Uneven lowering & a weird rough idle
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Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Los Angeles
2013 FIAT Abarth 500
Uneven lowering & a weird rough idle
Okay, couple of things:
Uneven lowering: I've been on Eibachs for about 2 years now and the look is driving me nuts. Stock, I was on #3 pads all around with level ride heights at all corners. After installing the Eibachs with #1 pads all around, the driver's side sits about a 1/4" lower than the passenger side, and the rear sits about 1/2"-3/4" higher than the front so I'm pretty raked. The side to side unevenness doesn't bother me as much as the raked look. I'm averse to cutting the rears so my question is (esp. to cabrios)...are H&Rs pretty level for you all? The general consensus seems to be that H&Rs drop more and tend to give a more even lowering so if that's what I gotta do, that's what I'll do. Coilovers are too expensive and I just bought new shocks so coilovers are out of the question.
Rough idle: Just confirming what I believe might be happening. I'm at 101k and the idle has progressively gotten rougher. About 500 miles ago, I changed the plugs and wires for OEM FR8DPP33+ or whatever they're called and the OEM Bosch wire set. Initially, it seemed the plugs (gapped 1mm) and wires helped but it's practically back to feeling the same -- steering wheel vibrates lightly at idle, can feel a slight misfire every now and then while stopped; it's as though the ECU re-adapted or something. Other symptoms are slight hesitation and mileage still seems pretty mediocre. Fuel filter got changed recently as did the motor mounts, so is the likelihood of the issue go MAF sensor > O2 sensors > coilpacks > injectors > random stuff like compression etc.?
Uneven lowering: I've been on Eibachs for about 2 years now and the look is driving me nuts. Stock, I was on #3 pads all around with level ride heights at all corners. After installing the Eibachs with #1 pads all around, the driver's side sits about a 1/4" lower than the passenger side, and the rear sits about 1/2"-3/4" higher than the front so I'm pretty raked. The side to side unevenness doesn't bother me as much as the raked look. I'm averse to cutting the rears so my question is (esp. to cabrios)...are H&Rs pretty level for you all? The general consensus seems to be that H&Rs drop more and tend to give a more even lowering so if that's what I gotta do, that's what I'll do. Coilovers are too expensive and I just bought new shocks so coilovers are out of the question.
Rough idle: Just confirming what I believe might be happening. I'm at 101k and the idle has progressively gotten rougher. About 500 miles ago, I changed the plugs and wires for OEM FR8DPP33+ or whatever they're called and the OEM Bosch wire set. Initially, it seemed the plugs (gapped 1mm) and wires helped but it's practically back to feeling the same -- steering wheel vibrates lightly at idle, can feel a slight misfire every now and then while stopped; it's as though the ECU re-adapted or something. Other symptoms are slight hesitation and mileage still seems pretty mediocre. Fuel filter got changed recently as did the motor mounts, so is the likelihood of the issue go MAF sensor > O2 sensors > coilpacks > injectors > random stuff like compression etc.?
Last edited by mint; Jun 6, 2012 at 05:09 PM.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Nebraska
99CLK320,
I wouldn't cut a progressive rate spring either. That would wreck them. I'm betting your rough idle is from bad motor mounts. might as well change the transmission mount at the same time.
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From: Georgia
E 63S Wagon Renntech, E55 Renntech, SL65, SL 55 030, ML, bunch of old ones--they come, they go...
Lots of experience here....
The h and r is really not the best choice for a 208, or most benz cars for that matter. It's a good product, but the dynamics are just not ideal for benz cars. If you really want to do it right, you'd be better off with the euro spec 208 springs, or a kw coil over kit, or a bilstein kit (which I don't even think is available in the USA). These cars, although they look great hunkered down, do suffer from the low rear ride height thru time. Most of them develop so much negative camber on the rear that even with new tires, you're beginning to chew them up immediately. Of course, a rear camber kit helps, but they are not as readily available as in the old days. The reason why most of the spring sets are a bit higher in the rear is because the car behaves better overall that way. Most mb cars cooperate better if they are slightly lower in the nose. That gives a little cushion for weight transfer under acceleration, and for passengers (?) and some luggage in the back. You can try to get the rear down as low as the nose, but he car won't like it. Looks great parked tho!
