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Rough idle, and brief drop in RPM

30K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  Bhamm1979  
#1 ·
When I first joined up on this site I had a rough idol and drop in rpm problem and it was suggested that I clean my throttle body and my MAF sensor, it took awhile for me to get around to it but I cleaned the throttle body and the MAF sensor, I also changed my plugs to Bosch Platinum+4's. It is odd but sometimes it will idle rough then other times it wont and run smooth, as for the dip in the RPM's I originally reported that it would do it about every 40 seconds, after the cleaning it will drop in RPM and shudder but not as often as before. Any other suggestions?

06 Colorado 3.5, with recently replaced head for valve issue.
 
#3 ·
I changed my map sensor, there was some improvement, although there is still a drop in the RPM's but not as often as previous. The vibration is still there, although I have noticed that the vibration is more noticeable when it is drive. I haven't had any check engine lights, so I am wondering if a sensor could be malfunctioning but not to the point that it is setting off the check light. Also what is normal idle speed for the 5cyl, mine sits at about 600 when warm. Also when I replaced my plugs it seemed that it was running rich. also one more item that is odd even though it is winter, my mileage is really bad, last fill up I had 13 mpg with city and highway.
 
#6 ·
I have run Chevron's Fuel cleaner through the engine about 2 times since the head was replaced, and I run Chevron only if I can. I also run 90 in it. would it be running rich because of the octane that I am running? vibration still unsolved as of yet, one website says that it may be a misfiring cylinder, but you would think that they would have caught that, or fixed it when the head was off, plus no codes.
 
#7 ·
Octane will not make a vehicle rich or lean, and you don't need to run 90 unless you are experiencing issues with lower octanes. Stock, lower octane is fine.

Mine idles at 650.

You might be rich if you make short drives. Now that it's colder outside, it runs in cold loop for longer, therefore making it rich for start up and warmup periods. If you don't drive longer distances or long enough time for the engine to reach and maintain normal operating temperature you will not be burning as clean as you could be. Also, is your temp gauge running at normal range or is it cooler?
 
#8 ·
More details would be helpful. Keep track of when it happens. I have the same problem on my 07 5cyl w/73,000 miles. The rough idle only happens after a 1 1/2 to 2 hour shut off. It makes me think its a leaky injector dribbling fuel into a cylinder and then misfiring while it burns off. On a short time span the fuel leak wouldn't affect it as much and a longer time would allow it to dissipate. I'm putting some injector cleaner through this week to see if it helps. If no change, I'm going to have the fuel system cleaned.
 
#9 ·
I have run objectors cleaner through mine, I was using the cheveron stuff, then I ran a bottle of Lucas cleaner through it, I just can't ever get it to vibrate consistantly, sometimes it will he so bad that the dreading wheel is going up and down and I have to press the gas to idle it up to **** 8-9 hundred rpm other times it will run as smooth as can be. As for my temp gauge it is within normal temps after about 3-7 minutes of driving. Some suggestions that I have found are a short on one of the coils, but every time I think it is something it couldn't be because I'm no throwing any codes so there isn't anything to off of, would a short throw a code?
 
#10 ·
How about the ignition wires? are they old, worn or maybe only one is faulty?? If the engine was taken apart maybe you have a vacuum leak somewhere? My old Dodge had a vacuum leak, ran rough as **** in wet weather (why it ran better in dry I never figured out), but fixing the leak solved the rough engine.
 
#13 ·
Air filter was changed when I got the truck back in July from factory to a K&N, I have been thinking about this quite a bit and have invested in a factory repair manual, but I have compiled all of my symptoms in to this list Poor MPG, the rough idle, running rich/suited up plugs.
I was discussing this issue with a family member, we came to the conclusion that it may be in the fuel system somewhere what ever the issue, because I have no loss of power that I know of and a loss of power would point to an air restriction I think. There was one more item that I noticed while looking over the engine, there was what I think was a hissing coming from the driver side near the firewall. Any ideas?

To answer Psychologger it seems to happen after the trucks stops running through the cold loop, if the truck is warm it usually starts immediately and it will keep vibrating until I shut it off, although the vibration gets worse as the tank empties which boggles me. so a full tank will have less of a vibration but still very noticeable then when it gets to about half it will be at its worse. This seems to be the trend.
 
#14 ·
05 gmc canyon. Runs great when it's warm outside other than the idle sometimes sticking at 2000 but it's 5spd and hitting a new gear or sometimes just the clutch makes it die down to normal.. So I ain't too worried about that. But in cold weather it hunts idle and shakes like a violent cam or like it's having trouble picking up fuel. And it falls on its face with every gear I hit. what would you think is wrong.. Also flashy dash lights and check engine codes that pop even after resetting and changing sensors