Idle problem after motor mount install

[Rittmeister]

So, today I installed RR-Racing front and rear engine mount inserts. This is on a 2002 ES.

I installed the rear using the remove-the-throttle body method I found here on the site, to get more room to work. The install went fairly smoothly but when I buttoned everything back up the car won't idle properly and has stalled several times.

After doing some searching, I did the following:

New TB gasket
Cleaned EGR
Cleaned IAC
Cleaned MAF

I fired it up and got a CEL, reset the ECU and it hasn't come back. Autozone says I have no codes but the car continues to idle like crap unless I feather the throttle. I rolled over to my mechanic; he couldn't detect a vacuum leak and said it seemed as if the IAC wasn't functioning properly. He couldn't find anything unplugged, be it vacuum or electrical.

The car drives and accelerates fine, no sputtering or strangeness at all. This is very strange and pretty annoying.

Any help appreciated.

[kz9]

check the cable for tension or miss alignment.

Did u drop the TB?

[Rittmeister]

No, I didn't even take it completely out - it's got two coolant lines going to it (IAC and something underneath) so I undid the 2 bolts at the top and the 2 nuts at the bottom and pulled it aside. Nothing was knocked/bumped/jostled, unless I did it inadvertently somehow. Certainly nothing was dropped.

If you're talking about the throttle cable, how would it be misaligned? It's fine as far as I can tell, and in any case I believe the throttle cable would cause a high idle if it were too tight, not low idle.

[shane02pro5]

You sure you didn't miss a vac line (one right there above the tb)...also shave the old tb gasket off smooth?

[KZL_99ES]

dude, i had the same problem..., and i only had the front and the two side engine mounts put in... didn't even touch the throttle body at all...

i'm guessing it idles really funny like when you're at stop signs/lights right?

i would just wait, my crazy idling went away after like two or three days, i'm pretty sure the engine has to get use to the fact that it cant move as freely anymore... they're living things you know! lol ;-P

[kz9]

dude, i had the same problem..., and i only had the front and the two side engine mounts put in... didn't even touch the throttle body at all...

i'm guessing it idles really funny like when you're at stop signs/lights right?

i would just wait, my crazy idling went away after like two or three days, i'm pretty sure the engine has to get use to the fact that it cant move as freely anymore... they're living things you know! lol ;-P

are u seroius?

[KZL_99ES]

^^^ I am serious! right after they were installed and i was driving it home it started to happen; i would be at a stop light and the engine would drop to like 400rpms then go up and down to almost 1100rpms...then after the next day it did it a little, but the day after not really at all, and now i'm fine!

[kz9]

ECU's don't learn vibrations

[KZL_99ES]

(i wasn't that serious about that part, it's just a theory... you've seen iRobot right?)

so the question is...when exactly did you install these???

[Rittmeister]

Shane02 - yes, the old TB gasket was completely removed. I'm not a noob to cars, just to Mazdas... ;)

KZL_99 - it idles funny whenever it idles. It never idles normally. As it sat idling at my mechanic's while he and I were talking, it settled down, but it was pretty low (500 rpm or so) and whenever the fans kicked on it would send it lower as the alternator pulled more power from the engine. Running the A/C at idle is out of the question.

[Rittmeister]

I installed them today. Started about 10:00, finished around 1:30, and have spent the rest of the day battling the driveability issue that arose after the mount install.

[shane02pro5]

I picked up a mechanics stethescope from the auto parts for around $10. I really think it sounds like a vac leak. No CEL?

[KZL_99ES]

i don't know man, mine did the same thing (i just used the stop light as an example)... i would drive it around and see if it goes away faster than mine did, if you checked everything over and nothing is out of place than you should be good, but taking a closer listen isn't a bad idea either!

[TheMAN]

the removal of the TB is not a likely cause of the problem in your case... I believe what did fuck shit up was the fact that you unnecessarily cleaned the IAC and the EGR valve which are highly probable to be the cause of the problem

[Fudgie]

Sounds like he made those attempts after mount install (then the poor idle) and not for fun.






the removal of the TB is not a likely cause of the problem in your case... I believe what did fuck shit up was the fact that you unnecessarily cleaned the IAC and the EGR valve which are highly probable to be the cause of the problem

[Rittmeister]

I thought I was clear.

Sequence of events:

1. Remove throttle body, to gain more access to rear motor mount.
2. Remove rear mount, install inserts, re-install mount.
3. Re-install throttle body, intake, etc.
4. Start car, experience rough/bad idle and stalling.
5. Clean EGR, IAC, MAF, and replace TB gasket
6. Go to Autozone, get told that the ECU is throwing no codes (no CEL but checking to be sure).
7. Go to mechanic, get told there's no vacuum leak he can detect, and that the IAC may be funny/need reset.

8. Get on MazdaForums and ask for help. Get confused answers because of my poor writing skills.

Any other ideas folks?

[Rittmeister]

OK, news: last night the car threw a CEL. Got the code read at AutoZone, and it's coming back as P0300 "random cylinder misfire." Did a bunch of searching here and since I already cleaned the EGR/MAF/IAC I am planning to replace the plugs/wires/coilpacks.

Is there a quick way to test the coilpacks for functionality, before I spend money on them?

[TheMAN]

ok so then it seems like you DO have a vacuum leak
have you tried spraying break cleaner around the throttle body?

[ForceFed]

ok so then it seems like you DO have a vacuum leak
have you tried spraying break cleaner around the throttle body?+1...Sounds vacuum related to me as well.

[Rittmeister]

ok so then it seems like you DO have a vacuum leak
have you tried spraying break cleaner around the throttle body?

And what would this do? How would it show me the leak?

[Captain KRM P5]

And what would this do? How would it show me the leak?

the fluid would bubble up at the source of the leak

[shane02pro5]

No while idling it would cause the idle to raise for a sec!

[Rittmeister]

It did both.

TB was not sealing properly. Re-did the gasket (again) and it seems to be fine now, though I'll be watching it closely for a day or two.