Weird car trouble. Please help! D:

Kinja'd!!! "Rainbow" (rainbeaux)
03/10/2016 at 09:26 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 14

So, the other day, my car started doing this thing where the engine would pulsate immediately after starting (very low to very high RPM and back again, causing it to shake) but then it would idle normally after I got it moving for a few seconds. On two occasions, it cut off after starting before I could move it enough to have it settle.
Then it just wouldn’t start at all. The engine wouldn’t whir or anything at all; it was completely silent. I checked the fluids and all the wire connections that I could reach, and everything seemed okay. Tried to start it again, and still nothing.
Then, just to say I tried everything, I put it into neutral and then turned the key. It fired up immediately and didn’t pulsate or anything. After that, it started up in park again a few times for the rest of the day without a problem.
Of course, now it’s starting to pulsate again.

I have absolutely no idea what could be causing this.


DISCUSSION (14)


Kinja'd!!! Sweet Trav > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 09:30

Kinja'd!!!2

MAF, IAT, or TPS sensor, I'm betting.


Kinja'd!!! Ash78, voting early and often > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 09:31

Kinja'd!!!2

Maybe I’ve been around VW too long, but I’d spray the airflow sensor with some MAF cleaner (CRC makes it) and/or replace it. Almost every rough idle/stall problem I’ve ever had was related to the MAF sensor.


Kinja'd!!! Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 09:31

Kinja'd!!!1

Vacuum leak possibly? I suffer a similar issue


Kinja'd!!! RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 09:31

Kinja'd!!!1

Is this with Gretchen? See if anything here might apply. Shortest version, very possibly a vacuum leak causing mixture trouble.


Kinja'd!!! MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sweet Trav
03/10/2016 at 09:37

Kinja'd!!!3

Kinja'd!!!


Kinja'd!!! Ash78, voting early and often > Sweet Trav
03/10/2016 at 09:38

Kinja'd!!!1

If it is the TPS, I expect a full report, including coversheet :D


Kinja'd!!! jariten1781 > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 09:46

Kinja'd!!!1

Older cars I’d guess vacuum leak or something in the evap system. Newer probably MAF.


Kinja'd!!! Chteelers > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 09:50

Kinja'd!!!1

MAF or TPS is my vote too.


Kinja'd!!! MonkeePuzzle > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 10:02

Kinja'd!!!1

what car is this?

I will likely second the comments below about possible sensor or vacuum leak issues.

Had a similar problem myself recently and was because I knocked a vacuum hose off my intake whilst doing an oil change.


Kinja'd!!! Rainbow > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
03/10/2016 at 10:19

Kinja'd!!!0

Yup, it’s the Escort. I’ll check that out.


Kinja'd!!! Rainbow > MonkeePuzzle
03/10/2016 at 10:21

Kinja'd!!!0

I did recently bottom out the nose on a poorly paved driveway, so it’s not at all unlikely that I knocked something loose.


Kinja'd!!! Viking03 > Rainbow
03/10/2016 at 12:09

Kinja'd!!!1

Check your plug wires. A coil might be going bad as well. If its not those I would agree with the sensors listed by others.


Kinja'd!!! gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rainbow
03/11/2016 at 00:01

Kinja'd!!!1

i’d try autozone or advance and see if any codes pop up. My old car did something similar when the MAF sensor was going. Revs would randomly go up and down 500rpm.


Kinja'd!!! torque > Rainbow
03/11/2016 at 11:08

Kinja'd!!!1

It could be the fuel cut off valve too. At least on VWs when this goes bad, it leads to symptoms like yours, (hard starting & rpm swings at idle)