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Trafficlights: Gallardo is revving like a Douche on its own

8K views 39 replies 15 participants last post by  Roger McCormick 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi guys,

I have just recently serviced my Gallardo Spyder from 2008, PreLP. I had earlier problems with the clutch (was worn 98% and the gears sometimes wouldn't engage properly) so I replaced the clutch, throwout bearing, wear sensor, flushed the e-gear box, and changed the spark plugs. I am not sure what's happening here, but the following issue is happening intermittently - maybe once every 20 stops at traffic lights:

  1. I pull up at the traffic lights, but stay in gear 1
  2. The car starts revving in like 1 second intervals - it's like short revs like a douchebag would do at the trafficlights to get attention
  3. car is still in gear 1 according to the instrument cluster
  4. when I press the gas pedal, it seems to be very sensitive and revs up to 8000 rpm as if it was in neutral yet still indicating that it is in gear 1
  5. to get rid of this problem I have to pull both paddles to make the instrument cluster display neutral, rev a little bit manually, and reengage gear 1

Any idea what this could be? I am pretty sure it started happening before the clutch change but after I changed the spark plugs and installed a factory RNS-E. Also, I intermittently can see some "cut or short circuit" errors in some ECU, but there are no errors in the gearbox module.

When this weirdness is not happening, the car drives just fine. However, driving this car is far from enjoyable right now.

PS: I haven't managed to get it on video ... I will keep a GoPro running at all times now.
 
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#4 ·
it's weird it would rev like that though in 1st, at a stop, with your foot on the brake and not fry the clutch.
It doesn't look like the clutch is engaged at all, even though the instrument shows gear 1: When I step on the gas pedal while the revving is going on, it just instantly revs up to 8000 rpm (even with a very careful foot) without moving an inch. Then, after shifting around a bit, the problem goes away and it drives nicely again.
 
#3 ·
It is indeed weird.
I will check the vacuum hoses and the throttle bodies in a couple minutes.

All errors by the way seem to relate to implausible signals and short circuits (in the ZKE) for example. One day, the right door speakers stopped working for a day then came back on. So maybe it is indeed some loose wire or bad ground plate that is messing up the CAN signal?

I might need to measure through the fuse box, but it seems very hard to me to find an intermittent short circuit.



 
#6 ·
If you're getting electrical/ecu faults.. then probably not a vacuum hose issue (though can't hurt to check). I'd say you definitely have a ground or shorting problem somewhere.

1) I'd look at every piece of electrical wire/connection you had to move to replace the clutch (and other items listed) AND the spark plugs.
2) Maybe easier, just be sure the negative/ground strap from the battery to the chassis is OK (no corrosion, etc), first.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Sounds like the exact same issue I'm having from my thread here

https://www.lamborghini-talk.com/vbforum/f47/sporadic-throttle-issue-220752/

It's happened about 4 times now. Pull up to a stop and then car revs over and over. Put it in neutral and give it a blip and it quits. No fault codes showing up on my scanner though. The best way I've found to keep it from happening is to have my phone ready to record video and then it never does it. Next time it does it if I'm not in traffic I'm just going to let it do it and see what happens, maybe if it does it enough I'll get some kind of CEL or something that will register. Going to try and dig through the mode 6 data and see if anything is showing up there. Also possibly worth noting, I had my clutch done about 6 months ago but the problem just started recently, may just be a coincidence though.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Hi Roger, this is exactly the issue that I have as well.
I have a LARA here and I have no fault codes (in both gearbox and the two motor ECUs) either. Neither do I have any idea how to reproduce it as it seems to happen pretty randomly.

In my case it kind of appeared after setting the PIS but before changing the clutch. What I did is I tried to fine-tune the PIS on the old clutch to have a quicker reaction. PIS was at 5.30 (!!!!!!) and I changed it to 4.97.

@InfiniteLoop:

1) Did you do the work yourself or take it to mechanic/indy/dealer?

I took it to a mechanic (new TOB, new flywheel, new clutch, all OEM), but did the software clutch reset myself as we have a LARA at our local Lamborghini club.

2) How many miles on your car when you changed your clutch

Changed the clutch with 24.100 miles

3) How many miles before you started noticing this issue?

Appeared with 24.050 miles ... shortly BEFORE the clutch was installed but after PIS was changed, radio was inserted and spark plugs were changed.

