I recently had my opti replaced by a dealer(the old one died on me during a roadtrip and so I had to take it to the nearest chevy dealer)-

Ever since then my car has been idling rough, it shakes a little almost as if its camming but it never used to do that(and of course I have a stock cam)- it doesnt fluctuate RPMs much (+- 25 using Freescan), but just feels rough. Revving it up slowly the car sounds funny and not smooth at all.

Ive hooked it up to Freescan and cant find anything that looks funny, how can I tell if the car is misfiring? Ive never had one do that to know what it feels like. If I cant fix it myself I will take it to the dealer, but want to have an idea first.

BTW the dealer who installed it said there was a 1 year parts and labor warranty on the Opti, since this is related to that install should it be covered? And does that apply to dealers across the US or just that specific one?

Thanks,
-P.J

 

I think it might be the EGR- Ive been getting an EGR code on and off for quite a while, before this problem even started, so I didnt think it was related, but it sounds like it might be.

 

The opti just up and died? They usually go out more gradually than that from my experience. Chances are you got a messed up out of the box opti or it was installed incorrectly.

Are you getting an SES? If you aren't, then it most likely isn't the EGR. Every problem I've ever seen with one will throw a code, the opti usually doesn't.

I'd take it back to the dealer.

 

Yep, just driving along about 1500 miles into a 2000 mile roadtrip and the car started stalling and then died completely.

The wierd thing is they changed the opti and distributor and the car would start again but ran funny- and they found out one of the signal cables had corroded connectors and they changed those out and the car ran like it does now(ie much better, but not like it used to)- so I was kind of suspicious that may have been the problem all along.

Anyway I am getting an EGR code on and off, but like I said I have gotten that one for years(VERY intermittently) and this rough idle happens all of the time now, and only since the opti change.

I will clean the EGR, it wont hurt, and if it still does it then I am definately taking it to the dealer.

Thanks
-P.J

 

You may want to check some other ignition components as well. Check all the plug wires, plugs, and the coil and coil wire.