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Cleaning 94 Escort 1.9 Idle Air Control Valve?

22K views 15 replies 0 participants last post by  Chris Bowne 
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#1 ·
I'm fairly convinced that the erractic idle/stalling from idle I'm getting
on the subject Escort is due to a balky IAC valve. Going to pull it and
clean it and hopefully avoid replacing it. Whats the best solvent/cleaner
to use? Carb cleaner seems like the obvious choice. Any solvent that
should NOT be used? Anything special to know about the job?

Chris Bowne
Stonington, CT
84 Escort 1.9 5 Speed LX 133K
98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon- for
sale cheap!
 
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#2 ·
"Chris Bowne" <radiobwn@riconnect.com> wrote in message
news:11ua20vrti5d65a@corp.supernews.com...
> I'm fairly convinced that the erractic idle/stalling from idle I'm getting
> on the subject Escort is due to a balky IAC valve. Going to pull it and
> clean it and hopefully avoid replacing it. Whats the best

solvent/cleaner
> to use? Carb cleaner seems like the obvious choice. Any solvent that
> should NOT be used? Anything special to know about the job?
>
> Chris Bowne
> Stonington, CT
> 84 Escort 1.9 5 Speed LX 133K
> 98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
> 97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon- for
> sale cheap!
>
>


Got the same problem on my wife's '98 fiesta,took the IAC off
,but I don't know what I am looking at.Do these thing wear out,stick
or what.

John
 
G
#3 ·
My F-250 stalls whem cold starting unless I keep my foot on the gas, and it
sometimes stalls when coming to a stop. I had it put on the dealer's
computer & it identified this part (the air bypass valve AKA IAC). They
can be found online for under $50., but I wish I had tried to clean mine
first. Try the carb cleaner & scrub with a toothbrush. Let us know...I
think it will fix it. In the meantime, can anyone tell me where this part
is located?
 
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#5 ·
On my Escort its' contained in a small housing that looks like a thermostat
housing just above the throttle plate pulley on the throttle body. Has an
electrical solenoid/winding on one end, held onto throttle body by two small
bolts.

Ifs function is to regulate the air supply to the throttle body with the
main throttle plate closed, hence the term Idle Air Control Valve.

Going to work on it this AM - will let you know how I make out.

Chris Bowne
Stonington, CT

94 Escort 1.9 LX 5 Speed, 133K
98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon-
for sale cheap!
 
G
#6 ·
"daddio360" <daddio361@aol.com> wrote in message
news:3bce205b5a3a729cdd44784198cfdb26@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
> To answer John's question, they get stuck in the closed position & the
> engine is air-starved (yet fuel starved would have the same effect).
>


What's the best way to clean it?Would putting 12volts thru it help,
to make it move back and forth or whatever it does?
As I said,I had a look at it,but I'm unsure how it works.Is it controlled by
the ECU?

John
 
G
#7 ·
Well, a simple IACV cleaning made some improvement, and definitely changed
things. Its generally holding normal idle better , seems to be slower than
before responding to shutting the main throttle from speed. It still will
occassionally stumble into a stall after extended low RPM idling at about
750 RPM, but a big improvement from what it was doing recently. At one
point after the cleaning, it hung up at 3K RPM with the main throttle shut
after an upshift. Didn't ever do that before. All I did was give a
uick soaking spray in both ports with some WD-40 and some starting ether
spray (couldn't find any carb cleaner in the garage, and there was a warning
sticker on the IAC with the caution that it should NOT be cleaned due to a
special finish on the internal throttle pate and stem assemby).
It didnt look that coked up, but there was a definite coating of carbon on
the stem and disc inside the body. May try giving it an extended soak in
some carb cleaner (being careful to keep it from seeping into the solenoid
stem) got nothing to lose by doing so - if that doesn't work I'll need to
spring 60 bucks at AutoZone for a replacment.

Also replaced the PCV and associated vacuum hose bits, and put hose clamps
on all associated joints - didn't make much difference though.

Chris Bowne
Stonington, CT
84 Escort 1.9 5 Speed LX 133K
98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon-
for sale cheap!
 
