how to propperly test an idle solenoid?

[cheshire190e]

right, as you may have noticed from the vast amount of posts ive made regarding problems, i still cant get my car to work propperly.

you can set the idle fine in the drive but then when you drive it whenever you put your foot on the clutch the revs drop way below the idle speed and then either cuts out or slowly goes back up.

people have said its the idle solenoid, i have now got 2 of these but it hasnt changed the idle, ive checked the wire going to it and its putting out 12v so how do i propperly test the solenoid?

thankyou

[jtbo]

right, as you may have noticed from the vast amount of posts ive made regarding problems, i still cant get my car to work propperly.

you can set the idle fine in the drive but then when you drive it whenever you put your foot on the clutch the revs drop way below the idle speed and then either cuts out or slowly goes back up.

people have said its the idle solenoid, i have now got 2 of these but it hasnt changed the idle, ive checked the wire going to it and its putting out 12v so how do i propperly test the solenoid?

thankyou

Put wire with +12V to idle solenoid connector and touch earth with solenoid (for example intake manifold should be enough) when you have key in run position it should sharply activate when touching to earth.

For me your problem sounds like air leak, when you blip throttle on driveway has it trouble to maintain idle rpm when rpm's drop?

If air enters to intake manifold after throttle butterfly, such problems can occur. Vacuum hoses and carb base are at least places to check, also if your renix vacuum hose connects to wrong place it can cause some problems as if you connect it to carb, pressure actually increases in renix vacuum unit when you close throttle butterfly.

[cheshire190e]

i have sorted the idle problem. i dont know if this is a fix for the long term but im sure you will tell me.

the solenoid wasnt retracting when i turned the key, nor was the other solenoid i had. so i took a pair of snips to the solenoid. i just cut the plastic bit off the end.

everything seems to work fine now

[jtbo]

i have sorted the idle problem. i dont know if this is a fix for the long term but im sure you will tell me.

the solenoid wasnt retracting when i turned the key, nor was the other solenoid i had. so i took a pair of snips to the solenoid. i just cut the plastic bit off the end.

everything seems to work fine now

It should not be a problem really, what it can do is to cause engine trying to run after you switch it off, but that should not be too bad, If it works fine now, then drive and enjoy

[pettaw]

both solenoids were probably fine. You can't hold them to check the retraction cos they ground through the solenoid body. Best way is put ignition on, engine off, and pull the wire off the solenoid. As you put it back on you should hear the valve give a definite click.

I bet your problem was a resistance build up either in the fuse box or in the multiplugs up behind the dashboard. The same fuse and circuit supplies 12V to the reverse lights and a few other things, so as you put your foot on the clutch and put the car into reverse the circuit can't supply enough current to keep the reverse lights on and the solenoid retracted so you get dim lights and a stalling engine.

[jtbo]

But you can also test solenoid when power is on and engine off by touching intake manifold bolts with solenoid for example as solenoid body acts as ground it then should operate.

That is way I tested mine, which did work ok

[cheshire190e]

i tried both of those techniques. no click or anything. im pretty sure they musnt have been working if by cutting the end off its working now

[shimon340]

what did you cut off exactly?

[jtbo]

what did you cut off exactly?

Plastic tip of it probably, so that even inner part of solenoid is not moving there is no fuel cut effect.

[cheshire190e]

yeh i cut the plastic tip off. therefore it doesnt need to retract so wont block any flow

[shimon340]

wouldnt that make the car run on after switching off the ignition?

[cheshire190e]

no it hasnt yet. thats also what i thought would happen but since i chopped the tip off it actually stops much quicker. before i cut the tip off it ran on quite bad occasionally. now everything seems much better

[shimon340]

interesting........

[cheshire190e]

thats exactly what im like