2) Throttle bodies

Cleaned and decrappified ... didn't help!
 
#8 ·
Farmer and Roger, can you answer:

1) Did you do the work yourself or take it to mechanic/indy/dealer?
2) How many miles on your car when you changed your clutch
3) How many miles before you started noticing this issue?

Immediately, I can see these items affecting the idle:

1) Throttle pedal
2) Throttle bodies
3) Wiring going to either
4) MAF sensor?

This is definitely related to the drive by wire system, so something in that system is causing the throttle butterflies to move.
 
#10 ·
@Roger McCormick:

Maybe we should install some kind of CAN bus logger to our OBD port and record everything. Clearly, it should show us what signal seems to be implausible. The biggest issue is to find one that is affordable ... one that records everything and gives us the opportunity to debug later on.
 
#15 ·
Unplug the potentiometer/drive by wire plug (as soon as the car starts doing this) Let's eliminate that first as a potential issue. This will be easiest thing to do.

Same process used when installing the sprint booster:

 
#16 · (Edited)
Unplug the potentiometer/drive by wire plug (as soon as the car starts doing this) Let's eliminate that first as a potential issue. This will be easiest thing to do.
Thanks Jason, I will try that one the moment the G starts acting up again. Need to prepare everything so I can reach the plug in no time though - I might even create a little intermediate cable with a switch because as you can probably imagine, this error only occurs on busy main streets with little to no time for troubleshooting :)
 
#17 ·
For my two cents its the throttle bodies air leaking internally, if it was a vacuum leak would show up all the time. Pretty common for early year G, only fix known is to buy rebuilt ones -not cheap or rebuild yourself if you have access to a cleaning tank, even a few small grains of dirt in there will do this
 
#22 ·
I think that the revving is too "perfect" to be the throttle bodies - the time between the revs is always the same,
the revs always have the same duration/rpm, and they are sharp and crisp. Its nowhere near a "rough idle".

So before checking the throttle bodies, I will try pulling the drive by wire plug - hopefully today.
 
#24 ·
Haha :) same here ... I think the problem is that we (subconsciously) drive differently when we have the camera ready and try to reproduce the issue. I wish I could remember how I was driving when it last happened. Maybe is a very specific shifting pattern that has to occur (f.ex. 4-3-2-1) at a very specific speed?

EDIT: I recall this once happened in Auto mode as well.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Very perplexing and tragic that it ruins the driving experience for you of a special car. Looks as well as go!

I know on my pre-LP 2006 manual, I loved the car, but dreaded the CEL coming up with the exhaust tube error more often than I liked.
One reason I switched to the LP, the other being same robust Audi-Lamborghini engine as in my RS6. Also better e-gear than my 2006 SE.

As other posters have suggested- throttle body 'problem' for the revs and electrical problem for e-gear - bad ground, short, who knows.

I would suggest buy latest rosstech-vcds cable with software and you can then log real time throttle body angles, MAF, oxygen sensor to see what is happening plus another 30 or so parameters real time. Note only can log 3 groups at a time.- see attached pic with example of the group of parameters you can run.

Note really designed for the LP, but ross-tech have advised can monitor the following parameters for the pre-LP:

Address: 01 Engine:03 ABS Brakes:09 Cent. Elect 11 Engine II:16 Steering wheel:17 Instruments:46 Central Conv.:54 Rear Spoiler

But suggest check with ross-tech that can read the above parameters for the pre-LP before you buy.

I just sit my laptop in the passenger seat secured with seatbelt with cable plugged into the OBDII port, set the parameters I want measured and then drive around or run a quarter mile, etc, to see what the engine is doing. Of course , better if you have a passenger running the laptop program for you.
https://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/index.html

Have your local club buy the ross-tech- vcds pro as can scan unlimited number of Vins, not only for the Lamborghini Gallardo, huracan, aventador but all other cars in the VAG group. Relatively cheap at US$599. I have upgraded to this.

If your local club wants to go for top of the line look at the professional kit. A bit pricier at US$899.
https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/vphn/

The ross tech auto scan might pick up faults causing this problem.

I know on my RS6, the ross-tech was picking up intermittent errors in the turbo system that the factory Audi system was not recording!

On my Gallardo, the ross-tech also picked up intermittent errors.

