• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Does the idle have alot to do with the timing?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jstang209
  • Start date Start date Jul 21, 2005
  • 1
  • 2
Next
1 of 2 Next Last
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 21, 2005
#1
  • Jul 21, 2005
  • #1
my car idles kinda high.. i have that little screw, back all the way out to where it dont touch.. isnt that where your supposed to adjust the idle?? but neways it still idles high.
 

marine_2003

Member
Jun 6, 2005
427
0
16
Lake County, FL
Jul 21, 2005
#2
  • Jul 21, 2005
  • #2
The timing does play a factor in your idle, loosen the nut for your distributor with the car running, slowly turn the dirstributor to the left or right, you should be able to hear the idle adjust as your turn the distributor.
 

nmcgrawj

Advanced Member
Sep 28, 2003
3,651
4
68
Indianapolis, IN
Jul 21, 2005
#3
  • Jul 21, 2005
  • #3
either way....at 10* stock and 14 or however high you get it, i doubt a very big difference in idle would show. I would say to go over all the sensors and read up on how to properly reset your idle. There are probably a lot of good threads on this if you search.
 
T

TheUser

Active Member
Jul 25, 2003
1,859
1
36
Springfield, MO
Jul 21, 2005
#4
  • Jul 21, 2005
  • #4
jstang209 said:
my car idles kinda high.. i have that little screw, back all the way out to where it dont touch.. isnt that where your supposed to adjust the idle?? but neways it still idles high.
Click to expand...
Well, if the little screw isn't touching at all then your butterfly isn't open at all and your car technically shouldn't idle at all (because it's not getting any air w/ the butterfly closed - the IAB/IAC doesn't work at idle) unless you have a major vacuum leak, have holes drilled in your butterfly, or you have one of the idle adjuster plates w/ the two little screws (basically a controlled vacuum leak).

Did you readjust your TPS after backing your idle screw out? You MUST do this...if you don't, that maybe could cause your problem if were reading too far out of range for idle. But, it really shouldn't idle w/ the butterfly closed unless you have one of the 3 characteristics listed above.

One way to check for vacuum leaks is to start the car and spray starting fluid/ether around all your gasket surfaces to see if the idle increases - if it does, there's your vacuum leak.

What is your timing set at? Did you use a Timing Light to set timing? What does the car idle at? What have you recently done to the car? Do you have any "check engine" codes?

Just for fun, you might try cleaning your throttle body and IAB/IAC just for fun. Here's a link to that: http://www.muscularmustangs.com/iac.html

And yeah...the timing probably wouldn't affect your idle that much as long as it's between 10-14 like mentioned above.
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Jul 21, 2005
#5
  • Jul 21, 2005
  • #5
And to reiterate, I would NOT use timing as a means to adjust the idle. The idle is computer controlled (though we play with it, it still tries to go back to its stockish ~670 RPM).

The link that James provided is a nice way to start over and see if it helps. WHen doing something like that, I like to write down every adjustment made, etc (I use a dab of paint on screw heads as a reference point) so you could always get back to how you have it now.

Good luck.
 
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 21, 2005
#6
  • Jul 21, 2005
  • #6
how do u readjust your TPS.. my idle is over 2k, so i know thats not normal
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Jul 22, 2005
#7
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #7
jstang209 said:
how do u readjust your TPS.. my idle is over 2k, so i know thats not normal
Click to expand...
Look at the link James put up. Each page addresses a different aspect of cleaning and setting idle adjustment componentry.

Good luck.
 
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 22, 2005
#8
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #8
but wat if you cant get the idle down to set it.. i put my old TPS back onto see if it would go normal again but no.. now it idles around 3.5k wat the mess is going on.. i backd my timing a lil.. but ya no effect.. is it just time to take it to the professionals and hurt my wallet?!
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,252
17,937
224
Massachusetts
Jul 22, 2005
#9
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #9
That's not how to go about setting the idle.

To set the idle, you need to disconnect the IAC by unplugging it and then set the idle using the set screw.

Once you set the idle using the screw WITH THE IAC DISCONNECTED, then you need to reset the computer by unhooking the battery for 15 mins. Hook the IAC back up, along with the batery and restart the car. Let it idle two mins and then turn EVERY power accessory on and the A/C if it works (or the heat) and let it run 2 more mins. Then shut everything off and let it run 2 more and then shut the engine off.

Start the engine and pull the SPOUT out, set timing to 10-14 degrees and call it a day.

You might want to check the TPS voltage at idle as well. Anything over 0.96 volts will trigger off-idle fuel curves.

