WH Statesman 3.8Ltr 6 cyl with a Dangerous issue

[VFSV6FORME]

The cardboard is actually metal, which is coated with something that looks like a black paint coating to me?
I was told they seal by pressure between lim & plenum & once you separate the 2 services (lim & plenum) they are throw away.

Here is a pic of my old one.
I changed it last Friday.View attachment 207235

The one I purchased is from supercheap and its not steel like the original with it bent tags around like your one. the one I got has two gaskets for ecotech 3.8 as you chose one. you photo is one of the two different type of gaskets and the one from supercheap is made from cardboard

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Remove PCM/BCM fuse and allow the capacitors to drain for a bit, or like was said remove the negative battery terminal well since your doing the gasket you should remove it anyway.

thanks

 

[VFSV6FORME]

I believe all you need to do is disconnect the battery for a while. If you are not in a hurry leave it off for an hour so the system will reset

Yes when I replace the mid LIM gaskets I might have to take the alternator off so I will have to disconnect the battery. It will be off for hours

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Im assuming you've checked all the hoses, including the one to the bottom of the throttle body and where it terminates by the firewall on the drivers side to ensure the hoses are properly seated and not split on the connectors?

You can carefully use brake cleaner when the engine is running to spray around intake pipes and areas to check for RPM changes, being careful of the exhaust etc.

Yes I replaced the one next to it that goes from the pass side front to the pass side front throttle body. Its about 160MM long. that was no good. When I have the TOP of the manifold off I will inspect the other one that goes from the throttle body to that Solenoid next to the Firewall. The hose is about 30 CM long. Can anyone tell me what that Solenoid called and and its used for. Possible to suck fumes from the Fuel tank

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Random question but does it do it when you brake? As in does braking cause the issue to occur?

Check that too and it ok. the Booster hold Vacuum

 

[VFSV6FORME]

The cardboard is actually metal, which is coated with something that looks like a black paint coating to me?
I was told they seal by pressure between lim & plenum & once you separate the 2 services (lim & plenum) they are throw away.

Here is a pic of my old one.
I changed it last Friday.View attachment 207235

You one in the PIC is the one in now and I did re use it when has water in the oil and I did remember one section of it was POOR or flaking OFF. Will find out soon on monday

 

[Immortality]

Yes I replaced the one next to it that goes from the pass side front to the pass side front throttle body. Its about 160MM long. that was no good. When I have the TOP of the manifold off I will inspect the other one that goes from the throttle body to that Solenoid next to the Firewall. The hose is about 30 CM long. Can anyone tell me what that Solenoid called and and its used for. Possible to suck fumes from the Fuel tank

It is the purge solenoid which is indeed for fuel system vapours. It should connect to the bottom of the TB and it was common on earlier model ecotecs to fail.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

It is the purge solenoid which is indeed for fuel system vapours. It should connect to the bottom of the TB and it was common on earlier model ecotecs to fail.

Can that make your car revs go up and down when warm? On the odd occasion sitting at idle the revs will bounce like its about to run out of fuel, mines on LPG thanks

 

[1997 VT Calais Series 1]

My son's Statesman 6 cylinder with a 3.8 litre engine has an issue which I classify as dangerous and for the love of money I cannot find out what is causing it. I have spoken of this in my other thread about my son's Statesman but this deserves another thread by itself.

The issue is when the car is cold or the car has done only half a km from home the idle in neutral or in park after you put it in these two positions because you feel the car wants to go on, the idle goes up from 1200 or even up to 2500 rpm, yes you pick this whilst driving the car as you come to a set of lights, you put the foot on the brakes and the car wants to still go forward, so you put it in park or neutral and up the revs go from 1200 to 2500 rpm.

Now, I have spoken about a sticky throttle, but its not that because the car drove in my driveway and it was doing 2200 rpm in park so I lifted the bonnet, grabbed the throttle cable on the throttle body itself and slammed it shut, which it was shut, it was 100% shut. I grabbed the cable again and opened the throttle body more and slammed it shut again, I heard the thud sound, so it was 100% shut, but still the car was idling at 2200 rpm, so after this I suspect that either the idle control valve was getting a fake message from the ECU that was making the car idle that fast or was that EGR valve, I think its the EGR valve, that motorized unit that sucks exhaust gases ( from the Passengers side exhaust) , goes through this motor and then injects it on the manifold side of the throttle body.

