lopey idle

[alfavulcan]

i have a 91s w/120,000 miles. it was parked for 3 yrs with a bent valve and i recently pulled the heads and had them overhauled. i drained the tank, pulled the fuel pump and cleaned the tank. fuel pressure is 40-45lbs. new plugs, fuel filter, dist cap, mech tensioner, checked every hose for vacumn leaks, and i pulled the cam covers 3 times checking valve timing. its dead on. i get a trouble code 1223, but i have checked everything i can think of. i am running out of ideas. help! it idles when warm like a hot rod chevy. george

[gtv682]

According to the Alfa Digest Page the 1223 is a Lambda probe regulation faulty. Maybe replace o2 sensors.

[alfavulcan]

my cardisc shows as inner lambda adjustment out of range. i replaced the o2 sensor about a year before it broke and i got mad and parked it. i may go ahead and buy another one. possibly def from sitting?

[alfaman1963]

no matter how bad an o2 sensor is it will NOT make the car idle that bad. Since you took the heads off, look for vacuum leaks. That code doesn't mean a bad o2, the o2 just sees a very lean or a very rich mixture. put a volt meter on that o2 and it should read about .7 of a volt, thats point 7 of a volt. then check the throttle position switch and make sure that small ground strap on the rear head was reinstalled, umder the throttle body..Have fun Jim

[jontg428]

Might not hurt to do a compression check, if the heads were rebuilt by some yahoo they may have done a bad job.

[evilgidget]

Faulty injector. Sticking or rubbish in needle & seat causing bad spray pattern.

[conedriver]

As a long shot, check the fuel pressure regulator. I had one fail on a GTV-6 years ago, and the car ran very rich with a lopey idle (it ran fine at higher RPM). At idle, the regulator should allow excess fuel to return to the tank. Remove the fuel line after the regulator, and run a longer line to a container. When the engine is started, there should be a stream of fuel running into the container.

In my situation, the temporary fuel line on the GTV-6 had no "returned" fuel apparent. Performing the same check on my wife's Milano filled the container quickly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfavulcan i have a 91s w/120,000 miles. it was parked for 3 yrs with a bent valve and i recently pulled the heads and had them overhauled. i drained the tank, pulled the fuel pump and cleaned the tank. fuel pressure is 40-45lbs. new plugs, fuel filter, dist cap, mech tensioner, checked every hose for vacumn leaks, and i pulled the cam covers 3 times checking valve timing. its dead on. i get a trouble code 1223, but i have checked everything i can think of. i am running out of ideas. help! it idles when warm like a hot rod chevy. george

[alfavulcan]

i have isolated all vacumn lines, sprayed around manifold base, i have not checked fpr or o2 sensor. afm hose is new. i will check tonight and then see about having the injectors cleaned. it runs very well above idle and valve clearances are ok

[alfavulcan]

fuel pressure regulator is good. i ran a injector test 1444 to actuate the injectors. using a stethoscope, a couple of injectors sounded low and dull while the others were fairly loud and clear. gummed up? the car sat nearly 4 yrs.

[alfaman1963]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfavulcan fuel pressure regulator is good. i ran a injector test 1444 to actuate the injectors. using a stethoscope, a couple of injectors sounded low and dull while the others were fairly loud and clear. gummed up? the car sat nearly 4 yrs.

[164guy]

I had this code too and I changed the spark plugs, wire, cap rotor and lambda probe and it still flashed the code after. I found out it was my intake hose from the air cleaner to the plenum. It had cracks in the rubber everywhere there was a seam. Once I duct taped it the 1223 is now gone and she idles fine.

[ChazzyD]

I bought a used engine that had been sitting on a shelf for years and all the injectors were bad. It would only start to show signs of life after shocking each one with 12V directly. Once I put a spare set of used injectors in, she fired right up. So if they have been sitting for a long time unused, they can become clogged to the point of failure. Make sure all the connectors are clean though first before condemning them.
Charles

[alfaman1963]

Like i said a 1223 code is not a bad O2. And 164guy a cracked air tube is more then likely very soft engine mounts...Change those first then air tube, Which I have the "S" and "L" air tube and engine mounts.....Thanks jim

[alfavulcan]

hi jim. new motor mounts, plenum hose, all the consumables replaced. i have not checked the o2 sensor yet so i guess thats the next item to check before i start replacing anything. george

[alfavulcan]

i pulled the fuel rails, had the injectors cleaned, cleaned all contacts, and now it idles perfect, even cold. i will for now put away the lighter fluid i threatened it with. thanks for all the responses. george