In article >, "Roy" <crawroy @ nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:
>98 SL1, 165,000km
>I have rough idle down around 500-750RPM (it usually idles just over
>1000RPM). Very little power. When I floor it in neutral the RPM gauge goes
>to 4200 and pulses.
>Looking under the hood at lunch time and the PCV hose was cracked/split and
>flattened. I replaced the hose but that seemed to make it worse. I remember
>talk on here of cleaning the PCV vavle but the Haynes manual I have only
>says what it does, no mention of cleaning.
>My question is, what should I clean it with? compressed air, gasoline,
>methyl hydrate...? Or should I just get a new one?

Just get a new one -- it's only about five bucks, if that much. Hardly worth
trying to clean out...

>Does this sound like a dirty or defective PCV valve or should I continue to
>look for other causes?

My guess is an ignition problem of some sort. Check the plugs; I'll bet
they're not all firing. And *that* could be due to a bad plug, a bad plug
wire, or a failed electronic ignition module.

Another thing to check: make sure the exhaust system isn't plugged. A
stopped-up catalytic converter can cause similar symptoms.


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.