Carrera 3.2 cold start - does your's do the same thing?

Sometimes when I start my euro 3.2 in the morning it jumps a little up and down the revs for a while before it settles at a steady idle. It usually happens only in cold weather. What can be causing this? In warm weather it stabalizes right away.

I have only noticed this happening once.

How cold is cold? I think it was about 36 degrees Fahrenheit (sp?) when it happened to me.



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Nick Hromyak
'85 Carrera

Err, an answer to your question "What can be causing this? "

Maybe a lazy O2 sensor? Does the Euro's have an O2 sensor?

CO out of adjustment? I understand it can be adjusted on NON-California cars.

Good luck.
Nick

Check the inline fuse for the o2 sensor preheater.

Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

The o2 sensor is in open loop (bypassed) upon cold start-up, so it can't be that. I have the same problem and i'm pretty sure it's the idle air stabilizer, it doesn't bother me enough to fix it though...

Mike
86 Carrera t

Mine does it too, but only when it's freezing cold out and not bad enough for it to be worth fixing.

mine too!

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rj cilurso
87 911 targa

Mine too!

Roy

mine too. what is the solution i heard there may be a flap that needs cleaning how difficult is it?

mine occasionally does this, too in the cold, but my personal suspicion is that it's just fighting to get my 20/50 racing oil moving... sound crazy??? i tested all of my idle-related components as per the specs in the bentley manual, and everything seemed ok. i almost sunk the cash for a new idle speed regulator but my conscience caught me while i was at the checkout counter. i'm very glad i didn't drop the $130, cause i think mine is fine. if i just touch the gas pedal for 2 seconds after a cold start, it immediately stabilizes, and all is well. strangely enough, i would only see this problem if i drove my car regularly. if the car had sat for several days, i don't remember it being an issue. go figure!

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Adam Nitti
ajnitti@mindspring.com
www.adamnitti.com
'85 911 Carrera Coupe
PCA member, Peachstate region

Wow, I'm not alone??? Mine does it regardless if I drive every day or only once a month. And never in warm weather. I think it starts doing it when it's below 5 degree C. It sometimes worsens if below freezing point (0 degree C). Also it happens regardless of the engine oil type - same thing with 10W-60, 0W-30 and 0W-40.

On rare occasions it did it even after I had been driving 10 miles and pressed down the clutch to roll slowly into a parking lot. Wraoumm...rrrrr...wraoumm....rrrr..etc. People turned around and looked at me as if I was doing it by purpose.

I've had the CO adjusted a couple of times by different experienced Porsche mechanics and actually I don't think the CO has anything to do with it!??

Does 3.2s have a "warm up regulater" as the SCs do? If yes maybe that could be the reason?

mine too!



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mike 87 coupe'

Erm maybe it's normal. I mean with so many people experiencing this?

mikkel-

maybe with your other symptoms, it is some component that's failing... doesn't sound 'normal' to me. if you have a bentley manual, check the resistances at your temp sensor, idle speed regulator, and air flow sensor. if you need the specs, i can post them for you-

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Adam Nitti
ajnitti@mindspring.com
www.adamnitti.com
'85 911 Carrera Coupe
PCA member, Peachstate region

Well to add to the pile, mine got worse after a year or so. I have not found anything bad, head temp sensor etc... It is almost to the point where I need to really start looking.

Well, its certainly not "normal," maybe increasingly common, but not normal!
How about the idle control valve?

I always thought it was normal and judging by how common it is, I suppose it is...

Joe

Guess what?

Mine does it too!

I live in Scotland, so it's pretty chilly here for a good 6 or 7 months of the year.

Didn't do it this morning though - hmmm maybe summer is on the way.

Like most of you guys it doesn't bother me enough to do anything about it. The car idles fine after a minute or so.

If anyone does have a definitive solution, I'd love to hear it though.


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Alan Brown
86 Carrera 3.2

mine does this as well, it fires and then the revs rise to maybe 1800, then immediately drop to 1000-1200 and sit steady. I asked my mechanic (Porsche Technician for over 10 years) and he says this is normal and nothing to stress about.

I think its ok as long as it settles quickly. i.e. the revs don't 'hunt' up and down all the time.



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Steve

'86 911 Carrera
'83 944

forgot to say - I cleaned out the air regulator (10 minute job) as this tends to get gunked up over time and this made quite a difference to the general starting and cold-running behaviour.

I stay in Scotland as well, and every little bit helps in the cold rain we get 7 months of the year !!

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Steve

'86 911 Carrera
'83 944