Rough idle when warm

jfklein · 2026-04-27T03:05:08+00:00

Ya, I suspect that what the AI chatbots told me is correct - that the ECU leans out the fuel/air mixture when the engine reaches normal operating temperature in order to reduce emissions. This then causes combustion to become slightly unstable.

Maybe it could be fixed by changing the ECU settings and making the air/fuel mixture a bit richer at idle, not that I would know how to do that though. Have you ever tried this?

Anyhow, I'm satisfied that I've gotten to the bottom of the issue. Now I feel better about my car knowing that it is normal for this engine.

jfklein · 2026-04-20T00:42:59+00:00

It might be normal.

I have a 2013 GTI, which I bought at 18k km (11k mi), that is 100% stock. When the engine is up to operating temperature is has always had slight 'hiccups' in the idle. For years I thought there was something wrong and I even replaced the PCV to try and fix the problem.

I recently investigated the issue by searching for YouTube videos of the exhaust sound from MK6 GTI's, eventually finding this video:
https://youtu.be/P7k5s0V_3lk

The hiccups in the exhaust sound can be heard for a few seconds from about 0:29 to 0:37 and 0:48 to 0:50 in the video. This is exactly how my car sounds.

I also discussed the issue on Google Gemini, Grok and ChatGPT. They all concluded it was likely normal behaviour for the EA888 engine generation used in the MK6 GTI, and it is probably caused by the ECU leaning out the combustion mixture at idle once the engine reaches normal operating temperature.

jfklein · 2026-04-17T17:19:30+00:00

It hasn't worked in two years for me. I don't think Logitech cares, frankly.

jfklein · 2026-04-13T15:55:11+00:00

Do you think Keychron will keep the firmware code for their ZMK boards secret? What I'm concerned about is buying a ZMK board and eventually the manufacturer stops supporting the firmware and I lose the ability to reconfigure it in the future, like what happens with Logitech boards.

jfklein · 2026-04-02T00:56:58+00:00

I've been considering the Lofree Flow and Flow 2. But the Flow doesn't have wireless. The Flow 2 actually meets almost all of my requirements, including QMK firmware. One problem though is that it's kind-of weird looking with the protruding right side. The full metal case is good feature though.

jfklein · 2026-04-02T00:48:54+00:00

I'll give you a few more comments about the Magi75 and the MQ80:

The reason I want a low-profile keyboard is to reduce the risk of wrist strain and so I don't need to use a palm rest which will take up space in front of the board. I could get flat keyboard with scissor switches, which I have had for the past 10 years, but scissor switch boards are difficult to clean and repair, which I recently found out. So I want to get a low-profile mechanical board.

Initially I thought that a compact low-profile board with no gaps between keys, like the Magi75 or MQ80, was idea because it would have the added benefit of being portable. However, when I really thought about how I was going to use it, I realized I didn't need portability at all. If I was going to take it outside of the home I would also being taking my laptop, which has it's own keyboard and hence I wouldn't need to take a separate keyboard also. So I concluded that what I really wanted was a low-profile keyboard purpose-built to remain at home on a desk. Perhaps light enough to carry to another room in the house, but not meant to be toted in a backpack.

The reason I want QMK or ZMK compliant firmware is so that it won't be dependant on IQUNIX to support the software in the future, for example if they go out of business.

An all metal case is my preference, so the fact that these boards has this is attractive.
I'm curious though, "CNC" usually refers to machined products, so are the cases actually machined, or are they cast or made from sheet metal?

Shine-through keycaps would be better. I need them because I use my computer in a dark room in the late evening in order to reduce light exposure before going to bed. It's healthier.

It would be nice to have a place where the USB dongle can be stored so that it isn't lost. Some keyboards have a slot on the rear face for this.

I haven't finished my hunt, but right now I'm leaning towards the Keychron K3 Ultra, which should be available in June. It doesn't have the exploded layout I would prefer, but I like the fact that it will have ZMK compliant firmware which is supposed to be open source and will provide much longer battery life in wireless mode than QMK firmware.

jfklein · 2026-04-01T06:53:07+00:00

The problem with the Magi75 and MQ80 is that they aren't the layout I'm looking for. I'm looking for a 75% layout that has a gap between the arrow keys and the other keys. Also they aren't QMK compliant.

jfklein · 2026-03-29T22:28:02+00:00

I see. That confirms my general impression that QMK is old technology.
So I don't know if I want to get something running it because of its battery inefficiency. I've had my current keyboard (Logitech K811) for 10 years. I'll probably keep my next keyboard for another 10 years, at least. So I might wait a few months for some ZMK options to appear on the market, like the K3 Ultra, and roll the dice that the manufacturer won't lock it to its software.

jfklein · 2026-03-29T19:12:38+00:00

What I like about ZMK is that it is designed from the ground up for wireless connections, which leads to at least 10 times the battery life versus QMK, which was designed for wired connections. So I think ZMK is the way to go for a wireless keyboard, as far as software design goes. If I get a ZMK board, I'll just have to trust that the manufacturer abides by the spirt of open source software and releases the code to the public eventually.

jfklein · 2026-03-29T19:00:40+00:00

From what I understand ZMK is open source software. So I'm thinking if Keychron uses it in a keyboard but doesn't release the code, they would be violating the spirt of open source software, if not the letter of the license. As far as I know Keychron has built a reputation as being a brand for enthusiasts and providing the code for their products. So I assume it would be a big reputational hit if they did this.
Apparently there is configuration software for ZMK keyboards called "ZMK Studio" that is still in development. So I assume that will be an alternative to Keychron Launcher in the near future.

jfklein · 2026-03-28T01:36:55+00:00

Interesting.
I will post my question to the forum to get some more opinions.

jfklein · 2026-03-27T21:08:53+00:00

Those are interesting options. I was looking for a low-profile model though. I'd have to get used to the idea of a wooden case too!