At least running real time scan, then when it happens again, you may see what is going on real time and it may help in solving the problem

just my two cents worth,
cheers,
john

ps I am not an agent for ross-tech or any connection with it other than a satisfied customer.
 

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#26 ·
Hey! Try unplugging your battery for a few mins and plug it back again. Maybe an ecu or tcu is glitching. You would have to program the key to the ignition after but that's easy and does not take long.
Make sure when you unplug the battery, the car door is unlocked as the key will not unlock after till you reprogram. Good luck!
 
#27 ·
I have somehow tried to reproduce this error. In this video, its very moderate ... usually it revs in the same way - periodically - until 7000 rpm or so.

Interestingly, two errors came up - Solenoid Valve short circuit and Ignition Enabling Relay Driver short circuit :unsure:

 
#28 ·
#29 ·
This is perplexing for sure. My gut says there's a problem with the throttle pedal/position sensor (particularly because of what you described as crazy sensitivity to touching the throttle while it was doing it, where it would shoot up to 7k with only a small throttle input), but that should throw a CEL like P2135 if it's outputting wacky voltages. That also doesn't explain why you never have issues while driving, only sitting at idle. I'd still start by replacing it just to rule that out, since it is so easy to do and only about $100 on eBay.
 
#30 ·
Did you guys ever figure this out? Mine will sometimes rev up just a little while in neutral every few seconds not sure if its normal
 
#31 ·
I think I may have worked it out. I overfilled my pre LP by "about" 1 quart or 3/4 of a liter. Mine started revving by itself after going up my really steep driveway. I stuck a suction hose in and and drained out about a liter and it has not done it since.

My guess is overfilling can cause a little bit of oil to get into the system causing it to burn like extra fuel. I did notice some people said this happened after a service. e.g. too much oil added.

Let me know what you think of my theory.
 
#32 ·
Mine has so far quit doing it since I did some maintenance items and fixes on mine. After what I suspected were some voltage related issues I replaced my voltage regulator, removed and cleaned both the battery ground as well as the two chassis grounds that connect to the transaxle and added another battery ground to a different part of the chassis, Also I changed out my plugs and coils as part of my efforts to get my car to a known state of service. Since that point and with over 700 miles it has yet to do the "revving like a douche" phenomena again.
 
#35 ·
mine will do this occasionally. but only happens on start up.
in 3 years of ownership its happened maybe 4 times.
I just turn off the car and back on and its back to normal.
I'm taking a guess here but it could be related to the throttle position sensors on the throttle bodies, as these are known to wear over time and go bad in pre-LP.
 
#36 ·
Revving like a Douche is back!
First time in months it's done it and I drive my car a lot. Previously it had seemingly stopped doing it after I had done some maintenance including, new plugs, new coils, removed and cleaned all battery and chassis grounds and added an additional battery ground up front just for kicks. Went to the Quickie mart this evening to get a beverage and on the return leg pulled up to a stop light and the revving began. As before I'm able to stop it by going into neutral and blipping the throttle once and then it stops. The only thing different about today vs yesterday or the past 6 months was 1) Coolest temps we've had so far coming out of summer at 50F and 2) I had turned the heater on. Not saying either of those factors had anything to do with it just noting it as more info for the so far unsolvable puzzle.
 
#37 ·
Driving the car was so un-enjoyable that I just disposed of it! Every time I got in the car, I had panic attacks even just thinking about traffic lights lol. Not sure if the ambient temperature has anything to do with it ... it happened here in Australia with the sun shining all year round.

happy to help tracking this sucker down.
 
#38 ·
This happened to mine a few times and was told needed to rebuild the throttle bodies at $5K, I pull them off and and cleaned the throat and butterfly with alcohol and toothbrush and really took my time, was surprised how dirty it was-problem solved. Also noticed the the butterfly edges were really dirty, again cleaned with great care and detail also used a scotch brite pad very lightly on the edges. Looks like new and again I did not take apart anything, I only removed the removed the throttle bodies which is pretty easy. On the early G (mine is 04) these are super sensitive to any kind of dirt. Another option take the air intake hose off and wipe the inside with a very clean cotton shirt or towel with light alcohol if if comes up clean you may have other problem but 90% chance when you wipe down the inside will be surprised how dirty it really is.
 
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