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Jumpy at low revs in 1st and 2nd gear

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Hi Guys and Gals, My EP3 is extremely jumpy in 1st or second gear when i try to cruise at low speeds. Do you have any idea why this could be?
She has done 127k now so is getting a little old and im guessing something needs to be reset/cleaned or replaced?

It like she is on kangaroo juice lol!!

Any ideas?
 
Initial thought is throttle body is sticking. Do you have any mods on the engine?

Maybe IACV but that's not usually jumpy... more hunty & high at idle + boggy down low under load.
 
I had something similar a few years back and it turned out to be pre cat O2 sensor on it's way out so that may be worth a look.
 
Thanks of the input. I have only stripped out the air box as an engine mod. I have found a process for cleaning the IACV and i will also check out the throttle body. Excuse my ignorance but what is "hunty"?

Thanks
 
Rev hunting is when the revs won't settle on idle, goes up and down between about 600 and 2000.
 
Ah ok, i dont think its doing that. It just seems jumpy in low gears at low speeds, very difficult to find a happy throttle amount. When you let go of the accelerator it almost feels like the car is being pulled back as well....

Thinking about it, the same happens in reverse.
 
When you let go of the accelerator it almost feels like the car is being pulled back

Do you find the car is struggling/seems slower? Just a thought have you checked for binding brakes? As even something like that can have an effect.
 
Thats a good point. What would be the most affective way to check this? Its almost like i need to drive someone else's or someone else needs to drive mine that owns one! I have nothing to compare it against have i....
 
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to check brakes just jack the car up so the wheel is off the floor and see if it spins (be sure you're in neutral for front wheels and handbrake off for rears).
 
Well go for a normal drive, say 15/20 mins, then when you get back home go around the car put your hand by each wheel (as close as possible to it without touching) and you will feel a noticeable difference in heat if a brake is binding. If it is you will probably notice more brake dust on the wheel and wearing on pad/disc on which ever is the culprit.

Or you could use a lazer temperature gun, this will show any difference in heat but if you haven't got one handy use the above method. If they all feel coolish or all about the same then at least you could rule that out.
 
Always found the EP3 not to cruise well at low RPM. Gets a little jerky trying to crawl in traffic jams but it's manageable. Dip the clutch briefly, bring the revs back up and release the clutch and it's fine again. Although for me it's got worse slightly since fitting cams. But that's to be expected.
If your front and rear engine mounts are worn, that can make the situation worse as the engine rocks excessively when it goes a little jerky.
 
Thanks all for the updates and advice. I have jacked up the car and checked the wheels and they do spin but not completely freely. For example, if i spin a wheel it goes around about 540 degrees before stopping and you can hear some rubbing on the discs. Is this normal?

I will go for a long drive tonight and see if there is a noticeable temp difference with my hand as i dont have a temperature gun. What is the best way to test engine mounts to see if they are worn?

Thanks
 
Pry bar for engine mounts.

That doesn't sound too bad for binding brakes. You might find it gets worse when it's hot as the discs expand. Probably wouldn't hurt to give your calipers a once over but I doubt it's going to solve your problem.
 
If i use a bar how much would you expect the engine to move? Not at all, a little or alot? Sorry for the obvious questions.
 
Depends on the mount really.

IIRC, the top mounts are oil filled (or one of them is) so they're fairly obvious when they fail as they **** out oil everywhere. The gearbox mount should have maybe 10mm of rock. The front bottom mount is the common one to fail, I visually inspect this. Ie, use a pry bar and check to see if the bush is split.
 
I will check this out as soon as i can. These dark evenings really suck when you havent got a garage :(
 
I think I found the problem..... I think it has been like it for a while and it was so gradual I hadn't really noticed. I've cleaned it up added some lithium grease and I feel like I've gained 30HP!!! Lol

 
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