
@Rabble 1586 vin

[kiddo]

In the meanwhile I am still waiting mine, so I've no comment on the FA20 engine. However, it has happened to my VW 1.8T quite a few time. Frist, I don't think the grade of the fuel (regular or premium) is the main factor for this issue, but I suspect it is the "water-content" in the fuel. Although I can't be 100% sure, but I felt that few occusions when I filled up the car during heavy rain/quick snow melting, it generated a greater chance that engine would shake and erractic idling for that tank of fuel. If the engine really got problem, it should happen very often, but that is not that case. I guess the engines with high-compression-ratio are sensitive to the quality of fuel. FYI: stock 1.8T = 10.5:1 ratio. Some gas stations have leaky tanks, so the water may goes in there.

[ToxicSneakers]

About water fouling: Would a half-cup of isoproply alcohol added at fill up time extract the water and remove that possibility of idle speed problems? (The foregoing is a question, not a statement.)

[yayforaddison]

Originally Posted by otoz

The problem I was having is more of a "returning to idle" problem than an just an idle problem, I'm not positive its the same issue as everyone else. Fast forward to the end where i turned off the AC and you can hear it better. This is with the car in neutral. Clutch is fully out and i'm not touching it. I estimate it dips to about 350 rpm but i haven't confirmed it with a scanner yet, additionally it has never stalled out from this but it has sounded like it might.
http://youtu.be/rxtgmCTgTR0

This video does a decent job at showing what it kinda looks like.

Mine tho does this thing where it'll drop below 500rpm, shaking in the process, for maybe 1-2 seconds then jump over 1k.

Thanks for the video tho! Its decent proof that its a real problem incase you end up taking it to the dealer.

[DantKR]

Mine sat here after 30min drive and was idle for about 2 min:

[DantKR]

Originally Posted by otoz

The problem I was having is more of a "returning to idle" problem than an just an idle problem, I'm not positive its the same issue as everyone else. Fast forward to the end where i turned off the AC and you can hear it better. This is with the car in neutral. Clutch is fully out and i'm not touching it. I estimate it dips to about 350 rpm but i haven't confirmed it with a scanner yet, additionally it has never stalled out from this but it has sounded like it might.
http://youtu.be/rxtgmCTgTR0

I've seen a lot of cars that do that if when they drop RPMs. I don't think any car I've owned that was manual ever stopped right at idle and always dipped low and then came back up.

[otoz]

Originally Posted by DantKR

I've seen a lot of cars that do that if when they drop RPMs. I don't think any car I've owned that was manual ever stopped right at idle and always dipped low and then came back up.

I would agree, It just seems like the dip is a little more pronounced on the FRS. I dont think its a problem, but is this what other people are experiencing or is there a different issue?

[Re~Mix]

Originally Posted by DantKR

Mine sat here after 30min drive and was idle for about 2 min:

So if I understand things correctly now this is what it should NOT do? My FRS seems to sit at 500-750 RPM a decent amount of the time and otherwise near 1000 RPM.

Should I be worried? Honestly, it hasn't made any bad sounds like the engine is struggling or tended to stall whilst idling in nuetral or with the clutch pedal pressed in.

EDIT: In any case, it doesn't seem to bounce around or "dip" uncontrollably

[DantKR]

Originally Posted by Re~Mix

So if I understand things correctly now this is what it should NOT do? My FRS seems to sit at 500-750 RPM a decent amount of the time and otherwise near 1000 RPM.

Should I be worried? Honestly, it hasn't made any bad sounds like the engine is struggling or tended to stall whilst idling in nuetral or with the clutch pedal pressed in.

No, this is where it should be. That's pretty much a perfect idle. 1,000 RPMs should only be for the first 2-3 minutes of operation and then it'll go down by about 100-200 and then finally settle at about 600-700. The engine will probably never sound like it's struggling unless it starts to hit 300 or below. Then that is an issue.

[otoz]

Originally Posted by Re~Mix

So if I understand things correctly now this is what it should NOT do? My FRS seems to sit at 500-750 RPM a decent amount of the time and otherwise near 1000 RPM.

