9 replies to this topic

[Daniel]

Having had my first mini for 12 weeks i've had various problems. After the heat sensor let go and a replacement from rover, my idle speed is litterally all over the place.

From 600 rpm to 2000 rpm!

Rover can't solve the problem and neither can I.

Any advice ?, my model is a sandard 1999 MPi

[cowboy]

daniel can you give us a bit more information about the car.

what year are we talking about?

when does this happen? first thing in the morning when its hot? when you are traffic lights? that sort of thing...

:wales:

[P91MER]

Hi daniel!! i have a MPI and the idle speed of mine was all over the show. at traffic lights was the worse culprit, was a nightmare.

It can be 2 things.

1- Idle air control valve

2- throttle potentiometer.

The idle air control valve is a little unit located on the left hand side of the injection unit, and has a blue connector on it. You may need to remove the air filter box to gain access.. But if you unplug the connector, make sure all the pins/wires are all OK. You can try giving it a clean by taking it out with a star screwdriver just 2 screws in it. once it is out you can un-screw the metal valve closer but make sure the spring doesn't shoot over your garage!! but wipe of any grub on the thread, and spray some WD40 down the hole you unscrew the little metal thing from.
Put it all back together and see what happens.

The throttle potentiometer is located on the left hand side of the throttle body - the bit the air filter box goes over. It is black and if you get somebody inside the car to put their foot on the throttle, you see a bit moving on the right hand side of the throttle body, on the left hand side is the potentiometer. It basically tells the ECU where the throttle is positioned. unplug the connector from the rear, and unscrew the 2 screws pull it off and give that a clean also with some WD40.


Rich.

ps, if you need any pix or more advice give me a shout!!

[Dan]

If these problems started after the work was done it sounds like the garage may not have re-set the ECU when doing the work, ask them if they did. Or as P91MER said. I personally don't think it's a good idea to spray WD40 into the sensors though, if you need to clean them use Electrolube or similar.

[P91MER]

personally don't think it's a good idea to spray WD40 into the sensors though

Works for me!!! And sorted my tick-over problem out too!! - car wasn't ticking over properly.

When i first got the car i had an auto electrician look at the car due to the intermitant idle problem, and he replaced the throttlepotentiometer which seemed to sort it out.

Rich

[Daniel]

The car is a 99 mpi with 25k miles - I can't work it, its been serviced every 5k.

The idle problems are mainly at tickover, but also at any time - sometimes it sits at 2k as if nothing is wrong.

The work was done by a rover main dealer - thats when the problems started, to be honest i'm not sure that i'll go back to another main dealer with whats happened.
Apart from that little problem the cars awesome, i've had high lows fitted and gaz fully adjustable lowered shocks.

[P91MER]

mine was not revving properly when i had 26K on the clock.

If you wasn't so far away i would have alook at it for you!!

Do you have auto electricians out there?? if you do get them to have a look at the Throttlepotentiometer they can put a voltometre on it and see if it is giving the ECU the correct info.

[miniman5]

Hello my mini is the same just not as biger rage of revs lol

you pull up to the lights in mine and its idling at about 1300 and a bit but then dad taps the pedal down and it goes down to 800rpm is the cable sticking?

[Dan]

Check to make sure that the dealer have re-connected everything they may have removed or dislodged. Particularly all the vacuum lines and sensor connectors in the engine bay.

[jeffriesmullet]

if this is still doing it its the idler air control valve take it out get some carb/air intake cleaner and clean it with this not wd 40 dont get ne on u or paint work as that hurts