PCV job done, now car won't idle

**dperry** · 05-19-2014, 02:35 PM

Okay, I am pretty much an amateur, but I did the PCV job on my 2003 XC70 (214,000 miles).

A little harder than I had hoped, but got everything back together. I used the IPD kit.

Anyways, I rehooked the battery, doublechecked all hoses and started it. Very rough idle then dies. Tried it a couple of time more. On one occasion it seemed to work fine, idled at about 1100 like it was warming up, then dropped down and died.

I had pulled the ETM off to clean it, and in doing so I broke the plastic locks on the side of the connector, but it seems to be on so I am not sure that is a problem.

I am at a loss. Does this sound like I destroyed the ETM? There is just the six pin connector for the ETM, right? No separate ground wire or anything?

Anyways, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I really don't think taking it all apart would accomplish much, but I can imagine the bill I would get for a dealer to troubleshoot and fix...

**Astro14** · 05-19-2014, 03:57 PM

Sounds more like a vacuum leak...I would check all the connections, particularly the ones that are hard to see...which on this stupid job describes almost everything...

**dperry** · 05-19-2014, 05:11 PM

Well, on a longshot I pulled the MAF sensor connection, and lo and behold the car runs fine. I have a 'Engine service required' warning, but considering the MAF is disconnected that probably makes sense.

Would a bad MAF cause the horrible idle/stalling? I wonder if pulling it to clean is worthwhile, or just replace it.

So I guess I add a MAF cleaning/replacement to my broken oil dipstick and broken coolant temp sensor due to my ham-handed maintenance skills...

**Tahoe_XC** · 05-20-2014, 06:28 AM

Two thoughts come to mind:
1) is the connector on the ETM fully seated? Try removing and reseat. It is a PIA given it is under the manifold but would cause an erratic idle.
2) did you replace the gasket between the ETM and the manifold? If you reused that could be contributing.

**9dawgs** · 05-20-2014, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by Astro14

Sounds more like a vacuum leak...I would check all the connections, particularly the ones that are hard to see...which on this stupid job describes almost everything...

X2 on the vacuum leak.

**GearheadNY.com** · 05-20-2014, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by 9dawgs

X2 on the vacuum leak.

X3 on the vacuum leak.

**youropeen** · 05-20-2014, 11:46 AM

This is too funny. Well, not really, but I can relate to a few things.

I just did this same job on my XC in December. A week went by and my wife called me after she dropped the kids at school saying the car would not start. I went there thinking the worst. Before I popped the hood I gave it a try. It would start and then die immediately. I popped the hood and there was the pipe hanging off the MAF with a not-at-all tight clamp. I couldn't believe that 1, I didn't tighten it and 2, It was driven daily for a week before it became a problem. After reconnecting the pipe it started right up.

On the first repair I did (radiator replacement) I had read a walk through that warned about being careful about breaking the oil dipstick. I thought to myself "What kind of idiot would not be careful enough and do that?" Turned out I was one of those idiots.

Good luck with your problem.

**JRL** · 05-20-2014, 01:38 PM

Vacuum leak

**dperry** · 05-20-2014, 07:29 PM

Okay, just went out again, all hoses appear to be connected. The only one I couldn't pull on to check is one of the TCV hoses (the one that goes back to the turbo). The engine is still hot and I don't feel like getting burned.

Anyways, I understand that the consensus is my problem is a vacuum leak, however I do not understand how that jibes with my symptoms. I changed out the MAF with a brand new one (goodbye $180), and everything seemed to run fine after a single instance of sputter and die. Drove the car around for the afternoon, everything seemed fine. In the evening drove for a while, stopped at a 7-11, came back out and the car would sputter and die when I started it. I disconnect the MAF, and the car runs fine. Reconnected MAF, car kept running. Stopped at next spot, tried to restart car with no success. Same disconnect MAF, start car, reconnect MAF, but now car is needing to have this process repeated a couple of times.

I don't want to continue easter-egging this, because now I fear I bought a new MAF for no reason. I am thinking I will get the car running and drive to autozone and see if they can pull a code, but I am sure I have filled the computer with codes with all of the disconnecting and everything else.

My gut feel is this is electrical, which puts me in the position to have to take it to the dealer, which of course I want to avoid.

In answer to below questions regarding ETM; I have reseated the connector several times, and I did use a new gasket when I reinstalled it (I got the gasket from the dealer).

So based on the above and my lack of finding obvious vacuum leaks (meaning no dangling hoses), should I try something else, or keep looking for a vacuum leak?

**9dawgs** · 05-20-2014, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by youropeen

On the first repair I did (radiator replacement) I had read a walk through that warned about being careful about breaking the oil dipstick. I thought to myself "What kind of idiot would not be careful enough and do that?" Turned out I was one of those idiots.

Haha, well I must be one too. I broke mine off as well when I did mine a couple of weeks ago.