VZ Calais Alloytec Surging, Rough Idle issues

[zztopgtb]

Hi,


I’ve been a long-time reader, but this is my first post! Hoping someone can help me out!


I have a small but annoying issue with my 2005 VZ Calais alloytec. I got it in mid 2015 and I love it. Since getting it, I noticed it surges every now and then (usually under load). When starting up in the morning and going up a hill near home it can surge and it sometimes feels like I’ve put my foot down for it to drop a gear and accelerate but obviously I hadn’t done that at all! It tends to happen when under load and it feels as though its unsure if it should down shift or not. You can see the RPM needle surging up and down when it does this. It’s very noticeable.


Also about 6 months ago I noticed a tick noise (single tick, not constant) when tapping the accelerator. It sounds just like a solenoid click into (or out of) place. Sometimes it doesn’t click when tapping the accelerator. Again, this is not a constant ticking noise that many people report the alloytecs make. It’s a single click. When the bonnet is up and the window is down, there is a distinct click when tapping the accelerator. It seems to be coming from the passenger side of the engine bay. I’ve use a stethoscope but just cannot confirm exactly where its coming from. I can hear it when the stethoscope is on the top of the engine but its not a clear distinct noise you’d expect if that was the culprit.


Around a similar time I noticed this click nose from the engine bay, the car seemed to idle roughly. After starting up and waiting around 15-20 seconds it settles down and idles quite roughly. Everything seems to be shaking in the car, its very noticeable. It gets better when its warm, but even stopping at lights you can feel a shake. This shake was never there when I purchased the car. The car also turned off twice after a trip to Canberra. When we got to Canberra, it turned off at 2 traffic light stops in a row. I needed to keep the revs up to stop it from doing it again over the next 2-3 days there but it hasn’t happened since! It has to be related in some way surely??


I have done a lot of researching and reading since I noticed the problem around 2 years ago and have slowly replaced parts that cause these symptoms. This is what I’ve done so far to no avail

• Replaced all 6 spark plugs
• Replaced all 6 coil packs
  
• Replaced all 6 fuel injectors
• Cleaned the throttle body (was quite dirty)
• Replaced the fuel filter
• Check for vacuum leaks and replaced PCV valve (which had cracked)
• Ran many tanks of premium V-power to clean it out
• Ran fuel system cleaner a few times (prior to replacing fuel filter)
• Ran injector cleaner (before replacing the injectors)

Is there anything I haven’t tried that could be causing this issue? I keep thinking a sensor (like IAC, oxygen etc.) could be an issue for the surging, but I did think that for most of the things mentioned above and nothing’s changed. Can anyone suggest what I can try next?? And what about that solenoid click in the engine bay? Is that normal, what solenoid could be clicking? Is it even related? Could it even be something else?


Any help would be appreciated.


Cheers.

 

[99notout]

Evap purge solenoid would be my first thought if you have done all the above.

 

[zztopgtb]

Thanks. i actually only read up about that the other day and does sound like it could do what I've described. I couldn't hear anything unusual when using the stethoscope on the Evap purge solenoid (as i thought it was the culprit clicking) but then again, I don't really know what is normal. Is there anything that I can check to confirm faulty, or is it more like change it and see? I've done that to most the things above and nothing change so I'm hesitant to keep doing that now but i guess they aren't too expensive.

 

[stick3]

this is the best way just make a short vid

 

[zztopgtb]

this is the best way just take a short vid

Thanks but that's exactly what I meant by "this is not a constant ticking noise that many people report the alloytecs make."

This is a single click when tapping the accelerator. When slowly increasing the revs, you can't hear the click. It's only when its a tap of the accelerator, like a quick squirt of gas that does.

A vid prob would make it much easier for people to get an idea of the sound etc. Thanks

 

[Fu Manchu]

Replace that purge solenoid

 

[Bonus]

Thanks but that's exactly what I meant by "this is not a constant ticking noise that many people report the alloytecs make."

This is a single click when tapping the accelerator. When slowly increasing the revs, you can't hear the click. It's only when its a tap of the accelerator, like a quick squirt of gas that does.

A vid prob would make it much easier for people to get an idea of the sound etc. Thanks

That single click your hearing just sounds like the butterfly in the throttle body opening, shouldnt have anything to do with it unless its damaged somehow

 

[vr_owner]

hey mate id change the solenoid as the above stated but if you get random surging like that it could either be the tps or the bcm

edit: also, have you replaced the oil pressure switch it can cause a rough idle and is located at the bottom of the oil filter container

 

[Kobus Roetz]

Hi,

Hi there mate had the same problem and was doing alot think and came up with one answer carbon build up in engin take off your air intake pipe by your filter box get engin nice and warm and rev it up to about 2500 rpm and slowly pour brakefluid in and keep the revs up 500ml should do the trick it blows alot of smoke when you are done put pipe back take her for a bit of a hard drive and see the differece my vx commodore was sorted i could have saved myself a 110 dollars yesterday went to buy a new iac valve and she was the same try it and let me now
I’ve been a long-time reader, but this is my first post! Hoping someone can help me out!


I have a small but annoying issue with my 2005 VZ Calais alloytec. I got it in mid 2015 and I love it. Since getting it, I noticed it surges every now and then (usually under load). When starting up in the morning and going up a hill near home it can surge and it sometimes feels like I’ve put my foot down for it to drop a gear and accelerate but obviously I hadn’t done that at all! It tends to happen when under load and it feels as though its unsure if it should down shift or not. You can see the RPM needle surging up and down when it does this. It’s very noticeable.


Also about 6 months ago I noticed a tick noise (single tick, not constant) when tapping the accelerator. It sounds just like a solenoid click into (or out of) place. Sometimes it doesn’t click when tapping the accelerator. Again, this is not a constant ticking noise that many people report the alloytecs make. It’s a single click. When the bonnet is up and the window is down, there is a distinct click when tapping the accelerator. It seems to be coming from the passenger side of the engine bay. I’ve use a stethoscope but just cannot confirm exactly where its coming from. I can hear it when the stethoscope is on the top of the engine but its not a clear distinct noise you’d expect if that was the culprit.


Around a similar time I noticed this click nose from the engine bay, the car seemed to idle roughly. After starting up and waiting around 15-20 seconds it settles down and idles quite roughly. Everything seems to be shaking in the car, its very noticeable. It gets better when its warm, but even stopping at lights you can feel a shake. This shake was never there when I purchased the car. The car also turned off twice after a trip to Canberra. When we got to Canberra, it turned off at 2 traffic light stops in a row. I needed to keep the revs up to stop it from doing it again over the next 2-3 days there but it hasn’t happened since! It has to be related in some way surely??


I have done a lot of researching and reading since I noticed the problem around 2 years ago and have slowly replaced parts that cause these symptoms. This is what I’ve done so far to no avail

• Replaced all 6 spark plugs
• Replaced all 6 coil packs
  
• Replaced all 6 fuel injectors
• Cleaned the throttle body (was quite dirty)
• Replaced the fuel filter
• Check for vacuum leaks and replaced PCV valve (which had cracked)
• Ran many tanks of premium V-power to clean it out
• Ran fuel system cleaner a few times (prior to replacing fuel filter)
• Ran injector cleaner (before replacing the injectors)

Is there anything I haven’t tried that could be causing this issue? I keep thinking a sensor (like IAC, oxygen etc.) could be an issue for the surging, but I did think that for most of the things mentioned above and nothing’s changed. Can anyone suggest what I can try next?? And what about that solenoid click in the engine bay? Is that normal, what solenoid could be clicking? Is it even related? Could it even be something else?


Any help would be appreciated.


Cheers.