G
#8 ·
"Chris Bowne" <radiobwn@riconnect.com> wrote in message
news:11ud2r9qhd5teae@corp.supernews.com...
> Well, a simple IACV cleaning made some improvement, and definitely changed
> things. Its generally holding normal idle better , seems to be slower
> than
> before responding to shutting the main throttle from speed. It still will
> occassionally stumble into a stall after extended low RPM idling at about
> 750 RPM, but a big improvement from what it was doing recently. At one
> point after the cleaning, it hung up at 3K RPM with the main throttle shut
> after an upshift. Didn't ever do that before. All I did was give a
> uick soaking spray in both ports with some WD-40 and some starting ether
> spray (couldn't find any carb cleaner in the garage, and there was a
> warning
> sticker on the IAC with the caution that it should NOT be cleaned due to a
> special finish on the internal throttle pate and stem assemby).
> It didnt look that coked up, but there was a definite coating of carbon on
> the stem and disc inside the body. May try giving it an extended soak in
> some carb cleaner (being careful to keep it from seeping into the solenoid
> stem) got nothing to lose by doing so - if that doesn't work I'll need to
> spring 60 bucks at AutoZone for a replacment.
>
> Also replaced the PCV and associated vacuum hose bits, and put hose clamps
> on all associated joints - didn't make much difference though.
>
> Chris Bowne
> Stonington, CT
> 84 Escort 1.9 5 Speed LX 133K
> 98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
> 97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon-
> for sale cheap!
>
>


Try here:
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/catalog.php?carcode=1119271&parttype=6072
Shipping may bring it up to AutoZone's price; I didn't check that.

I cleaned the one on my Escape a while back and it has worked OK so far
(knock on wood). I used WD-40 and an old toothbrush, and rinsed it well (
with WD-40) before putting it back on. You can move the plunger back and
forth fairly easily when clean. Don't use alcohol- it dries the rubber
parts, causing to crack.
Good luck!

SC Tom
 
G
#9 ·
yep, rockauto is where I got mine (about $50., including shipping). The
part will be a generic; Airtex is the brand. I'd check ebay before
ordering. There is one on there right now that would have fit my engine
(grrrr!)

Good luck to all...this is a great forum!
 
G
#12 ·
"John..." wrote:
>
> Removed the valve to have another look.The plunger moves ok.
> Must be the solenoid thats not working properly,but seeing as
> you can't dismantle it,how do I check this?


Check for voltage at the lead going TO the IAC valve connector. If there's no
voltage detected, it's probably a bad TPS (throttle position sensor). If voltage
IS detected, replace the IAC valve for maybe $50; cheap, if you really want to
keep the car.
 
G
#13 ·
"Sharon K.Cooke" <scooke@cox.net> wrote in message
news:43E79096.7A3ED52B@cox.net...
> "John..." wrote:
> >
> > Removed the valve to have another look.The plunger moves ok.
> > Must be the solenoid thats not working properly,but seeing as
> > you can't dismantle it,how do I check this?

>
> Check for voltage at the lead going TO the IAC valve connector. If there's

no
> voltage detected, it's probably a bad TPS (throttle position sensor). If

voltage
> IS detected, replace the IAC valve for maybe $50; cheap, if you really

want to
> keep the car.


Since I removed the valve earlier today and moved the plunger up and
down,the car has been ok.Went for a 10 mile drive with no
problems.Maybe it was slightly sticking.

John
 
G
#14 ·
Well, the IAC is back to its old tricks, gotten steadily more "sticky" since
I tried cleaning it with WD-40 last weekend. Will try a more thogough
cleaning this weekend. Based on the (temporary) improvement right
afterward, I'm encouraged that I'm working on the root cause of the problem,
and its not something else like the TPS or EGR.

Chris Bowne
Stonington, CT
84 Escort 1.9 5 Speed LX 133K
98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon- for
sale cheap!
 
G
#15 ·
"Chris Bowne" <radiobwn@riconnect.com> wrote in message
news:11unoba9at9blbb@corp.supernews.com...
> Well, the IAC is back to its old tricks, gotten steadily more "sticky"
> since
> I tried cleaning it with WD-40 last weekend. Will try a more thogough
> cleaning this weekend. Based on the (temporary) improvement right
> afterward, I'm encouraged that I'm working on the root cause of the
> problem,
> and its not something else like the TPS or EGR.
>
> Chris Bowne
> Stonington, CT
> 84 Escort 1.9 5 Speed LX 133K
> 98 Volvo V70XC AWD Cross Country 117K
> 97 Taurus GL Wagon 133K with sick Vulcan 3.0-otherwise good conditon- for
> sale cheap!
>
>
>


I'd give it up and spend the ~$50 and buy a new one. From what I've read, if
the problem reappears after cleaning, it's time to pitch the old one.

SC Tom
 
G
#16 ·
Yeah- you are probably right...won't cost much more than a full tank of gas
to buy a new IAC!


> I'd give it up and spend the ~$50 and buy a new one. From what I've read,

if
> the problem reappears after cleaning, it's time to pitch the old one.
>
> SC Tom
>
>
 
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