2000 Exploder Stalls...

[loserdude86]

I bought a 2000 exploder from a lady i used to work for a few months ago. had 106k. i paid $1500 for it... when i bought it she said it liked to stall out every now and then. she said she'd be just driving down the road and it would stall. happen to her every now and then for 2 years. she put over $2000 into it in the year before i bought it. im not sure what all that included, but i should ask her husband. it stalled out the day before i picked it up from her. ive had it 4 months and it hasn't stalled yet and 4000 miles(only drove it 3 of those months tho). i never had any problems with it until tuesday. i started it up and it started missing really bad at an idle. i gave it some gas and it cleared up. no check engine light came on. it did it a couple other times and then thursday it finally threw out a code. i think it was P072(not sure on the correct code), it said it was running lean. both O2 sensor read the same thing. so, the guy at autozone said it probably wasnt them. i dont know even where to look. my gas mileage also went down. i used to get 18ish, now im getting 14-15. could be cause it got colder, but we havent had temperature below 30 yet. it has never missed driving it down the road either, just when i go to start it.

 

[loserdude86]

anyone?

 

[dmac0923]

im not sure on the code. but usual stalling suspect is a dirty IAC valve

 

[justin146]

could be fuel system related if it is giving a lean code- maybe a bad fuel pump or dirty filter.

 

[loserdude86]

whats an IAC Valve?

 

[loserdude86]

and also, it idles at 1100-1200 in park. that seems kinda high to me. or is that normal? and it has the 4.0

 

[dmac0923]

Idle Air Control Valve.....the name explains its funtion. its located on the top of the intake manifold. its held on by two bolts. it looks like a small cylinder with a electrical plug on it.

its hard to desribe trhe look of it. but google it and once you see a picture of one youll be able to pick it out on your engine right away

 

[dmac0923]

i belive the idle for an automatic in park should be 750-800 RPM so yes it is a little high. which leds me to further to believe its your IAC valve. take it off and give it a good cleaning with some carb cleaner. then when its dry, give it just a drop of lube on the piston, not to much otherwise youll just increase the speed at which it gets dirty

 

[loserdude86]

thank you! ill try it over the weekend.

 

[xFatcatx]

if you look at the "list of useful threads" on the main forums page, i think its right underneath the "911 forum" there is an exact how to on cleaning the IAC. the how to is for the 4.0 OHV, the IAC for the 4.0 SOHC is underneath the plastic intake cover, the V8 i dunno. good luck

 

[ThePhoenix]

i figured I would go clean my at lunch time and it really did smooth out the idle...thanks guys. I still have check engine light though. If this was the problem, how long before the light will go out?

 

[dmac0923]

if you dont clear out the code with a scanner or by reseting the computer by disconnecting the battery, it usually takes a certain number of start cycles to clear the code.

 

[loserdude86]

well, i pulled that cover off and the IAC is brandnew... aparently this was one of the things that was included in the $2000+ she put into it. where next? i havent had any problems... i havent cleared the code just in case it acts up again i can take it somewhere and they can fix it.

 

[JDraper]

The symptoms you describe do point at the IAC. Just because it's shiny doesn't mean it's new. The shop could have screwed her over. I'd also look at both the MAF sensor and vacuum leaks as possible problems.

Try unplugging the IAC and see how it does. If it doesn't alter the performance, it's not working. It's job is effectively the same as the butterfly choke plate in carbureted vehicles.

 

[loserdude86]

well, it's idling fine now. and runs fine.... so, next time it acts up ill do something. the shop she took it to did say it needed a new MAF, but i wasnt sure why they said that. so, i didnt change it.

 

[Donner]

Hi there... Same shop?

Do you both go to the same shop? Is that the same shop she paid $2,000.00, and they still have recommendations? The $2,000.00 was for work done over a period of time, so that means that instead of a full check of the vehicle and repairs, it was just a full inspection, but repair one item at a time? Just curious... So all that's left is the MAF for you to change, why not change it? (The vehicle is very nice, by the way... off topic, but what type of music?)

(If the MAF is not changed, but needs to be, what are the consequences?)

 

[loserdude86]

hmmmm, started acting up more often. now whenever i start for the first time in the day it idles rough... ill look into the IAC over the weekend. Could there be something related to the exhaust causing this problem? it sounds like i have an exhaust leak under my drivers side floor board. along with a slight rattle at idle. ill look at that this weekend too.