Idle air control HELP

[J_C]

^ Can't recall if I used carb cleaner or brake cleaner but didn't have any ill effects. I probably did have the mechanism turned on end so as little as possible ran down into the bushing.

Whether cleaning them works might depend on how bad it was before cleaning, how well you cleaned, and whether it was lubed.

I don't just spray cleaner in, also working the shaft up and down, scraping off the hat/plunger valve piece so it seats well, spray out the side vent & rinse off the felt filter discs, then a drop of light oil placed at the shaft-bushing junction, I move the shaft up and down again a couple times to get more into the bushing then leave it sit propped up on end so gravity flows more down into the bushing.

The way I see it, this only takes a couple minutes to do, is free, and if it doesn't work or the result is short lived, you can still buy a new one. Buying a new one was very convenient for me as having two, I can take one off, clean it and have ready to swap on next time to see immediately if it makes a difference.

 

[eaglet3]

The MAF can be partialy ruined by carb cleaner and may not set a code. drive ability should be poor

 

[Justinwht]

I'm thinking I might also have an IAC valve problem (4 L OHV, manual transmission).

About once a month, 1,000 miles:
It will start and idel around 100 RPM.
It doesn't stall when parked.
The problem clears after driving about a mile, until the next time.

 

[J_C]

^ While some claim that they didn't have a resolution from attempted cleaning of their IAC and wound up buying a new one, I don't recall anyone stating that cleaning it made it worse, so that is my recommendation, clean it and see if that makes a difference.

However, your problem rate seems strange to me, that it only happens once a month. IAC is in play every time you start the vehicle, tho' I suppose ambient temperature can differ but at that rate, we're talking different seasons and temperature ranges too, and in TX, you don't ever get very cold air where it needs to be richer.

I would hook up a scan tool and look at the data, especially long term fuel trim and misfires. If the fuel trim is very rich, you might just have a vac leak.

 

[Justinwht]

If the fuel trim is very rich, you might just have a vac leak.

The vac leak is more than "just might". Went to have it inspected Monday, but scanner said evap error (I forget the code, will use my own scanner today), but the check engine light wasn't showing.