Ok. This is all still dealing with that not wanting to start problem.

Started fine this morning. Went to class.

On my way HOME from class however, every time I would be coasting with no power or stopping, the motor you kill. RPMs would drop reall low, sputter and die, all while the car was still moving.

Happened every single time I took my foot off the gas. I have strong reason to believe it's the IAC valve.

So I got it home and pulled out the IAC. Looked fine. Had my gf's mom turn the car on but not start it. The IAC moved, looked fine.

So then I put my thumb over the IAC hole in the TB so it didn't rev too high, and watched the IAC when I told her to start it.

Well, the IAC moved out (closing) and then SHOT the rod and out. Instinctively, I tried to grab the rod but then the vac from the engine PULLED THE SPRING OFF THE IAC INTO THE MOTOR!!!!!


So now, I went to NAPA and ordered a new $45 IAC, and need to wait til tomorrow to get my tools because I need to pull the damn blower off again.

Best case scenario is the spring got stuck somewhere before the s/c rotors.

Next best is that it got pulled through the blower and is now sitting on top of my IC core.

Worst case, it got sucked into the PCV system and is now floating around in my oil somewhere.


I'm going to QQ and then shoot large amounts of people in Fallout3 now...

Worst case is it's mashed into a piston. I highly doubt it's in your oil pan.

My 63 Nova did something similar. Only it was a screw from the airfilter mount. It got sucked in and ended up in the top of a piston. Had to pull the head replace a pushrod and valve and pop the screw off the piston.

The IC core would block in from going into the pistons. I just can't remember if the PCV would have been sucking air in at idle or pushing it out.

If it's sucking, it's in the PCV system and likely in the oil.

If not, it's pinned to my IC core, which needs to be inspected anyway for cracks from the freezing.

I would think the SC would pulverize it (scratching its coating), and if its gets through your IC core it probably jittered around in the cylinder and eventually blasted out the exhaust valve.

Does anybody remember the magic schoolbus episode where they go inside somebody's bloodstream? It would be cool if the magic schoolbus got sucked into an intercooled L67. I would watch it.

K. We pulled the blower off an inspected everything. No spring to be found.

However, the black coating in the rotors was chipped a bit in a few areas and a large amount was taken off another.

Found flakes of the coating on the IC core as well.

There were no scratches or anything. Just some flaking and I think one fin on the IC was a little bent.

So I'm guessing the spring just got obliterated by the rotors and just flew through the IC, intake, and then out the exhaust after a bit.


On a side note, she idles better now but it's 33* out so we'll see how she starts a 6*. All in all, seems like the IAC was the culprit. I still feel a bit of a studder when idling up to a stop, I may go in an increase my idle by about 50rpms.

Also, the intake looked very wet. So I'm fairly certain my IC core cracked from the cold snap >.<

That's another $75 down the drain but at least I think the heat exchanger is alright.