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Ugh... 92 Explorer Hell..

A short is described as a wire with some kind of signal that is interrupted by grounding out or being broken. Electricity follows the path of least resistance. If you have a short in your 5v reference, that means the computer is pumping 5v to ground. Going to ground is quicker for the electricity than going through the resistance of the sensors.

This is all theory. We don't know if you have a short in the 5v reference or a break in a harness or a bad computer or bad battery cables. The only thing we know is that someone (either you or someone you pay) is going to have to start looking in that direction, something in the electrical system.
 



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Pulled the paperclip during test mode to clear the codes.

Ran the test again and got 111 for KOEO -- woohoo.. (for now).

Same results for KOER -- 998 and 57.

I wonder how I can diagnose 57...

In the meantime, anyone know what this plug goes to, if anything? It's under the master cylinder.

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It's empty for different versions/models. I know mine has one there. Might be for the manual transmission variety? I know the automatic cables hook up around there. I wouldn't worry about it.
 






Figured it had to be something for like a clutch ,etc.. just making sure. Thanks! :D

Got any leads on the Code 57?

Intermittent in Park/Neutral/ Switch or Neutral Pressure switch circuit – PNP or Transmissions

Thank that's my problem or unrelated?
 






You won't know until you start testing or looking the harness over.
 






What harness is related to that code? Any idea? What is a PNP?
 






What harness is related to that code? Any idea? What is a PNP?

Park Neutral Position switch. You can test it by trying to start the engine with the transmission in drive. If it cranks, the switch (or wiring) is faulty.

You need to get ahold of a wiring diagram, grab a EVTM (Electrical & Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual) off of eBay, they're not that expensive.
 






It doesn't crank. I heard someone fixed a problem like this giving the same code (57) by removing slack in their kickdown cable. I 100% doubt this is my main problem but it could be the reason for the code at least.

What's gonna suck is when I have no codes (111 straight across the board) and my problem is still here. I have a feeling my problem isn't giving codes.
 






An easy way to check for a vacuum leak is with a can of starting fluid. Spray just a little around the fittings and see if the idle goes up. If it does You have a leak. You can also spray around the in intake. do this with engine cool and running if You have a vacuum leak anywhere the engine will increase in rpm..
 






What about MAF cleaner?

And if it was a vacuum leak, how come it runs well enough with the IAC unplugged?
 






[Deleted]

Didn't realize this post was 6 pages long.
 






This, except I'd go ahead and replace all the vacuum lines. They're most likely dry-rotted and crumbling away. Besides, they're cheap. Get like, oh...20 feet of the size you need the most and spend an afternoon having some fun with rubber hoses.

Be careful around any plastic hose tips/connectors. They're going to be very brittle, and you are going to break some of them. So be ready for that.

I just need an explanation on why the car stalls instantly with the IAC plugged in...

(unless warmed up I noticed.. I plugged in the IAC while it was warmed up and tried to drive down a straight road.. and it felt like uh... 5 steps forward and 3 steps back if that makes sense... VROOM blublublub VROOM blublublub, still I let off the gas, then it stalled.)

...but runs okay with it unplugged with the occasional rough idle and stall?

A vacuum leak wouldn't do that I don't reckon?
 






I just need an explanation on why the car stalls instantly with the IAC plugged in...

(unless warmed up I noticed.. I plugged in the IAC while it was warmed up and tried to drive down a straight road.. and it felt like uh... 5 steps forward and 3 steps back if that makes sense... VROOM blublublub VROOM blublublub, still I let off the gas, then it stalled.)

...but runs okay with it unplugged with the occasional rough idle and stall?

A vacuum leak wouldn't do that I don't reckon?

The IAC does most of its work before the engine warms up, after that its purpose is minimal which is why your engine runs "ok" with it unplugged. Even when its "cold", you can mash the throttle a bit and raise the idle speed manually and it'll run. Its an "Idle" air controller, not a "going down the road" air controller.

At idle, you don't need as much air as you do when under load i.e.; moving. At idle, the throttle butterfly closes and essentially chokes off the air supply. The IAC allows enough air into the intake manifold to maintain idle speed. IF you have a vacuum leak, more air is getting into the intake than the computer is accounting for, and you get a lean condition with your fuel, and the engine dies or sputters, lopes, burbles, etc....runs like ****.

It sound like your IAC is working (performance changes when you connect/disconnect it). That, coupled with your original story just screams vacuum leak. It also sounds as if you found it futzing with your vacuum lines.
 






Yes, Bobmbx, I suppose I can agree to an extent that vacuum leak is a possibility...

But then can you explain why when I unplugged and capped all 7 knobs on the vacuum tree AT THE SAME TIME, the results were no different? If it was a vacuum leak in one of the lines, then plugging them all would have done away with that. That only leaves a leak in the intake manifold gaskets somewhere, right?

And if it was an intake manifold gasket leak, it wouldn't explain how I temporarily fixed it??

Hence why vacuum leak sounds unlikely, but maybe you have an explanation?
 






And just so you know, that "going down the road" terrible driving goes away literally instantly when I simply get out and unplug the IAC.

Just as the terrible idle does (if it doesn't stall the car right away from being plugged in in the first place).

Furthermore, if the car is running okay with the IAC unplugged, and I simply get out and plug it in... The engine either stalls right when the wires harness is plugged in... Or it starts surging badly until it stalls.

If I unplug it before it surges to a stall, it'll start idling well again.
 






Yes, Bombex, I suppose I can agree to an extent that vacuum leak is a possibility...

But then can you explain why when I unplugged and capped all 7 knobs on the vacuum tree AT THE SAME TIME, the results were no different? If it was a vacuum leak in one of the lines, then plugging them all would have done away with that. That only leaves a leak in the intake manifold gaskets somewhere, right?

And if it was an intake manifold gasket leak, it wouldn't explain how I temporarily fixed it??

Hence why vacuum leak sounds unlikely, but maybe you have an explanation?

Unfortunately, troubleshooting over the internet is an inexact procedure, and a lot of "assistance" is nothing more than relaying an experience someone has had. Its possible you have a vacuum leak that comes and goes for no explainable reason. Thermal expansion, humidity, gravity, great looking chicks nearby, I dunno. Which is why I suggested to replace all your vacuum hoses. At the least, you will do things by doing that: 1) You get some shiny new stuff on that old engine of yours and 2) it removes old hoses as a cause of the problem.

Some things just don't get an explanation. For instance, about twice a year, my left rear wheel gets smoking hot for no reason. I pull over, let it cool, and then drive for thousands of miles before it happens again. I've had it apart, a mechanic had it apart, and neither of us could point to anything and say "that's not right" and fix it.

My mechanic side says "something is wrong". My detective side says "its all good". Can't explain that, either.
 






Well don't think I don't appreciate the help!! :) I know it could be something as simple as an unplugged anything that I'm looking over and no one has thought to say that yet... everyone's help is awesome! :)

But just curious.. doesn't capping all of the vacuum lines with plugs rule out leaking lines just as well as replacing all of the lines with new ones? You should be able to go out to your working '06 Ex and cap all the vacuum lines at the same time and it'll still idle just fine..

When I do it, it affects my problem zero percent.

And yeah, maybe it was a 1-time "barely" seal on an intake manifold gasket leak that one time it worked.. even as crazy as it sounds. :/

But for the sake of troubleshooting, let's say it's not a vacuum leak..

Is there even anything in the entire world of cars that would make a running car stall right when you plug in the IAC?

Later I'm gonna try manually revving the engine by hand and plugging in the IAC at the same time and see if it makes a difference as opposed to plugging it in at complete idle.
 






Also.... the purge canister solenoid valve's wire harness is missing the clip that holds it into place securely.

I doubt this is a problem, but I know there is a hose that connects the canister to underneath the throttle body. Is there in any way some sort of function that could be crappy on this purge canister in any way, vacuum or electrical, that would cause stalling?

Furthermore... can you give me a list of sensors available to unplug? TPS, IAC, MAF, x..?

Lastly, is the stem on the bottom of the throttle body that connects to the purge canister a vacuum stem too? I could try plugging that as well?

**edit**

Oh, and one more thing....

Let's say through cleaning the IAC or throttle body.. could I have caused any permanent damage to anything somehow that you can think of? In other words, by spraying throttle body cleaner direclty into the intake manifold holes that are behind the IAC valve when you remove it?

**edit edit**

the first time I removed the IAC to clean it, there was some sort of oily substance (probably oil) behind it.. so I would imagine the intake manifold contains some of this as well?
 






When I got this car a 5 weeks ago I didn't even know what a transmission was or what an RPM meant.

With the help of this forum I'm talking about purge canister solenoids and intake manifold gaskets! Wohoo! lol..
 



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Hunting for a vacuum leak when your computer is in limp mode won't get you anywhere. The whole IAC thing is likely an effect, not a cause, because the engine computer doesn't know how to properly run the engine.

You need to get your computer working properly before you hunt around for any other performance issues. Without the computer running properly, you'll never get the engine running properly. It's that simple. You need to find out what the computer has that's good and what the computer is missing. More often than not, wiring causes serious computer issues, not malfunctioning sensors. If it was a sensor, you'd get a code for that. Yes, you've gotten codes but for a whole pile of issues which could all be linked back to a short or something like that.
 






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