my '89 cavy is idling rough....

i'm only 17 and i dunno if its just idling rough cuz its getting old or if theires sumthing wrong. When i start it, it makes kinda aloud roar and then shakes while it idles... dat normal for old cars :confused:

It depends on how rough the idle is.. my car shakes a lot more than any of my friends cars while sitting at idle. As long as nothing feels out of whack or anything.. I would just sit back and enjoy the rumble:bloated: :bloated:

ok thanks :) btw my cavy is just like the one in ya sig but mines red and has spoiler :) :p

If you have a Z24 then you will have the 2.8 liter. You may just have a few injectors misbehaving, try using some fuel injector cleaner. One other area is you may have fouled spark plugs or a bad spk plug wire. Or..... it could be an Idle air control valve, fuel filter......
have you ever done any of that kind of maintainence? Narrow it down a little and maybe I can help you more. :D

Ok, I have a 88Z (same thing as the 89) and it has 170K on it. Here are a few of the things that need to be checked to ensure proper idle and performance:

Vacuum lines
Spark plugs/wires
Ignition coils
Air filter
Fuel filter
EGR valve
Catalytic converter
Fuel pressure regulator

Those fuel cleaner things are a bunch of shit if you ask me. It's like spitting in the ocean. You cant expect a quart of that junk to go through a full 13 gal tank and the entire fuel system and clean it out. If you have your fuel filter changed every 10k, you shouldn't have an injector problem, unless one electrically fails. That's the purpose of the fuel filter, to prevent buildup. Try checking and changing some of the above. It may help. If you have an open vacuum line, you'd really notice it cuz the car will run like total shit. A bad idle air control valve, would throw the check eng light on, but all that stuff above can go bad and not throw the check eng light. Good luck.

These old pushrod motors are never going to be as smooth as the new cars. I consider it a benefit rather than a downfall. I like it. :cool:

Dude, I'm 17 and I got a 2001 Chevy Cavalier Z24 that has been shown in the Nopi nationals, so my advice to you is, find a way to get some cash a buy a newer Cavalier.(no offense):sun:

dude, that was said in poor taste. The kid probably has his own reasons for having an older Z. Shit, I've got an old one and a new one. That was really uncalled for though. I know that you're only 17, but what do you do to afford a newer Z? Just curious.

I've driven the newer cavy's... and I don't like them as much as mine. Don't get me wrong, they have respectable speed, and they look good... but I like the feel of the old 3.1 torque.

i have an older 89 z24 cuz it was my brother's old car b4 he bought a 99 Cougar(he's 19 and tomorrows his 20th b-day) and he works at a local Casino, well anyways dats just why i have an older car cuz he gave it to me and well i don't have a job yet otherwise i would of probably bought a newer car by now, although i doubt it cuz i like my Cavalier Z24 :):finger:

I'd be checking the ECM first, 1227730 ECM's where absolute junk. All you had to do is touch then and the car would shut off or start idling rough and not always do they turn the check engine light on. The IAC motors used to whack out alot also, I believe they changed design at least 7 times that I can remember and they also rarely ever turned the light on. They also had serious prom problems. Somewhere in the course of the cavalier they converted the mass airflow over to speed density by changing the prom.