so today i was driving and my SES light came on. somehow it couldnt let me check the codes, so i reset it and its off now, but i noticed my car started to idle around 500 all of a sudden. Also like when im in drive, and my foot isnt of the gas, it doesnt go anywhere like it normally should like really slow. seems like it maybe the alternator, bc there has been a slight high pitched whistling i can hear from the outside lately when my car is juts sitting in park. btw my car has 120k. anyone have any idea? i have recently new plugs, new KS, and i dont think anything is wrong with the TB bc i cleaned it recently and tightened the cables, but my idle has been just fine until today.

 

It might be fuel related. i.e. fuel injectors, pump, or filter. Does it want to shut down when you first start it? Meaning you have to give it some gas to start?

 

whistle? why would you connect that with the alternator?
a whistle is likely to be a vacuum leak or a blocked hose.
check the small rubber hoses (PCV, etc) make sure they are not blocked with gunge.
Take a length of plastic tube. Put one end to your ear and wave the other around the engine until you locate the source of the whistle.

 

A whistle might also be a bad ground.

 

i just put a grounding kit in. so i dont think its that. ive had a bad injector b4 and i know what that feels like and its diff, will check fuel pump or fuel filter..car still has power, just idle is a little weird so i dont think its that. could it be something with the tranny? i read somewhere on here that if ure alternator is going, its starts to whistle or sumtin. maybe BS, but i hope its not that. will also check pcv and hoses when i get time

thanks

 

anyone have any other suggestions?

 

wow i love how no on the org wants to help me

 

punch your dash board hard enough and the car will tell you what Trouble code is present.

 

Might be the TPS (thorottle position sensor).

 

Doubt its the TPS. I had to replace that on my wife's 98 and the car wouldnt start or wouldnt rev past 4200rpm's. Her alternator however whistled from the day it was installed (Autozone replacement). It lasted about 7 months before it crapped out. Also her RPM's were low as well. Adjusting the IACV didnt seem to help that much. She replaced the alternator and all was good again. So far so good.
I'd say alternator would be the whistling noise. Vacuum leak would be more of a hissing sound. I'm not saying its your problem but something to check.

 

Wait, you put a new TPS in and the car did not start? So what did you do to get it to start? Put the old one back?

 

No it wouldnt start with the bad TPS. When I put the new one on I wasnt paying attention to the the springloaded tab on it and it was in the wrong position. Then it wouldnt go past 4200.

 

Yikes, I'm going to have to replace mine soon and the spring loaded tab doesn't sound to easy of fun.

 

Nah its actually really easy. I just wasnt paying attention. When I was putting the new one on I didnt line up the pin from the butterfly on the throttle body to where it would turn the tab on the TPS. It was a stupid mistake that cost me nothing but a wasted afternoon. Changing the TPS only takes 10 minutes tops, and thats pushing it.

 

That's sounds better lol, did you use any write-ups?

 

turna out a hose was just crimped a little. they straightened it out and cut it so its all good. idle is a little higher, but still not where it was. idle is sposta be at like 900 right?

 

It's suppose to be around 650 with no AC and 900 with AC, which hose was it? I also have a high idle problem, any pics? Thanks.

 

its the hose that goes into the intake pipe thats closest to the firewall.

99grnmaxgxe - i think youre grounding kit probably helped my idle, bc if its supposed to be at 650, then thats good, bc its been at around 900 for the longest time......and i guess i just thought it was low when really it was always too high

 

What do you mean it wouldn't pull you any codes? Is it an 0505? It's a no code. I received that code after replacing an O2 sensor. Car idles lower to about 500 all the time. Sometimes when I was driving and between switching gears when I clutched, it dies out on me. After I changed the O2 sensor again, it works perfect.

 

Oh that's the hose that goes to the IAVC, glad to hear they work!