Is this bad, or normal?

[Phalcon_Mojo]

When I start my car the idle is up at about 1200. After about 30 - 45 seconds, it settles down to about 800, where it seems to be normal. It only does this after the car has been sitting for a period of time, not every time.

I haven't had this car for very long, and I am new to the world of Turbos, so I don't know if this is bad or normal. I just want to make sure I catch any problems before it becomes serious.

Thanks in advance for all your help. :tup:

BTW, the car in my sig is not what I'm talking about. It is an '02 GTI 1.8T. I need to make a new sig :D

[RavinJetta]

I don't know if this will help but on my vr6 it does the same thing because of the secondary air injection pump which is meant to make the car warm up faster. Like you said it idles at around 1000 or a little bit more for 30 seconds or so before it drops back to normal.

[Phalcon_Mojo]

I don't know if this will help but on my vr6 it does the same thing because of the secondary air injection pump which is meant to make the car warm up faster. Like you said it idles at around 1000 or a little bit more for 30 seconds or so before it drops back to normal.

Yeah, I went on vortex and they say it's just warming up. I just wanted to be sure...

How you doin' Joel?

[creanium]

Perfectly normal on the 1.8T's and many modern engines. For reasons related to emissions, the engine idles faster than normal to get air and fluids going through the engine to warm it up so things are working efficiently. Your car pollutes most when it's cold because all the emissions equipment (namely the cat) work best when warmed up.

It's also why it's not a good idea to start your car and just let it idle to warm up; it's best to just jump in and go.

[Phalcon_Mojo]

Perfectly normal on the 1.8T's and many modern engines. For reasons related to emissions, the engine idles faster than normal to get air and fluids going through the engine to warm it up so things are working efficiently. Your car pollutes most when it's cold because all the emissions equipment (namely the cat) work best when warmed up.

It's also why it's not a good idea to start your car and just let it idle to warm up; it's best to just jump in and go.

Good to know, I was waiting for the RPM to drop, thinking something might be wrong. Thanks.

[paultakeda]

For the same reason, when I'm trying to conserve fuel and keeping revs below 2500 RPM, I get a CEL because the cat never fully warms up enough for the O2 sensor to be happy.

That just means come smog day I'll have to drive like a nut at 3500 RPM for a couple of days prior to the test. :)

Short answer: it's normal, and no, you don't have to sit there and wait for it to drive, you can drive immediately, just don't rev past 3000 until it drops.

[GTiGirl]

i think your engine is going to blow up. i hope you have a fire extinguisher.

[ehppah]

mine did blow up that way, but 20 minutes of vigorous blowing(sexual pun intended) extinguished the fire just fine.

[calistyle]

i think your engine is going to blow up. i hope you have a fire extinguisher.

that is just mean! :D :D . I also have a 02 GTI 1.8T and I usually let it drop revs before I go to insure everything has circulated especially being a turbo model.

[1965truckrod]

My car does that all the time. I can hear the pump running and I always let it idle until it goes back down to the lower rpm before I drive it. Gives everything a chance to warm up.

Jesse

[madajb]

Your car is possessed.
Best thing to do is sacrifice a goat, and then smear the blood over the intake while chanting "Fahrvergnügen" backwards.

-ajb

[creanium]

My car does that all the time. I can hear the pump running and I always let it idle until it goes back down to the lower rpm before I drive it. Gives everything a chance to warm up.

Jesse
It warms up faster if you just drive it.

[paultakeda]

It warms up faster if you just drive it.

Exactly. Just don't gun it.

[1965truckrod]

well thats why I let it warm up because as soon as I leave my house the next block is the freeway and I have to get up the 125 freeway from mission gorge and I have to do a bit of gunning to get past all of the idiots, I would rather just let it warm up itself, then again my smog pump tube isn't attached to the carbonio intake and its just capped with a filter and I don't know how much good its doing anyways. I just do it from habit when I use to drive my 65 chevy truck all the time it would need a bit of warming up before you ran it or it would cough.

Jesse

[slowjet]

i think your engine is going to blow up. i hope you have a fire extinguisher.

I think he's gonna need more than that. lol

[paultakeda]

well thats why I let it warm up because as soon as I leave my house the next block is the freeway

Your freeway is too close. Move.

[GTiGirl]

Your freeway is too close. Move.

:tup: