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2000 malibu idling problems


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Jtreamer
User

Mar 27, 2015, 12:04 PM

Post #1 of 24 (2945 views)
  post locked   2000 malibu idling problems  

Hello! I have a 2000 Chevy malibu with the 3.1 v6 engine. the vehicle has about 39,200 miles on it.
I recently replaced the lower intake manifold gaskets along with the spark plugs and spark plug wires. Now my car is throwing a p0107 code. the Car idles good (at first) but when it warms up the idle goes up and down only when in park and neutral. When the car is in drive or reverse the idle seems to be fine. I am not exactly sure what the problem is. i have rechecked all of the vacuum lines to make sure there is no air leaking. Help would be greatly appreciated!


Discretesignals
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Mar 27, 2015, 12:10 PM

Post #2 of 24 (2939 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

If you clear the trouble codes, does p0107 come back?

Have you made sure the MAP sensor electrical connector is plugged in and the vacuum elbow that goes to the MAP and intake is installed and not damaged?





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Jtreamer
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Mar 27, 2015, 12:18 PM

Post #3 of 24 (2932 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Thank you for the fast response! When i get home from work i will be sure to clear the codes and take a close look at the map sensor and look to see that it is plugged in, and check to see if its damaged at all. I will get back to you as soon as i can with the results


Jtreamer
User

Mar 27, 2015, 5:30 PM

Post #4 of 24 (2908 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Alright so i cleared the code and it did come back. i rechecked the map sensor and it looks like it is all plugged in. I did take a look at the elbow and the tube that the elbow connects to at the end of the map sensor does seem a little corroded, i am not sure if that would cause a problem tho?


Discretesignals
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Mar 27, 2015, 5:32 PM

Post #5 of 24 (2907 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Is the elbow leaking vacuum?


edit:

Even if the MAP sensor had a leak at the vacuum connection or no vacuum to it, it should still have around 4 volts on the signal wire with the ignition turned on. The code points to a low voltage condition. That can be caused by a few things. If that code wasn't there before you did the intake gaskets, you really should inspect the MAP sensor electrical harness really good. It may be possible it got pinched when you installed the upper intake plenum or damaged somehow during your repair. The signal wire may be shorted to ground somehow. Those green plastic connector locks like to break off, so be sure the connector is plugged in all the way. I usually put a dap of silicone on the connector and connector socket edge to help keep the connector from slipping off.

If the harness looks good, you are probably going to have to do some electrical checks to find out if you have a circuit issue or something went bad in the MAP sensor.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Mar 27, 2015, 5:53 PM)


Jtreamer
User

Mar 28, 2015, 9:44 AM

Post #6 of 24 (2884 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Ok I will take a look at the wires and check to make sure they are all still connected in the harness. i have just discovered that i have a pretty bad oil leak... it just started, i checked the valve covers and it is not leaking from there, i also went underneath the car to check to see if its the oil pan gasket and i don't see it leaking from there it almost looks like it is leaking from the head gasket. Is this possible?


Discretesignals
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Mar 28, 2015, 11:12 AM

Post #7 of 24 (2874 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Not really possible for oil on those to leak from the head gaskets. You could have an oil leak from the lower intake end seals that could mimic oil that appears to be leaking from the head gaskets.

What did you use to seal the ends of the lower intake manifold?





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Mar 28, 2015, 11:12 AM)


Jtreamer
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Mar 28, 2015, 5:29 PM

Post #8 of 24 (2861 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

I didn't use any sort of sealant. I just put the gaskets on and put the lower intake on top of em. The guy at advance auto told me I didn't need and gasket sealer or anything. Oh no, did I need some?


Hammer Time
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Mar 28, 2015, 6:06 PM

Post #9 of 24 (2853 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Did you even have gaskets for the ends?



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
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Mar 28, 2015, 6:12 PM

Post #10 of 24 (2849 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Oopsy... I guess the person at the parts store hasn't done an intake job on one of those.

