Idling high when starting up

[taos_skier]

Hi there.

Recently my 95 Esprit started idling at around 2200 rpm when I would fire her up in the morning. After driving for a few minutes, the idle drops down to a more sensible 1200 rpm.

Any idea what may be going on here and what to do about this? Is the throttle sticking when the engine is cold?

Thanks.

steve

[CCMDoc]

Don't know if it is true with the '95, but on my '01, the same things happens. When I re-read the manual, somewhere there it states this is normal and if you blip the throttle before the car has warmed up, the "high idle and slow decrease to normal" cycle begins again.
Stay well,
Paul

[paul c]

taos_skier said:

Hi there. Recently my 95 Esprit started idling at around 2200 rpm when I would fire her up in the morning. After driving for a few minutes, the idle drops down to a more sensible 1200 rpm. Any idea what may be going on here and what to do about this? Is the throttle sticking when the engine is cold? Thanks. steve

This is an old post of mine, i had this problem and now i don't. this is how i saw it (your problem may be different).
HTH



This refers to the SE models on, where the TJ is ECU controlled (rather than mechanically).

Brief intro (this is how i see it anyway):
The stock SE comes with an EBPV (Exhaust back pressure valve) and a Throttle Jacking actuator.

The EBPV is a 'butterfly' valve that is located in the exhaust system between the Cat and the rear silencer, it is a normally closed gate on the exhaust with a vaccum actuator that holds it open.
On start up the EPBV is kept closed by the car, obviously this chokes the exhaust system by blocking it. The purpose of this action is to build up heat in the Cat as part of the warm up cycle/emmissions control.

While this is happening (with the exhaust essentially blocked) the engine requires the revs raising to prevent stalling, enter Mr Throttle Jack.
The TJ is a rod assembly attached to the throttle linkage, the end of the rod goes into another vaccum actuator. When the EBPV is closed, the TJ is actuator is operated and 'jacks' the revs up to around 2000rpm. This happens for a minute or so and then idling returns to normal as the TJ is released and the EBPV is held open by a vaccum feed.

'But who needs cat warm up and emmision stuff?'

We in the UK don't 'need' it at all...
The main reasons a lot of Esprit no longer have this system is the EBPV is a weakness. Because it is naturally shut, when it fails (IE actuator breaks,vaccum line comes off) it will block the exhaust system. Some owners just use some 'coathanger' style material to wire it open, some (as with me) have purchased a spacer to put in the Exhaust system in place of the entire EBPV assembly.

A third option is to lose the cat and EBPV entirely. A cat replacement pipe will not only replace the cat with a straight through pipe, but will also be a longer section of pipe so it will replace the EBPV (or the spacer) too.
I plan to fit one of these when i do my manifold in Janurary.
Obviously you need to block the end of the vaccum hose when you remove the EBPV, otherwise your vaccum pump will burn up trying to vaccum the entire world!

Nearly getting to my point now.....

Something that gets fogotten in the removal of the EBPV is the throttle Jack. Mine still has it, and it still raises revs to 2000 at startup thinking the EBPV is still there doing it's job. This action is 100% pointless.
I don't like this. when my car has been sat for a couple of weeks i'd rather the starting revs for the first few minutes were lower. So this morning i have pulled the vaccum line for the TJ and plugged it.
It is important to deal with this at the vaccum line point rather than just pulling the plug on the solenoid that controls the vaccum feed, this action would result in the ECU giving an engine check light and the dreaded 'code 26' would appear should you run a scan.
On carbed models i believe you could just pull the electrical connection to the solenoid, not sure though.