Hi, new member here. Just recently got my 914 going again and it has an idling problem that I'm not sure of. When it starts cold it will run at 1500 rpm for about 5 seconds and then steadily climb to 2000, then from there it will drop and raise. I haven't been able to adjust the timing because I haven't gotten it up to operating temp. But if I adjust the distributor it will either lower the amount of rpm it jumps going toward the front and raise it very high going back. If I turn it off and start it again it will either die or go back to how it was running. I've been checking for vacuum leaks and haven't found any, but the AAR sounds like it's whistling but I can't feel any air around it. I was wondering if there's a way to bypass that system. I was also wondering if it could be a problem with the retard canister on the distributor. Any help would be great. Thanks.

certainly a vacuum leak if the acc cable is not making the throttle body stick. Remove the air cleaner let the car warm up (2000 rpm is not so bad to let it run at that speed) then see if the aux air regulator closes off (will not suck your thumb to the hose any longer) If still sucking after warmup then close off the hose (a sparkplug screwed in will do) and see if the idle is still high. set the dwell and the timing, then check for vacuum leaks with a can of carb cleaner sprayed around the fittings. When the green vacuum retard line is plugged into the cannister the idle will lower if the cannister is working properly (as opposed to the line off and your finger over it ) There is a start.

The cable's not sticking and I got it up to operating temp. and set the timing. And there are a couple new things. First the aar did close and would not suck on my finger and when it was getting to this point and the motor was all warmed up it was running fairly normal. A little rumble at sometimes but I'm sure it might be kinda normal. When it's cold and the motor's idling up and down and I hold the throttle in one position to have it rev. it won't stay and will still go up and down, but just higher. Then the other thing is when the air cleaner was off and it was searching for idle and I can't recall if it was doing when warm, but sometimes there would be a pop coming out of the throttle body. I checked and all the vacuum lines are tight. When I had the line off the distributor I didn't feel any suction and there was no change in idle either. I think that was about it.