You have to use silicone sealant at the ends along the walls of the lifter valley. If you used the Felpro kit, it should of came with a little tube of black silicone. That might explain why you have the surging issue because you essentially have unmetered air entering through the PCV system instead of being pulled in through the PCV vent tube throwing the MAF signal off.







Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Mar 28, 2015, 6:14 PM)


Jtreamer
User

Mar 28, 2015, 6:19 PM

Post #11 of 24 (2846 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

yes i believe so. there are 2 lower intake gaskets

this is what they look like

http://autoforums.carjunky.com/photos/pic/191I97zM/831.jpg

i hope this helps


Jtreamer
User

Mar 28, 2015, 6:21 PM

Post #12 of 24 (2843 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

ohhhh! alright thank you for the help! i guess i will have to do the job again lol now i know the proper way to do it!

if you want i will tell you the progress and outcome of the work i do on my car


Hammer Time
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Mar 28, 2015, 6:22 PM

Post #13 of 24 (2842 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Those are side gaskets. You apparently have nothing on the ends.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Hammer Time
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Mar 28, 2015, 6:24 PM

Post #14 of 24 (2840 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Make sure you don't mix up those push rods either. They may appear the same length but they are not.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
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Mar 28, 2015, 6:24 PM

Post #15 of 24 (2838 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Right, those are the gaskets that seal the lower intake against the cylinder heads, but I don't know of any sets that come with molded seals for the edges of the intake. Maybe the person at the parts store got it confused for a 3.8L engine.

You lay a bead of silicone on each end to seal the ends of the intake or you will have an oil leak for sure and idling issues. If you didn't do that, your going to be pulling it back apart.


edit: Keep us in the loop. If you have any questions, you know where to go now...lol





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Mar 28, 2015, 6:28 PM)


Jtreamer
User

Mar 28, 2015, 6:34 PM

Post #16 of 24 (2834 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Alright I willl. Thank you for the help! I will start pulling the engine apart again tomorrow


Jtreamer
User

Apr 1, 2015, 4:42 PM

Post #17 of 24 (2796 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

I did the job over it seems like the oil leak is fixed! But the idle problem is just really bad now. The computer is throwing a p0300 code now. I rechecked all the sensors and made sure the spark plug wires were all in the correct spots. I'm not sure what the problem could be now.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 1, 2015, 5:11 PM

Post #18 of 24 (2794 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Did you mix up the push rods?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Jtreamer
User

Apr 1, 2015, 5:17 PM

Post #19 of 24 (2790 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

I don't think so. I kept them all in order


Hammer Time
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Apr 1, 2015, 5:38 PM

Post #20 of 24 (2789 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

You're going to have to go back and do some testing to find out. A compression check should determine if the push rods are correct.

Double check your firing order too








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
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Apr 1, 2015, 7:10 PM

Post #21 of 24 (2781 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Hopefully, it is just ignition wires swapped. Unimpressed


I've never had accidentally swapped rods on those, but the exhaust are longer than the intake push rods. One good practice I do is rotate the crank two revolutions by hand after installing all the rods to make sure no binding is going on. They also have a special tool that allows you to remove the rods without unbolting the rockers. I don't think you'll ever get an exhaust rod into an intake slot using the rocker tool because the rocker is bolted down, but haven't really experimented with that.

I've also ran into rocker bolt threads getting ripped out because the last guy tightened them down with an impact gun, so that makes the rocker tool even more valuable in my opinion.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Apr 1, 2015, 7:22 PM)


Jtreamer
User

Apr 6, 2015, 7:29 PM

Post #22 of 24 (2748 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

Hey! I fixed the problem! The car idles great now and leaks no oil anymore! the throttle body was bolted down wrong lol. Thank you all for your help with this i really couldn't have fixed these problems myself.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 7, 2015, 2:18 AM

Post #23 of 24 (2735 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

How the hell do you do that? I didn't thing that would be even possible.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 7, 2015, 4:35 AM

Post #24 of 24 (2726 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 malibu idling problems  

GREAT! Good to see you got it back together and running good.

Probably got the TB gasket backwards...lol

Closed as solved. Can be reopened upon request by the OP.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.






 
 
 






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