Idle surge/rough/dies

I have a 92 3.1 with 215K on it. Only when the car is warm and I stop at a light the idle gets rough, starts to surge and then dies. This does not happen when I have the A/C running though. OBD code says the EGR valve is bad, but it was bad before this started happening. I thought a bad EGR valve would just reduce gas mileage and make for poor emissions. Any ideas?

remove your idle control motor (Key off)
and clean out the hole it goes in with fuel injector cleaner, donot get injector cleaner on the iac motor. give that a try that might help

I have a 92 3.1 with 215K on it. Only when the car is warm and I stop at a light the idle gets rough, starts to surge and then dies. This does not happen when I have the A/C running though. OBD code says the EGR valve is bad, but it was bad before this started happening. I thought a bad EGR valve would just reduce gas mileage and make for poor emissions. Any ideas?

if your egr valve is stuck open it will make it run bad

I have a 92 3.1 with 215K on it. Only when the car is warm and I stop at a light the idle gets rough, starts to surge and then dies. This does not happen when I have the A/C running though. OBD code says the EGR valve is bad, but it was bad before this started happening. I thought a bad EGR valve would just reduce gas mileage and make for poor emissions. Any ideas?

Same exact problem with 92 3.1 244K except no EGR code. cleaned the Idle Air Control valve, MAYBE helped a little. Then changed the Oxygen Sensor, runs perfect now. Good Luck!

if your egr valve is stuck open it will make it run bad
if you getting an egr code something is wrong with it
stuck open more than likely
my s-10 blazer had similar problem
change egr but it was not bad just kept getting a piece of carbon in there keeping it from closing
wish i noticed it before i replaced it becase those are $180
it still would get stuck open until i put in a plate i made at work and a clean screen gasket
from autozone $12.00
don't know if the have them for the lumina or not but look into that before you replace the egr valve

Not I have to get it running again.

if you getting an egr code something is wrong with it
stuck open more than likely
my s-10 blazer had similar problem
change egr but it was not bad just kept getting a piece of carbon in there keeping it from closing
wish i noticed it before i replaced it becase those are $180
it still would get stuck open until i put in a plate i made at work and a clean screen gasket
from autozone $12.00
don't know if the have them for the lumina or not but look into that before you replace the egr valve

ya NEVER replace an egr right off the bat when you get an egr code. first thing is check your passages for blockage.

1) use 22mm wrench to remove egr tube from exhaust manifold, use wire to ensure its not blocked (of course you have to unbolt the egr tube from egr as well ~10mm wrench?)

2) if that is not blocked, then unbolt the egr, and throttle body. there is a passageway between egr and throttle body opening .. clean that out.




for the no start.... go ahead and do both... between a clogged IAC passage and buildup around the butterfly plate in throttle body, engine can't get air. also get a spray can or two of throttle body cleaner.

get egr gaskets (set of two gaskets) and throttle body gasket.




i also recommend the TOMCO Kleen Screen egr gasket... it has a wire screen that helps prevent carbon in the exhaust from going up into the EGR valve.


401 code... you prob got blockages somewhere... but a circuit code (403) might be egr valve itself.



im talking to a 1998.... 1992 may differ in design but still same functionality.

Thanks. I have another post for the no start. Only 1.5 V to the ICM.