86 owners, how's your idle?
 

My '13 FR-S idled so smoothly it was hard to tell it was running, at least when the crickets were dead.

My 86 has a much rougher, lumpier idle. If you had an FR-S/BRZ, how does yours compare?

Second attempt:
Former car: 2013 FR-S. It idled so smoothly it was hard to tell if it was running.

Current car: 2017 86. It has a very lumpy, rough idle.

Question: If you had an FR-S or BRZ and now have a 2017 86, how does your 2017 86's idle compare to the FR-S/BRZ?

Idle?

It varies for me. Some days smooth as eggs, other days not so much.

Rock solid idle. No drama.

2013 FR-S, MT - no power mods - idle has always been smooth.


humfrz

I do believe the op was asking those that have had both the first and second generation cars to compare the two.

Oh well, he's getting bonus responses.

normal i guess?

Stop signs, stop lights, bong hits, things like that. I'm not cool enough to sit and bang off the rev-limiter when stopped.

My 13 liked to hunt for the idle rpm repeatedly at stop lights, and on a certain rhythm, where I thought it would almost sound to other cars like I was trying to egg them on or engage them.

After I flashed with OFT 91 tune it got better, but not 100% perfect. Sometimes it still idle hunts at a stop light, but way way less often than the stock tune.

I have a 2016- It's a little rough with the mods I have done. Right away a muffler and cat delete causes extra NVH and the tune changes timing. Sometimes idle dips a little. Idle LTFT is around 6, AFR is right on target.

My 13 FRS had idle issues they had to put shims in to adjust timing or the valves

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in the morning after like a minute or so, it drops to about 500 , scares me a bit cuz it gets real quiet. Thought it would die but idles fine.

Really varies. My entirely stock 2016 FR-S has a pretty bouncy idle some days.

My 2016 BRZ idles horribly some days.

It seems to be a normal thing, but it's the biggest complaint I have with the car. There are times when I'm sitting at a light or a drive through and it's embarrassing.

And I'm disappointed to hear that your 86 is doing it. I had thought that would be something that got fixed when they did their big HCI swap on these engines.

Ya, there are things it likes and dislikes and I never really know when it will be perfectly smooth or bounce around a bit. It does not like coming to a sudden stop after a long highway run and always takes a couple of seconds to level out but that is really the only predictable time.

So, no 2017 86 owners (other than me) in yet.

Must not be enough that have bought 86s yet to answer. Maybe have better luck asking in the 2017 BRZ thread since there is a boat load of those guys.
I did test drive a 17 86 for about an hour last week and didn't notice any difference in idle between it and my 14. It also didn't like stopping after coming off the highway.

I have a 17' 86 and after initial warmup the idle seems pretty smooth, can't say it's really bouncing around...I just threw a cat back on so now can't verify if that will make anything different...I don't think so as it's only cat back...but sorry, I didn't have a previous FRS or BRZ to compare.

Mine runs smoothly unless I had disconnected my battery. Then it flips out.

I bought a 2017 86 4 weeks ago.

The first week, and only once, did my idle feel "rough" in that the vibrations kind of resembled a failed engine mount. This occurred once only and has not occurred again, and I've since put 1200 miles on the car.

My idle is rarely ever smooth. it seems to go up and down 100 rpm. Last night when I was waiting at every light it would do let's say 800 rpm, then there would be a click, and it goes to 700 rpm, and repeat all through the red light, at even intervals. No idea what it's doing

Idle has generally been smooth with no issues.

However lately it's been not so smooth. Not sure if the weather can affect it so much, but we have been having some wild temperature swings lately. Thinking about taking mine in to see if they can re-flash the ECU or something to fix the idle... I've noticed lately it will almost die while coming to a stop. RPM's will drop low enough that the DRL's turn off for a second (around 400 rpm). It doesn't have an issue after that initial stumble, RPM's will go back up and will stay consistent.