Should I be worried? Honestly, it hasn't made any bad sounds like the engine is struggling or tended to stall whilst idling in nuetral or with the clutch pedal pressed in.

EDIT: In any case, it doesn't seem to bounce around or "dip" uncontrollably

Does yours dip after you give it a little gas and let off the accelerator like in my video?

[yayforaddison]

The car isn't idling low all the time. If it sat for 2 mins at the same rpm then it's fine, but ours seems to do it when slowing down. As far as I know, it's not normal to stall when coming to a light, or even drop low enough in idle to nearly stall and shake.

[civicdrivr]

Originally Posted by DantKR

No, this is where it should be. That's pretty much a perfect idle. 1,000 RPMs should only be for the first 2-3 minutes of operation and then it'll go down by about 100-200 and then finally settle at about 600-700. The engine will probably never sound like it's struggling unless it starts to hit 300 or below. Then that is an issue.

When my engine is cold, it idles at ~1500rpms for a few minutes. Not sure if thats normal or not though. All of my previous cars would idle at 1k while cold then drop down to 750-800rpms.

[DantKR]

Originally Posted by yayforaddison

The car isn't idling low all the time. If it sat for 2 mins at the same rpm then it's fine, but ours seems to do it when slowing down. As far as I know, it's not normal to stall when coming to a light, or even drop low enough in idle to nearly stall and shake.

That what you describe is not normal and def not what was in the vid. This sounds like a fuel line/pump issue and I would defiantly have it looked at if you can reproduce.

[DantKR]

Originally Posted by civicdrivr

When my engine is cold, it idles at ~1500rpms for a few minutes. Not sure if thats normal or not though. All of my previous cars would idle at 1k while cold then drop down to 750-800rpms.

1000-1200 is fairly normal. 1500 isn't out of the question.

[phm14]

Originally Posted by Rabble

You guys should post the section of your vin that says which number it was off the factory line. It would be interesting to see if there is a pattern of a specific batch of cars having this issue or if it is random.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe the OP can edit the 1st post, listing username, last 5 of VIN #, production date and delivery area. My frs mt is running fine so far @ 500 + miles.

[davisk6]

What you are describing sounds like a vacuum leak or a MAF problem. MAF turbo cars with BOV's have this same problem if the BOV is set too "soft", ie, the system doesn't close. Either way, I'd have it checked out by a dealer. Chances are some of the intake routing hoses are loose or cracked.

[Re~Mix]

Originally Posted by otoz

Does yours dip after you give it a little gas and let off the accelerator like in my video?

I haven't noticed it yet, but I will be on the lookout. Approx 750 miles on my MT FRS

[rice_classic]

My s2000 did this sometimes after a big change in weather. Example: Seattle has a very temperate climate and doesn't see anything "warm" until July then bam: 85 degree days. The S2000 would have to "re-learn" the ambient air, would stumble a bit at idle, "pop up" then come back down and it's all good. It might do this a couple times after the start of the warm season.

Ok, but this is of now value to those where the CEL's were coming on or the car was dying... That's a bigger problem I suspect and if it happens to me when I buy mine I will be back in the dealership IMMEDIATELY.

[motofan]

I once drove a modified S2000 with turbo. If I quickly release the gas when the car in station, the RPM can drop to very low, the higher I rev it, and release quickly, the lower it drops and can stall very easily. However, it I release gently, there is much less chance for RPM to drop lower than it should be at idle.

So, can you guys with MT FR-S try to see if you gently release the gas, coasting rpm back to about 800, is the problem is still there?

[motofan]

Originally Posted by civicdrivr

When my engine is cold, it idles at ~1500rpms for a few minutes. Not sure if thats normal or not though. All of my previous cars would idle at 1k while cold then drop down to 750-800rpms.

That should be normal. Every car does it so it can warm up quicker. Don't sit and wait the car to warm up, drive it. This warms the engine up quicker. Sitting there does more harm to the engine and is bad to the environment.