I drive a 2000 Sunfire GT (2.4/LD9) stock. no exhaust, intakes, chips/computer mods. few things i really would like to get a second opinion on...

1 - when it's cold, it has a tendancy to want to let the RPMs drop off unless i am accelerating. It's either speeding up or slowing down, though a few good revs always fixes her right up.

2 - Rattle on low RPM acceleration. Below about 2000 RPM, if i try to accelerate, it rattle and sounds gawd aweful. I shut the car off, put it in gear, and rocked it gently. I hear something knocking or rattling when i do this. Is this the problem? if so, what is it and how can i fix it?

3 - Idles at 1300 ish. likes to stay revved up. Some guy in an integra revs up beside me, all i can do is give it a little shot to about 2000. I want him to KNOW just how bad he's about to get smoked. But if i rev it up, i sound like a tool because it takes forever (10 seconds or more) for the RPMs to finally return to the "normal" high idle. Reading on this site leaves me to believe this could be a TPS or IAC sensor issue. Someone said to unplug it while the car is runnin and see if that changes things. I don't have a haynes manual yet, where is the TPS?

any help would be greatly appreciated, would love to keep this car is great condition, I want it to look AND sound great, as well as run perfectly.

Also - looking for a good exhaust to grab a couple ponies (would like to keep the dual exhaust), power pully set, intake, etc etc, might even go so far as to buy headers and a collector? having a hard time finding anything made for the 2.4, although lots available for the 2.2...

Thanks

2: Mine does this as well, I am just going to assume its normal, because it did it in my old 94 Ranger V6 as well when it was low. I think it is just the engine being bogged.

3: they are underneath the intake box (that big black one on the front when you open the hood) the IAC is the one on the left of the throttle body, you don't need to take off the black airbox to get to it, but the TPS sensor is underneath the box, right besides one of the intake tubes, and you will need a 90 degree T15 bit to take it off.

a pic would be nice to see exactly where it is, maybe someone with a haynes manual care to post a pic???


98z24, lowered 2", aem intake, cat-back striaght pipes!, cop ligths in the front and rear, 18" liquid metal's, primer black, tint, full audio and video.

oh, I forgot to add, would it throw a cel code if the tps is going bad?


98z24, lowered 2", aem intake, cat-back striaght pipes!, cop ligths in the front and rear, 18" liquid metal's, primer black, tint, full audio and video.

well when I completely unplugged my TPS it ran like @!#$ and threw a CEL, I never checked what it was for though. I will go snap a picture in a minute for you.

Thanks Digital, I will have to stop by the local Canadian Tire to get a set of torx keys (I'm assuming thats the same thing as t15). The dealer TPS is 80 dollars, but NAPA can get one for 110. I don't know for sure, but i am assuming that staying with the GM parts from the dealer will be better. And the pic would be greatly appreciated Digital, thanks.

For your high idle try this worked on my 2001 GT:

when the car is hot and idling high, unplug your TPS. If your idle goes down, plug the sensor back in. The RPM's should stay low.
Shut the car off
Disconnect the battery.
Let it sit for a while. Preferably until the engine has completely cooled. I let mine sit overnight.
Reconnect the battery and fire it up.

The computer will need to relearn a couple things at this point but you should be idling high anymore.

If that doesn't work you have a different problem than I had. I think my PCM just goes goofy for a little bit.

As far as your rattle, do you have a 5 speed? Is it possible it's the getrag rattle?

YES! 5 spd getrag. they are known for that?

Indeed they are. Here's a link to a thread that discusses it and includes the TSB.


http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=11&i=63374&t=24710&p=1

I personally used the B&M in my car and it fixed the noise. Just make sure you use the Synthetic ATF

You will need 3 qts and will add it through the fill plug on the transmission which is above the check plug. GM's "fix" for this problem was to just overfill the tranny with a synthetic fluid. Unless you live in a warm climate, don't use the Saturn fluid. #1 it's crazy expensive (or was) and #2 it will feel like your shifting through mud when it get's cold out.

ATF is auto tranny fluid is it not? (forgive my ignorance) but can you safely use it in my tranny?

Yes you can. Alot of manual tranny's recomend ATF as a lubricant.

Mini i tried what you suggested. i unplugged the TPS while the car was running. the idle dropped. i revved it a few times and the rpms were dropping like they SHOULD be. i plugged it back in, and the RPMs stayed low. i shut off the car, disconnected the battery, and let it sit while i ate supper, then connected the battery and started the car. It was back to it's old tricks, idling high and such. Replace the TPS?

also, when i took the air box off... i noticed a black rubber hose that ran down (where?) that SHOULD be hooked up to the airbox, but has simply been pinched betweem the black plastic (intake manifold?) things below the throttle body assembly. it looks like it should connect to a small plastic nub about 1 inch by 1/2 inch that sits directly behind and a little lower than the main air intake (butterfly valve?) i didn't notice it until i had the airbox off, sensor unplugged and re-plugged, and had a hard time getting the air box back on. any ideas what that's for?

I believe that's part of the PCV system. If it's not hooked up right, that could cause a vacuum leak and be causing your problem. Make sure that's hooked up right and also make sure that the box is back on the throttle body correctly. That can be a bit of a PITA too and get pinched and not seal well. Make sure everything is sealed up right and try my little trick again. If it doesn't work, I'd start with the TPS and then the IAC motor. the motor is a bit expensive so if you have a buddy with a 2.4L that would be willing to sway his to try it out go that way.

ok, will do when i get off work today. Will post results. thanks again.

ok, PITA is an understatement, especially trying to get that PCV hose back onto the nipple again. Done. Cleaned all male and female ends of fittings along the way. got it all put together, tried your trick again. done done and done. Currently the car is sitting outside with the battery disconnected. I'm gonna cook supper, eat it, maybe do some online window shopping for the body kits and performance parts i would like to put on my wishlist, and then perhaps go outside and hook up the battery and try again. I figure if i let it sit about three hours, that should be sufficient shouldn't it? hood is up to let the heat escape. Also, being in northern canada here... It has been drivin in some pretty harsh weather in the past. about -40 or so, and NOTHING is really designed to work at -40 (LOL) so could that have thrown off the sensor reading / pcu / ecu? will of course post the results in another 3 hours time. cheers

and.... drumroll please... the results are in! Mini is a GOD! Idle is down to about 900 rpm, and I am able to downshift to slowdown, not just make a lot of noise. I can make some noise and have it gurgle back down to 900 again, and make that guy in the civic beside me start looking a little uncomfortable. YES!

Nice man!! But I'm far from God. LOL. Now get to work on the tranny rattle!!!

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