# 2013 cruze "rough idle"



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Be Cool Stay Cozy Keep Cruzen and just Because Your New the New Best Wishes ....

Caress IT the cruzen is Temperamental Like a Woman !


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

700 is on the low end of the engine's idle speed so it may be slightly rough. My ECO MT, which normally idles at 900, will sometimes idle at 700 and it is definitely rougher there. I have yet to figure out why it sometimes drops to 700 at idle.


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## Rauen (Apr 27, 2013)

Yeah I've noticed that if I just turn the fan on with no ac it brings it to 750 or 800 and it's silky smooth. Sometimes that doesn't even work though. Unfortunately theres no way to adjust the idle with the computerized engine. With it smoothing out in neutral and park, do you think the mounts need tweaked?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Is this a Cruze LS?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Idle is very noticeably rougher with the AC running. You can hear the engine loaded up at idle as soon as the compressor kicks in. 

It's really just the nature of a 4-cylinder, especially one as small as 1.4. Other 1.8L engines are a bit more refined than the Cruze LS, but they're still buzzy, vibratey things.

2 things: 
1) Look at your spark plug gaps. Try gapping them to at least .028. I and several others are quite happy with the results at .035". Smoothed out my idle a good bit.
2) It idles better on 89 or 91 octane than 87.


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## Rauen (Apr 27, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Is this a Cruze LS?



Yes this is an LS


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## Rauen (Apr 27, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> Idle is very noticeably rougher with the AC running. You can hear the engine loaded up at idle as soon as the compressor kicks in.
> 
> It's really just the nature of a 4-cylinder, especially one as small as 1.4. Other 1.8L engines are a bit more refined than the Cruze LS, but they're still buzzy, vibratey things.
> 
> ...


I know it can be expected by a 4cyl, I also think I'm just hyper sensitive cause every car I've had has idled rough so I'm waiting for the day I can't feel it lol. Good tip on the gap ill check that out


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Bet those boot springs under the coil pack are caught on the edges, stretch them out about 3/8" so they make could plug contact.

Purchased my Cruze on a Thursday night, wanted to pull those boots off and use dielectric grease the next Friday morning. Ha, the kind of guy if I don't do that right away, will forget about it. Then those boots bake on as hard as a rock. Also wanted to put anti-seize on the spark plug threads, another dreaded job trying to remove them with an aluminum head. Was not planning on gapping the plugs, but those were as mess as well. Also noticed a couple of those boot spring were hung up, that's dumb, pulled each boot off, easy when new, and stretched them out.

With less than 20 miles on the car, couldn't even tell if the engine was idling it was so quiet. Break-in period is BS. Unless its pre-broken. 1.4 uses a countershaft, very nice little engine.


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## Rauen (Apr 27, 2013)

NickD said:


> Bet those boot springs under the coil pack are caught on the edges, stretch them out about 3/8" so they make could plug contact.
> 
> Purchased my Cruze on a Thursday night, wanted to pull those boots off and use dielectric grease the next Friday morning. Ha, the kind of guy if I don't do that right away, will forget about it. Then those boots bake on as hard as a rock. Also wanted to put anti-seize on the spark plug threads, another dreaded job trying to remove them with an aluminum head. Was not planning on gapping the plugs, but those were as mess as well. Also noticed a couple of those boot spring were hung up, that's dumb, pulled each boot off, easy when new, and stretched them out.
> 
> With less than 20 miles on the car, couldn't even tell if the engine was idling it was so quiet. Break-in period is BS. Unless its pre-broken. 1.4 uses a countershaft, very nice little engine.


How long do you thin before the boots cannot be stretched? Car has 1,100 now. Also how extensive is the job?? I have know how with cars as to what things do and such but I suck at doing it myself lol


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Rauen said:


> How long do you thin before the boots cannot be stretched? Car has 1,100 now. Also how extensive is the job?? I have know how with cars as to what things do and such but I suck at doing it myself lol


The springs probably get mis-aligned when you pull the rail up. 

It's super, super easy:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-how-library/6722-diy-re-gap-factory-spark-plugs.html


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