Idle Problem-Again October 15, 2010, 11:41:41 AM I thought I posted a thread about this, but I can't seem to find it. Maybe it was deleted. I have a 1988 Ford Thunderbird with a 1987 Thunderbird 5.0 swapped into it. I used an 88 harness from a 5.0 and everything plugged right it. But my problem is my car does not want to idle. the problem has been getting worse and worse as time goes on and now it is rendering the car almost un-driveable.When the car is warm(after running for 5 minutes of so), sometimes when I shift out of park and into reverse or drive, the car will die. It'll start right up. Other times if I am sitting at a red light, the car starts to shake and the engine will die. It'll start right up, but its rather annoying. The car shows no problems while maintaining speed, or accelerating. Even during deceleration, until I hit about 5mph you would not know where is a problem with the car.I have changed the TPS, and reset the base idle. I have change the IAC with a known good one, and the problem persists. I know the car needs a tune up, but could this cause this problem? I need to try to fix the car this weekend, as I live at school and will be home this weekend. Anyone have any idea what this could be?Engine codes are only one for a neutral safety switch, which has been there since the engine swap, and I would bet it not that, because I wouldn't think that problem can get worse as time goes on.Code 33 I believe, which is the EGR valve is not opening. I got one TPS out of range, but since I swapped the TPS that went away. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #1 – October 15, 2010, 12:41:02 PM A stuck EGR valve can cause a rough idle. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #2 – October 15, 2010, 01:40:11 PM Quote from: thunderjet302;339630A stuck EGR valve can cause a rough idle.I've swapped it between two different ones that I have. They don't appear clogged, I cleaned them both out, and pushed on the little nipple, the diagram moves without too much force. How could one be certain it's functioning properly?Could there be something wrong with the computer? I've heard somewhere that the VSS can cause idle problems, isn't that the small module in the transmission? Could that be swapped with the one from the old v6 tranny to make the system happy? Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #3 – October 15, 2010, 03:31:23 PM At idle the VSS has no output, I don't see how that could be a problem... Only thing I've seen they do is increase idle a bit when coming to a stop to prevent maybe stalling... The '87 ECU didn't have a input from the VSS, '88 does...If the VSS isn't operating the speedo will not function...BTW there have been reported idle issues because of the transmission selector code... Someone posted a video awhile back...Found it, here ya go... http://351winsor.com/joel/Flash_Simul/Code67_Rolling.SWF Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #4 – October 15, 2010, 03:47:21 PM I talked to him... He wants me to ground the wire for the neutral safety pin on the connector. I'm just worried there might be current in the wire and then something would short something out. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #5 – October 15, 2010, 03:58:40 PM Quote from: jpc647;339635I've swapped it between two different ones that I have. They don't appear clogged, I cleaned them both out, and pushed on the little nipple, the diagram moves without too much force. How could one be certain it's functioning properly? The key with the EGR valve is that it has to be closed at idle, the little nipple must be out. If a bit of carbon build-up prevents the valve from closing and sealing, a vacuum leak will result and the engine will not idle. Carb cleaner + screwdriver + compressed air will get the carbon away from that nipple. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #6 – October 15, 2010, 05:33:49 PM Quote from: hwy73;339653The key with the EGR valve is that it has to be closed at idle, the little nipple must be out. If a bit of carbon build-up prevents the valve from closing and sealing, a vacuum leak will result and the engine will not idle. Carb cleaner + screwdriver + compressed air will get the carbon away from that nipple.I've cleaned it. I did this twice actually. The nipple is actually clean atm.Now when the car start to stumble, it usually can be felt, the car tries to catch itself almost, and sometimes it does and its fine, the idle just starts to hunt, other times the car will die. During this process the car sort of jerks forward a tiny bit, as the idle is going all over the place. I notice it mostly when I'm coming to a stop and creeping along in traffic. It almost seems like a misfire, and I say this because if I unplug the wires at the cap, the way the car shakes is very very similar to the way it does when its "dying". I tried to isolate it to a certain cylinder, but I could not do that. Now, the car probably needs a tune-up, actually, I'll be honest, the car definitely needs a tuneup, but would this cause the problem? Would a misfire cause the engine to die? Wouldn't the car die in park or neutral too? Sometimes switching from park to reverse, or from drive to reverse etc, the car will die, but not too often, could that really be related?Thoughts/suggestions? Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #7 – October 15, 2010, 06:32:57 PM I know you said it badly needs a tune-up....... How long has it been since you changed your plugs? Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #8 – October 15, 2010, 08:55:13 PM Quote from: 20thanniver-ls;339672I know you said it badly needs a tune-up....... How long has it been since you changed your plugs?I haven't. The previous owner did about 1.5 years before I got it, so its probably been close to 5 since they were changed, however, for a year they were sitting in the garage in the motor while the car was taken apart, etc.... I just have it in my head I would like to fix this idle problem and the metallic clicking sound before I tune the car up, I don't want to tune it up to find out it needs more work than the car is worth.. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #9 – October 15, 2010, 09:10:52 PM What I was getting at was the plugs could be the (or part) of the problem. After I sold my '86 Cat to a buddy of mine, he brought it to me with similar symptoms as you describe, it would stumble and die a lot, especially after shifting form park. Pulled the plugs, and they were horrible, and the gaps were full of carbon. Pull a few plugs and check them out before you replace them, it's free and it rule that problem out. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #10 – October 16, 2010, 12:06:14 PM Yea the plugs were looked at a couple of weeks ago, there isn't any carbon in the gaps and such, but they are a little worn down, and the gaps are probably not right anymore. I'm sure the car could use a tune-up, but could that really be the problem? Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #12 – November 02, 2010, 10:47:49 PM put suction on the egr vac line fitting and see if it holds vac. if not , the diaphram is compromised.this is a very odd problem and if any egr code is poping up, its gotta be correct. Quote Selected
Idle Problem-Again Reply #13 – November 04, 2010, 10:53:42 AM Going back on plugs being the problem, are you hearing anything in the engine sounding like arcing? The plugs on my 96 were so old one was actually arcing to the block just under the wire boot. That was causing a hell of a rough idle. Could also be that when you are shifting into gear, the engine is tweaking a little bit and is causing a wire to arc. Also, if you egr valve is not working properly, it might not be the valve itself, but possibly the vacuum lines running to it. Make sure your lines are connected and are not cracked. Quote Selected
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