Now, this exhaust gas to the manifold if they call it the EGR valve that looks like a windscreen wiper motor, I have blocked that now to test, but it still does it, but I will go back on the last paragraph when the car was idling on 2200 rpm. To get it to go back to normal, forget about slamming the throttle body , forget about the EGR valve, most of the time, I say most of the time, turn the engine off, then start it after a minute and the car idles on 900 rpm.

Now, it only leaves the Idle control valve and since I have changed two of these I don't think its the idle control valve that is causing the issue not unless it getting a FAKE message from the ECU. Now, I got my spare idle control valve and I wound it in so it allows more air flow in, I put it in the car, did not connect it and started the car and the car revved about 2700 rpm, so by this, you can see that the idle control valve can allow this car to idle at 2700 rpm in park or neutral, so the question is if the idle control valve is causing the issue, what can cause the idle control valve to fully or partly wind in (more air come in) that allows too much air in that makes the engine idle from anything from 1200 to 2800 rpm?

What else could cause this? Does this car have an intermittent power booster issue that is allowing vacuum in the manifold that allows the car to have a higher RPM when the throttle is fully closed? Or what do you think about that other valve (forgot what its called) the one that sucks the fumes from the petrol tank then goes through a solinoid and after this goes to the manifold side of the throttle body. So what happens if this is stuck occasionally open?

This issue with this Statesman has confused me because its not my car, otherwise I would have changed everything with a new throttle body, new EGR valve and new everything else, but I have a feeling if I did this the problem would still be there, something is occasionally allowing air to come into the manifold to make it idle to 1200 to 2800 rpm and as soon as you turn the ignition off or turn the ignition off again and wait for 5 minutes then turn the car back on its OK, it idles on its correct RPM, which is about 900 rpm.
Once again its not a stuck throttle cable, its not a Cruise control cable as its disconnected so what do you think I have missed.

Hi Mate,

I'm not sure what the issue is, but the are things you can check, but also let me clear up one thing you mentioned, the ECU?

The ECU will not send out fake signals, all other modules communicate with the ECU, and they send signals to the ECU and if those signals to don't match or are not within a set of rules programmed into the system, the ECU will issue a Fault Code. The ECU will also try to compansate for ant sensor not working correctly or sending the incorrect signals. You don't need to buy a new throttle body just yet.

1) Is the Check Engine Light On? The next thing I would be doing is putting a scan tool on it t see if any fault codes have registered.
-CAN YOU SMELL FUEL"
2) If you are unable to do that, I would remove and clean the throttle body with carby cleaner and a toothbrush, You can clean the TPS Sensor and any other sensor you can see, but be gentle as they are senstive, Then I would check to see if the Air Filter is clean, it's could be your IAC Sesnor but there is no-way of checking without a scan tool, a simple test with a mutimeter may indicate it is working, but won't indicate if it's failing.
-CAN YOU SMELL FUEL"
3) Next, I would be looking a fuel delivery, Check fuel pump is working correctly, Check all injectors are pulsing (You can do that with a large screw driver) Start the car and at idle, rest the screw driver (standing it up) on top of the injector then place your ear to the end of the screw driver (You should hear the injetor ticking/palsing) move along and check all injectors.
-CAN YOU SMELL FUEL"
4) If the fuel pump is working, I would be checking the fuel rail pressure ( I'm not sure if that model is fitted with a schrader valve) If the feul pressure drops slowly it could be the "Fuel Regulator" and if you can smell feul under the bonnet or in the engine bay that's agood indication that the fuel regulator is stuffed, ther are other ways you can tell if it is the fuel regulator or not, just go to youtube and type in Fuel Regualtor Testing or Diagnosoe's (That's if it is fitted with one of course) or it could be a dirty fuel filter, or fuel could be leaking somewhere and you will need to investigate the fuel delivery system (fuel lines, fuel filters, fuel rail etc..etc.etc..)
5) If all the fuel system checks out, I would consider removing the Oxygen Sensor and cleaning them gently with a tooth brush and some carby cleaner, let them dry and put them back in and see if that make a change, if that works change you oxygen sesnors.

Even if you fix the issues, the system may clear itself of fault codes? But if it does not, you will need to have them clear by a scan tool so the check engine light is goes out. All this mentioned above will cost you nothing but time (unless of course you go and buy a scan tool).

Hope this helps

 

[1997 VT Calais Series 1]

Wrong message