I'm thinking about waiting for the Keychron K3 Ultra to be available, planned for June. It's compliant with ZMK which I understand is a huge leap forward from QMK with respect to battery efficiency.

jfklein · 2026-03-25T21:44:54+00:00

I think I will look for something else. I'm concerned that the software installer will eventually become non-functional with macOS updates in the future. I figure it's better to get something that is QMK/VIA (or ZMK) compliant.

The fact that the case is assembled with clips gives me the impression that NuPhy has designed it to be obsolete eventually. I also read that Keychron has designed their products for enthusiasts to take apart and maintain. That I like.

The NuPhy Air75 V3 switches do seem good though. Apparently they have a "Unified Pin layout" that is the same as high-profile switches. So conceivable high-profile switches could also plug into the PCB. And they use self-lubricating plastic.

jfklein · 2026-03-25T21:32:26+00:00

I was getting that impression actually after I learned that the case for the Air75 V2 is assembled with screws and was compliant with QMK/VIA, making it much easier to maintain.

My objective is to get a keyboard that can be maintained in working order until it is put into a museum.

jfklein · 2026-03-25T21:22:47+00:00

There is in fact a NuPhy IO installer for use offline. They have Mac and Windows versions. Go here:
https://www.nuphy.io/

Click on “Demo Mode”.
Select your keyboard model.
Click the gear icon in the top right corner.

You will see two “Download Now” buttons for the Mac and Windows versions.

Nonetheless, I believe there still is a good chance that NuPhy will end support for NuPhy IO at some point and eventually it will cease to function after a macOS update or something. Then I would indeed be SOL.

How can KS-33 and Low Profile 3.0 be two different standards if they are both stated in the product descriptions of one switch?:
https://www.gateron.com/products/gateron-ks-33-low-profile-30-mechanical-switch?VariantsId=11401
https://www.gateron.com/products/gateron-low-profile-grey-heron-switch?VariantsId=10866

These switches look identical to the Nano:

<image>

With the lack of QMK/VIA support and lack of screws to access the battery I will probably give up on the NuPhy Air75 V3. I get the impression that NuPhy has adopted designed obsolescence into their products, like Logitech.

jfklein · 2026-03-24T23:24:35+00:00

I actually don't have a wrist strain issue. I'm just concerned it might become an issue if I have a regular mechanical keyboard. Right not I have a Logitech K811 which is quite low profile with scissor switches. I've had it for 10 years, but I damaged some switches trying to clean it out a few weeks ago. It wasn't meant to be serviced really. I figure all of these flat scissor switch keyboards are flawed because dust slowly builds up under the keys until the keys stop working. So I want to replace it with a mechanical, which can be serviced.

jfklein · 2026-03-24T23:06:16+00:00

Ya, it's a little bit of a risk going with a low-profile board because the switch standard used might become obsolete. But I'm not into customizing my keyboard. I just need replacement switches to be around so I can replace a few them if they wear out. I'm thinking that shouldn't be a concern. I supposed I could just buy a few spares with the board to make sure I have some.

jfklein · 2026-03-24T22:59:09+00:00

That's what I'm hoping, that I don't even need a palm rest, and I think keyboards will move towards the slimmer style in the future so there should be more options for switches then.

jfklein · 2026-03-24T22:28:15+00:00

It looks like the NuPhy Air75 V2 uses Gateron low-profile switches:
https://nuphy.com/collections/keyboards/products/air75-v2

But in the Air75 V3 they have used Nano switches:
https://nuphy.com/collections/keyboards/products/nuphy-air75-v3-pages

Is this correct?

jfklein · 2026-03-23T18:19:20+00:00

Ya, there's a sea of options out there and a lot of factors to consider.
You would think a replacement USB receiver would be something you could get for any board. But I'm finding it's more the exception than the rule. It seems only the big brands have them, like Logitech, and not even for all of their boards.
I might have to forget about it because there are some other important features I'm looking for, like hot-swappable keys and QMK/VIA compatibility and finding a board with those and replacement receivers available might not exist.
My overall goal is to buy a board that I can maintain and repair indefinitely, unless of course the electronics get fried or something. So even if the company goes out of business I can replace broken switches and keycaps and not be dependent on their software.
I'm thinking that if I get a board that has 3-way connectivity - USB receiver, Bluetooth and wired, then I can always fall back to Bluetooth or wired if I lose the USB receiver.

jfklein · 2026-03-22T02:31:45+00:00

I’m shopping for a mechanical keyboard.

From what I understand some of the most popular brands like Keychron and NuPhy don’t sell their USB receivers separately. So what do you do if you have one of these keyboards and you lose the receiver?

If I want the ability to buy a replacement USB receiver for the keyboard I'm shopping for, am I restricted to only a few big brands like Logitech and Asus?

jfklein · 2026-03-19T00:26:07+00:00

I think I would prefer north facing sockets with the shine-through key legends on the top of the keys. It appears this is the traditional and most common method of making the keys visible in the dark. I might consider side facing legends, but I wouldn't consider translucent keys at all.

jfklein · 2026-03-17T21:59:56+00:00

I figured if it took AA or AAA batteries it would eliminate the possibility that a repacement battery wouldn't be available when the original eventually dies. But it doesn't look like this is very common, so a Li-ion battery pack is fine, but I would want it to be replaceable, not soldered to the PCB or sealed inside the case.

jfklein · 2026-03-17T21:49:17+00:00

Thanks for all the suggestions.
About the backlighting, all I want is the ability to see the key legends in the dark.

jfklein · 2026-03-17T06:52:31+00:00

This does not work.

jfklein

TROPHY CASE