'01 Boxster with 60k, Runs Rough in the AM

[bmblack34]

I have a 2001 Boxster and I just rolled over 60k miles with it. Recently, it has been idling and running very rough in the mornings. For a while I thought my tires were out of balance, then I realized it's only happening in the mornings after the car has been sitting all night now that it is beginning to get cooler at night again.

I have also observed the RPM needle dropping and rising a bit as the car idles when you first start it and its been sitting a while. Not ver much, and it still appears to be idling at the correct speed, but there is a little bob in the motion of the needle that may be related to its rough running in the mornings.

What can I do to make sure my car is running smooth and healthy? Does the timing need to be adjusted? Is there a recommended 60k tune up I should run through?

Any advice on the subject would be much appreciated.

[pk2]

I have a 2001 Boxster and I just rolled over 60k miles with it. Recently, it has been idling and running very rough in the mornings. For a while I thought my tires were out of balance, then I realized it's only happening in the mornings after the car has been sitting all night now that it is beginning to get cooler at night again.

I have also observed the RPM needle dropping and rising a bit as the car idles when you first start it and its been sitting a while. Not ver much, and it still appears to be idling at the correct speed, but there is a little bob in the motion of the needle that may be related to its rough running in the mornings.

What can I do to make sure my car is running smooth and healthy? Does the timing need to be adjusted? Is there a recommended 60k tune up I should run through?

Any advice on the subject would be much appreciated.

Check engine lite...on? smooth out after it warms up? Cold starts require more fuel. Yours is probably getting to much or getting to little. Haven't a clue as to the mechanisms and/or electronics that acomplish this.

PK

Edited September 26, 2007 by pk2

[Loren]

My money is on a dirty throttle body and/or butterfly.

[bmblack34]

I have a 2001 Boxster and I just rolled over 60k miles with it. Recently, it has been idling and running very rough in the mornings. For a while I thought my tires were out of balance, then I realized it's only happening in the mornings after the car has been sitting all night now that it is beginning to get cooler at night again.

I have also observed the RPM needle dropping and rising a bit as the car idles when you first start it and its been sitting a while. Not ver much, and it still appears to be idling at the correct speed, but there is a little bob in the motion of the needle that may be related to its rough running in the mornings.

What can I do to make sure my car is running smooth and healthy? Does the timing need to be adjusted? Is there a recommended 60k tune up I should run through?

Any advice on the subject would be much appreciated.

Check engine lite...on? smooth out after it warms up? Cold starts require more fuel. Yours is probably getting to much or getting to little. Haven't a clue as to the mechanisms and/or electronics that acomplish this.

PK

No check engine light, but it definitely smooths out significantly after I get above 50MPH for a few minutes and the engine warms up.

[bmblack34]

My money is on a dirty throttle body and/or butterfly.

Thanks for the input Loren. I have kind of been leaning the same direction. I have a feeling the gas station I have been using for the past few months (I just moved) isn't as clean as they claim they are.

Is chasing this one down as simple as running some fuel cleaner through the car/fuel lines? or is there something more you recommend I do?

I found this on the PCA website.

http://www.pca.org/tech/tech_qa_question.a...8-17027E9498E4}

The guy describes a very similar problem, but he had his dealer do the cleaning. Is that necessary or can I do the work in my driveway?

Thanks again,

Brandon

[Loren]

Your car does not have an IACV. Your car has egas (since MY00 on Boxsters). On egas cars the idle is controlled by minute movements of the throttle butterfly and some very small holes that pass air even when the butterfly is closed.

Do a search here for cleaning the throttle body - it's been covered many times.

[bmblack34]

Your car does not have an IACV. Your car has egas (since MY00 on Boxsters). On egas cars the idle is controlled by minute movements of the throttle butterfly and some very small holes that pass air even when the butterfly is closed.

Do a search here for cleaning the throttle body - it's been covered many times.

Thank you Loren. You have been extremely helpful. I will give that bad boy a cleaning and see if that does the job.