poorly charged/holding battery causing rough idle on morning startup? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

userlain · 01-21-2005, 04:47 PM

Symptoms: After a prolonged period of time from stopping the car(~8 hours), when I start it(turns over just fine) it feels and sounds like there is a dead cylinder. When this happens I give it some throttle to ~3000rpm where the engine misbalance is most felt. After ~45seconds the cylinder seems to come back to life and all is well. If at that time I shut off the car and start it again, there will be no problem.

I have already ruled out the fact that it is cold around here, becuase it was 50deg in my garage when I started it this morning. I have checked the plugs and wires and dist cap and they are all good. I have ruled out fuel pump because there is no loss in power after the cylinder 'comes back to life.'

I believe it to be a bad battery charge or holding charge or something to do with the battery, whereas I have killed the battery several times this past month. Also it seems the battery will not hold a charge; whereas after 15 mins of steady driving I will turn off the engine and play some music for ~3 minutes and try and start the car and the starter will be very very weak. Perhaps the battery is having a problem because I kille dit soo many times and it is cold outside?

Thanks a bunch guys

engine code: 3S-FE

lenjack · 01-21-2005, 04:57 PM

No...rough idling is not likely to be a battery problem.

adroe3 · 01-21-2005, 05:04 PM

maybe a bad alternator is the battery problem

dna59 · 01-21-2005, 07:10 PM

I have a similar problem sometimes. When I start in the morning I get a real rough idle for a couple of seconds then it smooths out. Me too thought it to be the battery, since my battery is kinda old.

***Toysrme*** · 01-21-2005, 07:39 PM

Ditto, it won't be the battery If it can spin the car the required RPM for the ECU to send ignition and fuel, then it'll get on the alt quick enough once it's running for it to not be a problem.

Dropping compression, ignition timing, vacuum leak. Easyest to start with vacuum and ignition problems, start there.

alex86 · 01-21-2005, 08:07 PM

haha i have the same prob or actually something almost the same. car runs bad revvs too high and jolts when letting of gas above 50mph. i have done an engine diagnostic test with a paper clip coming out with 1 flash then 2 flashes then 5 flashes after then 1 flash. some say its 12 or 25. idk. if u want vid of it i can send u thro aim(best way to do it). some say vacuum leak but i doubt it cause i checked no leaks. some say fuel filter or something idk havent checked. some say code 12(RPM signal. No G or NE signal input to the ECU for 2 secs. or more after STA turns on) and code 25 ( Air fuel ratio lean malfunction). also when u feather the gas it will revv up to like 2500 or 3000 then the car would move. sometins up.

friends say do a tune up(basic-major). engine:2vz-fe V6. has 143,000 miles(need to get a oil change).

userlain · 01-21-2005, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toysrme

Ditto, it won't be the battery If it can spin the car the required RPM for the ECU to send ignition and fuel, then it'll get on the alt quick enough once it's running for it to not be a problem.

Dropping compression, ignition timing, vacuum leak. Easyest to start with vacuum and ignition problems, start there.

Wouldn't a vacuum problem make the dead cylinder effect consistant?

dna59 · 01-21-2005, 11:33 PM

I'm gonna do a tune up and see if that helps.

SmokingTires · 01-22-2005, 12:50 AM

Rough idle is usually cause by fuel system problems. It sounds like you have a lack of pressure in your system. But once you give it some gas, it draws the fuel in builds up the needed pressure. Have you replaced your fuel filter lately?

userlain · 01-22-2005, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingTiresV6

Rough idle is usually cause by fuel system problems. It sounds like you have a lack of pressure in your system. But once you give it some gas, it draws the fuel in builds up the needed pressure. Have you replaced your fuel filter lately?

No I haven't replaced it lately. Is it possible that the fuel lines could have been crushed underneath the car?

edit: and when I give to throttle, the problem is just more prominent but goes away faster.

***Toysrme*** · 01-22-2005, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Wouldn't a vacuum problem make the dead cylinder effect consistant?

Not nessicarily, it depends on what the problem is going to.

Some vacuum lines have 0 vacuum (so you wonder what they're for), some may not ahve any vacuum under X rpm, and some may always have it.

vac problems can cause wierd things. This possibly being one of them.

userlain · 01-22-2005, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toysrme

Not nessicarily, it depends on what the problem is going to.

Some vacuum lines have 0 vacuum (so you wonder what they're for), some may not ahve any vacuum under X rpm, and some may always have it.

vac problems can cause wierd things. This possibly being one of them.

Where are the vac lines on the 3sfe sv21?

dna59 · 01-22-2005, 12:00 PM

How often should fuel filters be changed? I changed mine about a year ago.

alex86 · 01-22-2005, 01:19 PM

would bad fuel filter or low pressure fuel cause bad rpms and jolting movements of the car?

Davee · 01-22-2005, 01:52 PM

No way it's the battery but you do have a problem with it Full discharges can screw them up partiicularly if they freeze. I suspect fuel pressure problem although I never change fuel fliters Volvo went 250,000 km on original fuel filter & camry is at 163,000 One bad batch could do it though. Will be intesting to here the outcome