Strange idling - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Trentin24 · 06-08-2017, 10:38 AM

I have a 2011 SS w/LS3 and last night on my way to dinner it was about 90° and I had the ac on and it was blowing cold. I pulled into the restaurant parking lot and noticed the idle dropped wayyyy down, to about 200 RPM as I was in neutral rolling in. It jumped back up to 800 then back down again. But by this time I was already in the parking spot so I just shut it off and went into dinner.

Waiting for my food, the only thing I could think about was my car so I went out to start it hoping it was a fluke. I started it and it ran fine for a bit, then a horrible belt squeak which has never happened. So I shut it off, turned it back on and it did the same thing. Idled way down to about 200, back up to 800 then way down again. So I shut it off and went back to dinner. Trying to think of anything it could be and I assumed tensioner pulley, even though I never saw a voltage drop.

After dinner I was determine to get it home and figured as long as I kept the RPMs up, id be fine. But when I went to start it, it barely wanted to and I have a brand new battery in it. So I made it home with the ac on, but no cold air. Got it home and it was idling just fine. Shut it off turned it back on a bit later and turned the ac on and off and the idle dropped a bit but the normal amount when you initially turn the ac on.
Turned the ac off then back on but still no cold air. So I got my pressure gauge and it was in the red like the compressor wasn't on. So I checked fuses and relays and they all checked out, went back into the car, turned the ac off and on fan full blast and then it started doing it again. Idled way down, maybe even to 100 RPM. Brought itself back up, then went back down again and kept doing it.

No check engine light came on, which I assumed would happen when RPMs drop way down. I'm thinking it's the ac compressor, but I've never heard of it causing anything like that..

What do you guys think?

2SSRS@Gen5diy · 06-08-2017, 12:56 PM

sounds like your compressor is going out or locking up internally, its pulling the RPM way down, best way to test if its the AC compressor is remove the belt on the compressor, if your idle does not drop to that level with the AC on (and the belt off) you know your compressor is on the way out.

GL.

Trentin24 · 06-08-2017, 02:04 PM

Will do. Thank you!

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06-08-2017, 10:38 AM	#1
Trentin24 Trentin24 Drives: 2011 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Washington Posts: 1,377 View My Garage	Strange idling I have a 2011 SS w/LS3 and last night on my way to dinner it was about 90° and I had the ac on and it was blowing cold. I pulled into the restaurant parking lot and noticed the idle dropped wayyyy down, to about 200 RPM as I was in neutral rolling in. It jumped back up to 800 then back down again. But by this time I was already in the parking spot so I just shut it off and went into dinner. Waiting for my food, the only thing I could think about was my car so I went out to start it hoping it was a fluke. I started it and it ran fine for a bit, then a horrible belt squeak which has never happened. So I shut it off, turned it back on and it did the same thing. Idled way down to about 200, back up to 800 then way down again. So I shut it off and went back to dinner. Trying to think of anything it could be and I assumed tensioner pulley, even though I never saw a voltage drop. After dinner I was determine to get it home and figured as long as I kept the RPMs up, id be fine. But when I went to start it, it barely wanted to and I have a brand new battery in it. So I made it home with the ac on, but no cold air. Got it home and it was idling just fine. Shut it off turned it back on a bit later and turned the ac on and off and the idle dropped a bit but the normal amount when you initially turn the ac on. Turned the ac off then back on but still no cold air. So I got my pressure gauge and it was in the red like the compressor wasn't on. So I checked fuses and relays and they all checked out, went back into the car, turned the ac off and on fan full blast and then it started doing it again. Idled way down, maybe even to 100 RPM. Brought itself back up, then went back down again and kept doing it. No check engine light came on, which I assumed would happen when RPMs drop way down. I'm thinking it's the ac compressor, but I've never heard of it causing anything like that.. What do you guys think?

06-08-2017, 12:56 PM	#2
2SSRS@Gen5diy Drives: 2014 Z/28 #82+#192, 18ZLE 66Nova Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: By the lake in AZ Posts: 15,719 View My Garage	sounds like your compressor is going out or locking up internally, its pulling the RPM way down, best way to test if its the AC compressor is remove the belt on the compressor, if your idle does not drop to that level with the AC on (and the belt off) you know your compressor is on the way out. GL.

06-08-2017, 02:04 PM	#3
Trentin24 Trentin24 Drives: 2011 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Washington Posts: 1,377 View My Garage	Will do. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk