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96 F350 5.8L idle surge

3K views 5 replies 0 participants last post by  SC Tom 
G
#1 ·
My truck, after giving it a basic tune up of plugs and cap and all that,
was running a little unstable at idle or low speed. If I let it idle, doing
nothing, and its warm, it will act as if its hunting for the right idle
speed every now and then. I was doing some dragging of stuff around the
other day with it and it became most annoying because the speed wouldn't
stay put. It seemed to start after I ran a bottle of injector cleaner
through the tank, but it escapes me why that would have an effect.
Someone suggested MAF, but this has a MAP system, and I don't know where
to start with that. FI is one of my weak points, so a little guidance would
be appreciated.
 
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#2 ·
On Tue, 25 Oct 2005 22:44:17 +0000, carl mciver rearranged some electrons
to form:

> My truck, after giving it a basic tune up of plugs and cap and all that,
> was running a little unstable at idle or low speed. If I let it idle, doing
> nothing, and its warm, it will act as if its hunting for the right idle
> speed every now and then. I was doing some dragging of stuff around the
> other day with it and it became most annoying because the speed wouldn't
> stay put. It seemed to start after I ran a bottle of injector cleaner
> through the tank, but it escapes me why that would have an effect.
> Someone suggested MAF, but this has a MAP system, and I don't know where
> to start with that. FI is one of my weak points, so a little guidance would
> be appreciated.


Idle Air Controller is probably dirty.

--
David M (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14 has been up 1 day 20:20
 
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#3 ·
"David M" <NOSPAM@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.10.25.23.40.16.815618@sled351...
| On Tue, 25 Oct 2005 22:44:17 +0000, carl mciver rearranged some electrons
| to form:
|
| > My truck, after giving it a basic tune up of plugs and cap and all
that,
| > was running a little unstable at idle or low speed. If I let it idle,
doing
| > nothing, and its warm, it will act as if its hunting for the right idle
| > speed every now and then. I was doing some dragging of stuff around the
| > other day with it and it became most annoying because the speed wouldn't
| > stay put. It seemed to start after I ran a bottle of injector cleaner
| > through the tank, but it escapes me why that would have an effect.
| > Someone suggested MAF, but this has a MAP system, and I don't know
where
| > to start with that. FI is one of my weak points, so a little guidance
would
| > be appreciated.
|
| Idle Air Controller is probably dirty.

That would be something I can clean or does it have to be replaced?
 
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#4 ·
"carl mciver" <cmciver@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:f1B7f.1711$A63.1524@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> "David M" <NOSPAM@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:pan.2005.10.25.23.40.16.815618@sled351...
> | On Tue, 25 Oct 2005 22:44:17 +0000, carl mciver rearranged some
> electrons
> | to form:
> |
> | > My truck, after giving it a basic tune up of plugs and cap and all
> that,
> | > was running a little unstable at idle or low speed. If I let it idle,
> doing
> | > nothing, and its warm, it will act as if its hunting for the right
> idle
> | > speed every now and then. I was doing some dragging of stuff around
> the
> | > other day with it and it became most annoying because the speed
> wouldn't
> | > stay put. It seemed to start after I ran a bottle of injector cleaner
> | > through the tank, but it escapes me why that would have an effect.
> | > Someone suggested MAF, but this has a MAP system, and I don't know
> where
> | > to start with that. FI is one of my weak points, so a little guidance
> would
> | > be appreciated.
> |
> | Idle Air Controller is probably dirty.
>
> That would be something I can clean or does it have to be replaced?
>


You can clean it with brake cleaner spray (after removing it, of course).
Just clean the mechanical part. Keep the spray out of the solenoid end.
Don't use alcohol- it can cause the rubber parts to prematurely dry out and
crack.

SC Tom
 
G
#5 ·
"SC Tom" <SC@Tom.com> wrote in message
news:b9B7f.14988$xk2.13154@fe06.lga...
>>SNIP<<

| > | Idle Air Controller is probably dirty.
| >
| > That would be something I can clean or does it have to be replaced?
| >
|
| You can clean it with brake cleaner spray (after removing it, of course).
| Just clean the mechanical part. Keep the spray out of the solenoid end.
| Don't use alcohol- it can cause the rubber parts to prematurely dry out
and
| crack.

Alrighty. I just cleaned it up, but the crud level seemed light as far
as I could guess. Does it take that much to cause this kind of problem? I
won't know for sure how it does until tomorrow when I drive it again (it
idling with me standing in the rain doesn't show me much and I wasn't going
to stick around for it to warm up) so I'll know whether I was successful or
not.
David and SC Tom, it is much appreciated. If this kept up I was going
to have to take it to the dealer, and that fills me with foreboding!
Thanks!
 
G
#6 ·
"carl mciver" <cmciver@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:SMB7f.1531$Rl1.788@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> "SC Tom" <SC@Tom.com> wrote in message
> news:b9B7f.14988$xk2.13154@fe06.lga...
>>>SNIP<<

> | > | Idle Air Controller is probably dirty.
> | >
> | > That would be something I can clean or does it have to be replaced?
> | >
> |
> | You can clean it with brake cleaner spray (after removing it, of
> course).
> | Just clean the mechanical part. Keep the spray out of the solenoid end.
> | Don't use alcohol- it can cause the rubber parts to prematurely dry out
> and
> | crack.
>
> Alrighty. I just cleaned it up, but the crud level seemed light as far
> as I could guess. Does it take that much to cause this kind of problem?
> I
> won't know for sure how it does until tomorrow when I drive it again (it
> idling with me standing in the rain doesn't show me much and I wasn't
> going
> to stick around for it to warm up) so I'll know whether I was successful
> or
> not.
> David and SC Tom, it is much appreciated. If this kept up I was going
> to have to take it to the dealer, and that fills me with foreboding!
> Thanks!
>


It doesn't seem to take much trash in it to affect the function- my '02
Escape was not idling worth a darn, and I had to take mine off and clean it.
It was mildly discolored inside with not much in the way of crud, but I
haven't had any problems with it since (knock on wood). BTW, a new one is in
the $50-$60 ball park.

SC Tom
 
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