Stalling 10 valve 2CTQ Help!

[Doyt W. Echelberger]

Hello Blake.......My 87 5ktq does the same thing, with some variations. I
can improve it temporarily. I'll tell you how, but say up front I still
haven't solved the problem.

On the intake manifold near where the MichelinMan hose connects, there is a
bleed screw at the level of the throttle body that may or may not be
plugged by EPA regulations. Mine is not plugged, and I move the screw
counterclockwise a turn or two to speed up the idle to about 1000 RPM.  But
this only has a temporary effect. RPM's may stabilize for a few hours, or a
day, maybe two days. Then it may idle at 1500 or even 2000, or perhaps 300
again, and stall when I coast to a toll booth or stop sign.

The stalling seems to happen more frequently when I am coming off a
turnpike, after an hour at 70 mph. It seldom happens around town when I
haven't been doing the long distance high speed driving.

So, I just heel-and-toe until I can pop the hood, re-adjust the bleed
screw, and get it back to about a thousand. Then I wait until the next time.

I discovered something else that may offer clues about this phenomenon. I
took off the MM hose to check for cracks/leaks, and found considerable oil
inside. Probably the seals on my turbo are allowing oil to get by into the
intake. I cleaned out the accumulated oil and the idle remained stable for
about 4 days.  I suspect that this oil is building up in the passage for
intake air that is controlled by the bleed screw. After a long run at high
speed, the bleed channel is possibly loaded with oil and doesn't bleed very
well or at all. So, the idle acts in accordance with the low setting.  Then
I get out and reset it, and it is OK until the next time. Sometimes it
requires two or three revolutions of the bleed screw to get back to 1000.
Other times, half a turn one way or the other does the job.

In closing, I want to say that I currently have the idle speed adjusted on
the high side, over 1000.........because it makes the car more driveable
than having it randomly stall out because of lower settings. I can cope
with slipping the clutch now and then, but restarting at a stop sign or
toll booth in traffic is less acceptable.

Please TELL me if you solve your problem, or if someone replies to you
privately with some clues. The weather has been too cold and wet to mess
with the ISV, so I'm waiting for warmer conditions in my driveway before I
take on that task.

Doyt Echelberger
87 5ktq  225k miles
 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At 08:41 PM 3/1/2002 -0600, you wrote:
>We'll try this again. Thanks everyone who responded to my earlier
>query. I just purchased a 1990 200 Quattro 10 valve, 187,000miles.
>Car has had pretty religious dealer maintenance(for what that's
>worth). When I come to a stop sometimes the car wants to stall,
>normal idle seems to be around 8-900 rpm but occasionally it drops
>down to 300+- and will stall if I don't catch it. That heel-toe
>training I got at Bondurant 25 years ago still pays off. Looking at
>earlier list postings I hoped it was the Turbo-Bypass Valve but I
>have since learned that is only on the 20 valve. Any suggestions  for
>the cause of my low idle speed and subsequent stalling would be much
>appreciated. The idle adjuster was replaced about 10 months ago by
>the dealer. One thing I have noticed-the temp gauge creeps up about a
>1/4" (just above the third red line at the beginning of the dial), it
>does not get very warm. I had a non-quattro 200 about 5 years ago and
>as I recall it ran much warmer. I have only owned it for 3 days and
>love/hate relationship is starting all over again. At least I knew
>what I was getting into.
>Thanks in advance for any help.
>Blake Gibb