On obd2 cars the check engine light might not stay on but there will be a code stored unless he deliberately cleared it. Scan for codes. If none are present then you need to ask him what the code was before he cleared it.

 

aah I got you. makes sense. Im actually going to have another mechanic I know check it this week. Thanks

 

The rough idling... is there a rhythm to it? If so, then a sparkplug wire could be bad, or not connected. I have worked on things and accidentally pulled a wire loose and didn't know it. Or thought I reconnected it, but not quite good enough.

On most cars, when the CEL is flashing, that is saying something is wrong and is damaging the catalytic converter. This means too much unburned fuel is going into the CAT. Only way for that is to happen is bad sparkplugs, bad sparkplug wires, bad distributor cap, bad ignition coil, etc...

 

its hard to tell. off the bat id say no there no set rhythm to it. its pretty random. happens every day pretty randomly. after Ive been driving for a good while and I come to a stop light, sometimes its quiet as a mouse and idling perfectly! 10mins before, while at a stop light its idling screwed up.

I actually changed the spark plugs a week ago to see if that was the issue, but no change in idle, so I doubt its the plugs. But good feedback on the sparkplug wires, bad distributor cap, bad ignition coil etc. Im going to have those checked right away. (or I might look at some youtube videos to see if I can check those things myself)

maybe when my mechanic was doing the initial job replacing the vtec solenoid he touched or messed something up unintentionally. I know he stays late at the shop and gets crazy high and works on cars. (I know I know....Ivec already been though this argument with many people. already looking for a new mechanic)

 

Sorry, I didn't explain "rhythm" very well. What I should have said is " Does it act like it is missing". Missing - means sparkplug, sparkplug wires, or an injector.

There also could be a bad sensor, therefore telling it to inject more fuel, when it shouldn't.

If anything, if it was "fine" before and now it's rough, I would look at loose wires, connections, etc... something that might have been pulled or tampered with, or not set right when put back together...

 

yea i think your right. something was def tampered with and not set back in place properly when being put back together because before the solenoid replacement, it would idle BEAUTIFULLY. like I said before, it was night and day. maaajor difference when idling. now its just f***ed!

thanks for the tip. having everything checked again this week

 

I dont know if its related to any of this, but recently the engine seems to give a quick but hard shutter when the gear changes. It kind of feels like its doing it at a certain rpm.
even when slowing down and the auto transmission downshifts, I can feel the engine shutter.

all this bs started happening after that solenoid replacement.

so irritated....