Terrible Idle Options

[Add45]

So heres my problem

My car starts up right?
When its in park it idles at about 1k-1.1k
Neutral it idles a little lower.
Everything else it goes way down to about 500, shakes like theres an earthquake in my car, and sounds like its gonna die, but never does...yet.

Anyone know how to fix this problem?

[bccentaur3]

Check your idle air control valve.

[Add45]

isnt that hard to get to?

[RickJamesBish]

Where is it located? I sometimes have the some problem. Does it fluctuate according to outside or engine temperature?

[Add45]

Yea when the engine is cold it idles perfectly

[presure2]

from the last "bad idle" post, posted by yours truly:


the IAC (idle air controller) under your throttle body is stuck open/closed
you will need to remove the 2 coolant lines, and air bypass hose going to it, remove the throttle body, and then the 4 screws holding the IAC on, and clean and lube the valve.
if you have a junkyard local to you, you can get another throttle body, with AIC attached from a celica, or camry, and remove the AIC from that so that you can clean it up real good, then just swap them out.

[Add45]

from the last "bad idle" post, posted by yours truly:


the IAC (idle air controller) under your throttle body is stuck open/closed
you will need to remove the 2 coolant lines, and air bypass hose going to it, remove the throttle body, and then the 4 screws holding the IAC on, and clean and lube the valve.
if you have a junkyard local to you, you can get another throttle body, with AIC attached from a celica, or camry, and remove the AIC from that so that you can clean it up real good, then just swap them out.

call me a noob but i have no idea what the coolant lines or the air bypass hose is

[RickJamesBish]

Ditto, this is gonna require a bit more 'splainin.

[lubu]

Yea when the engine is cold it idles perfectly

Yea i have the same problem, when the car is cold its perfect. I cleaned the ACV, changed the plugs, didnt work...maybe the injectors are screwed but unlikely.

I'll give the IAC a go.

[AnaXyd]

Check the spark plugs, that caused my engine to have a bad idle.

[Add45]

i have new spark plugs

[CaliJeff]

manny, that is only if worst comes worst right? Cuz my Idle air control (IAC) valve was messed up too, but what I did was removed my intake and the two screws which hold on the cover to the IAC, and i used some brake cleaner and sprayed the back of the knob where it connects to the Throttle body really good and moved the knob back and forth a lot and voi la. been almost two years now and everything is fine!

This post has been edited by CaliJeff: Oct 20, 2008 - 1:31 PM

[GriffGirl]

I had the same problem when I first got my car - after checking/cleaning all that stuff, turned out to just be my spark plug wires. Goes to show in my case at least, cheap parts (that were on the car when I bought it) get you nowhere.

This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Oct 25, 2008 - 3:26 PM