I need your help, IAC problems!

[Slick Rick]

Every now and then the the X would stall out and it especially does this when it's still cold. Also when I start it, it would go to 1500 rpms, then so down 500 or even 200 and would then go to about normal. It would even stall out every now and then when the car is first started. I figure the problem was the IAC so I took it, cleaned it with an O2 safe agent and placed it back on. Bare in mind that it has never made that imfamous houlling sound. I just did this half an hour to an hour ago too.


Now I have a few small things I wanted to get done so I needed the X. I started her up and low and behold the houlling sound is in full effect! I poped the hood while it was running so I could take a closer look. This sound by the way is unbeleiveably loud mind you. I think it was much much more louder than what most people get. (I beleive the first words that went off in my head when I took a look under the hood were "F*ck! this is too f@ck*n loud!" The next thing I did was to take off the black plastic cap. The houling went away...for the most part. It would now only howl every now and then. I tried to put the plastic cap back on , but as soon as it would get close to that small hole, it would howl like crazy. What in the hell is the problem? Is it ok to leave off this plastic cap or what? What is it for and what should I do?

 

[Alec]

It's probably beyond cleaning and needs to be replaced. You probably cleaned the gunk out that was keeping it from howling and actually made it worse. Sorry, but this often happens when trying to clean the IAC instead of replacing it in the first place. At least you tried!

 

[Slick Rick]

Anybody else have any comments? Anything else I could try? If I do have to replace it, is it okay to drive it around with the black nob off until the part comes in? And finally how much does it cost?

 

[Alec]

I think it usually costs $50-70. I dunno if it would function properly without the black cap, you could try it. Might throw a CEL though if the IAC gets bad enough.

 

[Slick Rick]

For this part in particular Alec, is it worth while to go look for a used one at a junkyard? Or seeing how this part is kinda a POS, should I just order one from of Ford?

 

[Alec]

I'd get a new one. You may be able to get one from fordpartsnetwork.com for cheaper than the dealer.

 

[Robb]

Order from Ford? NO!!!

Autozone has them, but I think they calll it something different, like a idle bypass valve or something like that. Just take yours off and go to AutoZone to make sure you are gettin the right thing. I believe there was a slight difference between different years. I think it was the number of wires to it or something, model numbers differed between A and B.

Robb

btw: after rereading that...............that isn't any help at all is it?

 

[Slick Rick]

No it wasn't considering that we don't have any Autozones were I live. I am not even sure if we have any in Canada. But none in Victoria for sure.

 

[Robb]

Sorry about that Rick. I went ahead and looked at autozone.com just to check, and they don't even carry one for the X. I must have been thinking about the one I replaced in my F150.

Like Alec posted, try fordpartsnetwork. They should have one cheaper than the dealer.

Robb

 

[Opera House]

Did yoy remove the filter element

In that black cap? I have a 97 and I just have to take everything apart. If you remove just the outside cap, there is a felt filter element you can pull out. You can flick it with a finger and get out a lot of dirt. If you spray clean the valve there is a possibility that the filter element will really get clogged from goo disolved from the valve itself. I had a minimal moan from it at times and cleaning this filter has made it go away for the last 6 months. The function is to draw clean air from behind the valve so the shaft doesn't get coated with film.

 

[Slick Rick]

Yes I know what you are talking about. It's a couple of thin pieces of foam. You mean, this is the only thing that has to be cleaned? I actually got it pretty good with the carb spray, but I don't think that will destroy it. So you mean to tell me that this piece of foam is a little bit dirty and just needs to be cleaned? Right know I am running it with out the black cap due to the sound it produces. I will try to put it back on and see what happens. One more question, when I place the cap back on, do I push it down all the wayto the point where it can't go down any further, or just part way. Thanx.

 

[Opera House]

I think there is a molded "X"

in the top plastic that prevents it from going down too far and blocking air flow. If it snaps in and spins it's ok. So do you really have foam? Mine was definitely a fibrous material. You could almost cut up anything to act as a filter. I mentioned the cleaning because the tar filled liquid could saturate an allready dirty filter element and totally block off flow if the filter was not removed first.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I'd just buy a new one, they're cheap. Then you don't have to worry about it for another 50k.

 

[FourXFred]

how cheap? i just went to ford and thay said it cost 120 bucks.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Mine was 60 or close to it.

 

[Maniak]

I know autozone carries it for the first Gen (4.0 OHV). It was under $70..

Carquest also carries it.. as do a few other chain stores..

Its called Air idle Control or Idle Air Control or even Air Bypass valve.. (depending on who who ask)

~Mark

 

[Alec]

I got mine for $74 from Ford.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I got mine at Napa and it's a second gen.

 

[rikguy]

I got a price from fortpartsnetwork.com of $94.99 plus shipping. I thought this was a $50 part?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Did you shop around or just buy it the first place you looked?