ok, so i just got this car on saturday - 42k miles, it was running beautiful. now, where i go to school it's 40 degrees out - and i can tell my 03 evo doesn't like the cold. but when i was idleing yesterday, it was ideling maybe around 900 and dropping to 700 constantly, running real rough - heat wasn't on, stereo wasn't on, nothing. - sometimes it'd drop so low that my lights would dim and i thought it'd stall out. so i was thinking it needs a new iac valve, because i'm above sea level to being with, and that'd explain such a rough, sporadic idle.

today though, before going to class i warmed up the engine a little bit, and then after putting it in first gear like i always do, i was going thru the parking lot around 2500rpms (usually i'll be in second, but ppl were walking infront of me) and then it started doing this terrible whine, sounds like a transmission thing - but idk cause my transmission is fine. sounded similar to hitting a rev limiter, even though obviously it's not, it's hard for me to describe. and then downshifting i was in first - fine no problems, and a lil over 2000rpm did the whiney, stutter thing again and STALLED! i was like wtfff, regardless of giving it gas - i've been babying the hell out of this cause i just got it, i've never even shifted above 5 grand. it's rough in second gear too. when this happened, my engine wasn't warm - could that be it? or do you think this is all related to what i think is needing a new iac valve?

i have a full 90 day warranty luckily, so i'm going to jersey tomorrow where i bought this and hopefuly they'll take care of it, but i need to pin point the problem. please help me out, tell me what it is that needs to be fixed and then possibly anything i can do to prevent this?

thank you so much in advance - i'm just freaking out about what could be wrong with my new car! and a 41 year old owned it before me, so it's not like it was molested, and i'm completely stock down to the paper air filter.

 

spark plug fouled

 

Ouch! There could be several reasons that could be the cause to that. Is there any CE light? When it stalled, were you able to start it right up again? Do you know if all the maintanence was done?

Just because a 41 year old man had it doesn't mean the car was maintained correctly and he babied it.

Just go to the dealer and let them take care of the problem since you have the warranty. GL!

 

If you have a full 90 day warranty then I wouldn't waste any time getting it back up there. Always wait till your car starts to warm up before pulling it hard. Also, just because it was owned by a 41 year old man does not mean that he did not molest the crap out of it before.

 

no check engine light - and yea, when it stalled i could start it right up again. honestly, the dealer where i got this from is an idiot - he told me that the recaros were after market even though they're not and he knew less about the car than i did... so that's why i want to know what it is so i can just tell him what i need.

 

My car makes the whine in 1st creepen around parking lots....pretty much normal. did the previous owner mod the car at all. if it had cams that would explain the idle for sure. Im not sure where in PA you are but im in herhsey most weekends and in williamsport during the week. if either place is close to you let me no and id be glad to help

 

im a student at pitt though, so i go home on weekends outside philly, and then it's like an hour drive from there to jersey to the dealership - so leaving now isn't really an option, otherwise i would. this is true, but it is real clean, the engine bay is beautiful and i can tell it was well maintained

what kind of spark plug fouling would you think? and you think that's more likely than needing a new iac?

 

the previous owner didn't have a single mod - he kept it stock - he even had the oz rally spoiler. all i have is the blitz dual turbo timer - which i'm not crazy about, because i'm not trying to do hkpa conversions while shifting and have no boost gauge other than that - and he's got the k9 security system with a um, echo omega key fob. i was watching the car's exaust pour out when i parked it for the 50 sec my turbo timer was on, and even the exaust pours out kinda of uneven, like the amount of it - but that's going hand in hand with the variation of rmp's when it's ideling. i always shift around 3k too when it's cold out, until it's warmed up.

 

is the whine like a high pitch belt type whine?

 

ok well big things you can check yourself then. get a new set of br 8es spark plugs. gap them to .028 then make sure there are no openings where air could leak between the maf and the turbo. their is a vac nipple on the underside of it and the car will run like poo if any air gets into the engine without going over the MAF. this car has a stock diverter valve correct. no mods at all?

 

Its likely not a biggie. Not sure of the whine you speak off but the idling issue can be a few things.

Major boost leak
Bad or Loose Plugs/Wires/Coil
Have you dissconnected the battery for any reason?
There are plenty of knowledgeable Evo owners and good shops in the NE Id take to someone who knows these cars first and if it proves to be a major problem then take it back to said dealer cause I wouldnt trust they know what the heck they are looking at nor have the tools need to really diagnose the issue

Not sure where you live but if you need somone to look at it PM me im in NJ

 

none, stock diverter valve. and as for the high pitch belt while... not really i don't think, otherwise i'd immediatley think it was something with the transmission. i was almost sure it was the iac valve because of the terrible idle, which would explain why first and second at relatively low rpm's are rough too?

 

no boost leak - according to my dual turbo timer my peak boost was 1.39hkpa which is 20.15psi... i was going to hook up a sub with my friend, and he took the fuse out - the glass cylindrical one, but put it back in, i don't think he disconnected the battery though, but i'm asking.

 

I wouldnt jump straight to replacing the IAC. There are alot of things that can make for a crappy idle and surging. The IAC is doing its job by trying to correct

 

The IAC could be one of the problems.