V35 Almost stalling

[CucumberError]

Regularly when I warm start my 2001 Skyline (300GT Sport) it starts, revs up a little as it should, then the idle drops back down, but to somewhere below 100RPM, and all but stalls. I've never had to actually startthe car again, it always catches it, but it's been slowly getting worse the last year or so, to the point that last weekend at Bunnings, the tacho actually read 0 RPM. There's no check engine light, nothing in the OBD logs etc. Is there anything common that would cause this, that I need to pay attention to?

Cold start is fine, and it's not every time it does a warm start. With the exception of some laboring from the AC pump, the car is great condition for its age. I'm the 3rd owner (1 in Japan, 2 in NZ), always been garaged, serviced etc.

 

[sonicii]

I'm not too sure about the DD engines, but on a DE I would suggest you start with a throttle body clean and an idle air volume learn procedure.  Would be worth cleaning the MAF with an appropriate cleaner too.

[GTSBoy]

Do these things have an e-throttle, or are they still using a AAC/IACV for idle control? If the latter, take it off, take it apart, clean it thoroughly with carby cleaner, parts cleaner or brake-kleen. it'll be full of gunk, sticky, and slow to move.

[joshuaho96]

5 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

Do these things have an e-throttle, or are they still using a AAC/IACV for idle control? If the latter, take it off, take it apart, clean it thoroughly with carby cleaner, parts cleaner or brake-kleen. it'll be full of gunk, sticky, and slow to move.

It's DBW. Easiest place to start is make sure the throttle body isn't clogged up too badly. Long term fuel trims will also give some idea of what's going on.

[CucumberError]

Just an update on this: I had a busy weekend doing home DIY, haven't had a chance to look at it, but this time on Sunday evening it actually properly stalled and I had to start it again. Check engine light came on after the stall (as to be expected), but I haven't checked any logs etc yet.

Weirdly, the lowered V35 has become our 'practical' car. We also have a V37 Hybrid, so the ski hole (which is missing on the Hybrid, as the batteries get in the way), ability to tow friends broken down cars etc has made the V35 (towing seem to be a hybrid no-no) has made it our practical car hah. I'm half tempted to fit a tow bar to it, but that seems a bad idea.

[GTSBoy]

I was going to say "how often are you flat towing friends' broken down cars?"....which is flat out illegal in every state in Australia, when I realised that you're in the wild wild east, where it seems to still be normal.

[sonicii]

You can tow with the Q50/V37 hybrid, but you really need to be careful pulling anything up an incline at very low speed, like a boat ramp.  These cars don't have a torque converter in the transmission and rely on the low/reverse brake to act as a clutch at very low speeds (lower than idle speeds in 1st gear) and they don't like to slip for extended periods.

That said, it probably isn't too wise to tow anything heavier than your average box trailer.

Edited October 3, 2023 by sonicii