Also noticed recently that if I shift into Neutral (like when I'm sitting in a drive-thru forever...) it'll do the up and down thing. RPM's will stay in the normal range for a second, drop to about 300-400 and just when you think it's gonna putter out they surge back to normal. It'll just keep doing that until you shift back into gear. No effect on it if you turn the Defrost or AC on/off.

That's not that big a deal.

Mine drops almost 300rpm sometimes. Sounds like it's gonna die.

Same here. Brand new 86, and it idles like crazy for about 60-90 seconds, then it disappears so much it feels like the ignition died.

I've told my dealership about this a couple of times. They just keep saying it's normal without really looking at it. They just say that it's the VVT and if it ever actually dies, to give them a call.

I got 2017 and sometimes a cold start can be a bit rough but quickly goes away

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I have a 2017 86 and I would not say its ever had a "rough" idle. On a cold start before it reaches operating temp, I get a small shake every once in a while, but the rpms do not drop and there is not any sound associated with the shake. When I say shake I mean 1 at a time. It reminds me of what it feels like when a car passes by when you are stopped at a red light and the air turbulence causes your car to feel like it is nudged by the air. It is very, very subtle though. Once it is warmed up, you would barely be able to tell it's running if you could not hear the direct injection (HPFP and injectors).

Mine is a little rough when it first starts, but once warm, I have no issues.

Some observations:
- On start the car idles at a higher than normal level, this continues for a minute or two, and once warm the idle drops.
- If I let the car start rolling out of my parking spot (in neutral, while warming up) the idle will drop as soon as I start moving. Seems like there is a sensor.
- I try to warm the car up for at least a minute or two every morning, drives much better warm, at least in my opinion.

Sorry to hear about this, my car has been rock solid since I got it (knocks on wood).

No way to say this without sounding condescending (even though I am not trying to be) but here I go anyway:
Is this your first ca ever? Every car made since they invented the automatic choke starts at high idle an drops once warm enough or you move it.

high and steady at first, then drops around 40 seconds in, then stable and slowly goes down until hits about 600rpm..

My FRS 15 idles rough sometimes, I think it depends on where I get my gas... but I haven't really plotted it yet. I was told at the dealership they can flash my car with an update? I think I might do it soon.

Does a vibrating shifter knob indicate a rough idle? It seems like more often than not, lately, mine will be slightly vibrating, and then I grab it and notice, yeah, this thing is shaking a bit.

Thanks for the replies, and I'll know to be very specific next time. Going to see if the dealer has one I can sit in at idle to compare. I'll let you know if mine is "normal" or not.

I had a 13 FRS and just bought an 86 a month ago

The FRS would idle high at warm up and the drop to 5-600 and idle fine, except for the crickets but they never really bothered me much.

The 86 idles high at warm up and drops to 5-600 after that. So far no crickets :)

The only difference I have noticed at warm up is the 86 seems to idle higher for longer than the FRS did

Oil pressure on a hot engine at idle (750) is only 3 to 5 psi. That's scarry low. So I had my tuner (Shawn Church) raise the idle to 950 so now my idle oil pressure stays at 20 psi when hot. Car idles smooth except when the AC is on. Then rpm goes up and down as AC compressor comes on and off. Also being supercharged that adds some more draw off the engine. But all in all can't complain a bit.

2013 BRZ...idle is smooth all the time, even before it warms up. Driven in temps from 98 to 10 degrees. Only idle issue is that with fast stops it will dip a few RPMs and then recover

Drove motorcycles for 20+ years, all weather. Was a way of life.
Now I am older and wanted a car that was sort of like a bike: not too convenient, more fun than most to drive. But with heating. And windows. Got this.

So its all good, I am many things: husband, small business owner, computer guy. Nobody that knows me would say I was a car guy.

I do love my FRS though, and I have been learning a lot including from you and this forum. So thanks!

That makes sense. Just really took me by surprise that somebody would not be familiar with the concept of high idle on a car.