bad idle

[legacy95]

Recently in the past few weeks my car has had bad idle off and on during first start up and once it actually stalled out...probobly about 2 out of 7 days it will do it...im wondering if maybe its the fuel filter which was done about 1-2 yeas ago...or maybe even the 1year old bosh platinum plus 4's that i hear suck could be causing the problem

[Wiscon_Mark]

I don't think plugs would cause you to stall unless they were really gone. It could be the fuel filter, pump, injectors, ignition, coil pack, any number of things.

Any CELs?

I'd put NGK copper plugs in there stat.

[legacy95]

well a while back when my dad owned the car like 4 months the CEL came on and he broght it to subaru and they said it was a inefficient CAT code..but nothing now

[legacy95]

today i put in the new fuel filter and plugs and it still has a very bad idle at start up and its starting to be a daily thing after the car cools down on first start up

[legacy95]

ok i think it is getting worse i started it up this afternoon and now its idling even wose so i have to give it gas fer about 30 seconds of it chugging and puffing out black smoke...im thinking it is maybe leaking fuel injectors???

[Huffer]

What are your fluid levels like - coolant, oil, etc.

What do those fluids look like - coolant should be clear (but colored), oil level needs to be at the right level.

Any kind of bubbling etc could be a problem.

[legacy95]

well the fluids are good but i have to fill the coolany recovery every week or so but i dont think its a big deal but there are like black shavings of some sort in recovery bottle even after i cleaned it out a month back....and im not puffing white smoke either

[Huffer]

The fact that you have to fill the coolant recovery tank tells me that's a big issue. Somewhere, you're losing coolant.

I think the engine is eating itself from the inside out. :shock:

[Wiscon_Mark]

Yeah, losing coolant is never good.

not at that rate, anyways.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Maybe the injectors are leaking into the the chamber after shut down? So the car runs pig rich when you start it hence the rough idle? I'd clean the injectors (maybe run some sea foam through). The coolant with no visible leaks could be a bad sign. What does the coolant look like? I'd track down the leak, but I imagine its a fuel/ignition issue

[legacy95]

the coolant is still greenish but there are whut it looks like black shaving looking things...like oil or metal....and when i stuck a hose in there w/ a nozzle and shot it to fill the recovery tank a little bit(yes i know its not the right way) and it basically bubbled and the bubbles were a grayish color

[Wiscon_Mark]

ruh roh!