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From: Nebraska
99CLK320,
I put Vogtland(made in Germany)on my 320. And, yes the rear end is slightly higher than the front however, Vogtlands are performance springs and if you live in an area of the country that has harsh winters that bust up the roads(bay area?) you may not want to go that route because the ride is harsh on above average bumps. They are great on good roads and with set of Bilstein Sport shocks the car corners like a gocart but you do sacrifice some comfort. Also, if you go with a set of staggered wheels the gap in the rear won't be as noticible and, if like some, you remove the rear spring pads you might gain a little more. I'm just sayin.....Oh, and if ghostrider(on this forum) still has them, you can get a set of adjustable camber arms that will help. Like the man said, if you get the rear end too low just to make it look good to you, you will end up with negative camber and you WILL eat up tires.
Have the engine and transmission mounts ever been replaced?
Have the engine and transmission mounts ever been replaced?
Last edited by dlbehrns; Jun 6, 2012 at 11:40 PM.
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From: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
SL 350 R230 (3.7L with AMG Speedshift autobox)
Okay, couple of things:
Uneven lowering: I've been on Eibachs for about 2 years now and the look is driving me nuts. Stock, I was on #3 pads all around with level ride heights at all corners. After installing the Eibachs with #1 pads all around, the driver's side sits about a 1/4" lower than the passenger side, and the rear sits about 1/2"-3/4" higher than the front so I'm pretty raked. The side to side unevenness doesn't bother me as much as the raked look. I'm averse to cutting the rears so my question is (esp. to cabrios)...are H&Rs pretty level for you all? The general consensus seems to be that H&Rs drop more and tend to give a more even lowering so if that's what I gotta do, that's what I'll do. Coilovers are too expensive and I just bought new shocks so coilovers are out of the question.
Rough idle: Just confirming what I believe might be happening. I'm at 101k and the idle has progressively gotten rougher. About 500 miles ago, I changed the plugs and wires for OEM FR8DPP33+ or whatever they're called and the OEM Bosch wire set. Initially, it seemed the plugs (gapped 1mm) and wires helped but it's practically back to feeling the same -- steering wheel vibrates lightly at idle, can feel a slight misfire every now and then while stopped; it's as though the ECU re-adapted or something. Other symptoms are slight hesitation and mileage still seems pretty mediocre. Fuel filter got changed recently as did the motor mounts, so is the likelihood of the issue go MAF sensor > O2 sensors > coilpacks > injectors > random stuff like compression etc.?
Uneven lowering: I've been on Eibachs for about 2 years now and the look is driving me nuts. Stock, I was on #3 pads all around with level ride heights at all corners. After installing the Eibachs with #1 pads all around, the driver's side sits about a 1/4" lower than the passenger side, and the rear sits about 1/2"-3/4" higher than the front so I'm pretty raked. The side to side unevenness doesn't bother me as much as the raked look. I'm averse to cutting the rears so my question is (esp. to cabrios)...are H&Rs pretty level for you all? The general consensus seems to be that H&Rs drop more and tend to give a more even lowering so if that's what I gotta do, that's what I'll do. Coilovers are too expensive and I just bought new shocks so coilovers are out of the question.
Rough idle: Just confirming what I believe might be happening. I'm at 101k and the idle has progressively gotten rougher. About 500 miles ago, I changed the plugs and wires for OEM FR8DPP33+ or whatever they're called and the OEM Bosch wire set. Initially, it seemed the plugs (gapped 1mm) and wires helped but it's practically back to feeling the same -- steering wheel vibrates lightly at idle, can feel a slight misfire every now and then while stopped; it's as though the ECU re-adapted or something. Other symptoms are slight hesitation and mileage still seems pretty mediocre. Fuel filter got changed recently as did the motor mounts, so is the likelihood of the issue go MAF sensor > O2 sensors > coilpacks > injectors > random stuff like compression etc.?
First with regards to your ride height:
I have the same springs as you and you may find when the car is lowered you see the difference more so againts the body and I have read others have changed the pad on one side to reduce or raise a bit. for the rears if they are too high by 1/2" I would recomend just removing the pad all together, this may give you the little drop you need. Dont worry about not have the pad as many people do this including me and I have had no issues for 3+ years. If you find your rears are still too high you can cut the coil at the top by half a turn, some people will say no, but losing half a turn is not going to be an issue, this is what I had to do and I do not have any noticable difference in ride.
As for the spings giving a rough idle I would seriously doubt this , try things like plugs, engine mounts, tranny mount, steering damper. The tranny mount is cheap and easy to do and made a difference to my car, the steering damper too.
Good Luck