The reason you cannot set iduel by turning the screw without resetting the comp is because the car will try to compensate for you closing the scre by raising the idle by opening the IAC. You need to eliminate it's ability by disconnecting the IAC when you set idle. After that you reset the comp so it "forgets" it's old idle strategy and relearns the new one
 
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 22, 2005
#10
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #10
im not trying to be rude but if u read i just said.. i cant get the idle down.. it wont go below 3k..the wierd thing is.. when i press the gas the idle goes down and the car dies..
 
T

TheUser

Active Member
Jul 25, 2003
1,859
1
36
Springfield, MO
Jul 22, 2005
#11
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #11
What have you recently done to the car? Do you have any "check engine" codes? If you have access to a vacuum gauge, it would be handy to know what vacuum you're pulling - also your cam specs too.

If you did everything Mustang5L5 said (he wasn't trying to be rude, he was trying to make sure you covered everything), then it really sounds to me like you probably have a vacuum leak.

I would seriously pull codes and see if you have any out of range sensors or anything of that nature.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,252
17,937
224
Massachusetts
Jul 22, 2005
#12
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #12
jstang209 said:
im not trying to be rude but if u read i just said.. i cant get the idle down.. it wont go below 3k..the wierd thing is.. when i press the gas the idle goes down and the car dies..
Click to expand...

Sorry man i was replying to your first post before i read the replies.


Run the codes on the car and tell us what comes up. If you can't do it Autozone will do it for you for free.
 
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 22, 2005
#13
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #13
o its cool man.. i was just mentioning it again.. but i really cant drive it newhere.. i mean this thing took 15 dollars of gas just to make a trip somewhere and back.. and i dont got a AAA card or nothing to get it towed.. i have a code scanner.. i did the test with the car off and 67 and 85 came up.. they say some crap.. but i didnt test with the engine on yet.. and i just swapped this engine.. my car was a 2.3.. so yea. hope that helps some
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,252
17,937
224
Massachusetts
Jul 22, 2005
#14
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #14
67 is Nuetral Drive Switch

85 is Canister Purge circuit failure

I beleive 85 is the charcoal canister. You must not have hooked it up. You may have a vaccuum leak through it. I would check this out.
 
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 22, 2005
#15
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #15
i dont no why... i connected it to the line comming straight out the upper intake correct..
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Jul 22, 2005
#16
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #16
The CC line does attach in the middle of the upper (from the front) IIRC. Mike is the king of vac routing so he knows for sure.

It sounds like you have a HUGE vac leak. That is where I would begin.

Good luck.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,252
17,937
224
Massachusetts
Jul 22, 2005
#17
  • Jul 22, 2005
  • #17
yes, that is where it is supposed to go. One line goes to the front of the upper intake and the other connects to the tube coming out of the pass fender that runs back to the fuel tank.

There is a wiring harness that plugs into the top of it.
 
J

jstang209

20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 3, 2004
640
2
18
Stockton 209
Jul 29, 2005
#18
  • Jul 29, 2005
  • #18
marine_2003 said:
The timing does play a factor in your idle, loosen the nut for your distributor with the car running, slowly turn the dirstributor to the left or right, you should be able to hear the idle adjust as your turn the distributor.
Click to expand...


OMG ARE U TRYING TO KILL ME!!! I JUST DID THAT AND GOT THE WORST SHOCK I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!! I WASNT HOLDING NETHING I HAD MY HAND ON THE FENDER I THINK.. BUT I WENT TO TOUCH THE DIST CAP AND I ALMOST DIED!! LOL ITS NOT FUNNY THO THAT CRAP HURT!!
 

QDRHRSE

New Member
Dec 31, 2002
1,590
0
0
Palmdale, CA
Jul 29, 2005
#19
  • Jul 29, 2005
  • #19
Hey everybody-

I really want to help this guy but he has 3 or 4 threads going about the same problem- each thread with something a little different. He say's it won't idle, its loud, sounds like a marble is bouncing around in the motor.......we need to consolidate problems!

I hope I have the right guy......I think so.
 
D

D347643

Banned
Jan 28, 2003
1,095
0
0
portland, OR
Jul 29, 2005
#20
  • Jul 29, 2005
  • #20
hey btw code 67 being the neutral safety switch, did they check the codes while the car was in gear? If it was in neutral and it still throws 67 then you dont have a ground for your tps and other sensors since the ground path travels through that switch....just a thought.
 
  • 1
  • 2
Next
1 of 2 Next Last
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

7
Engine Random hanging idle
  • 706 Saleen
  • Feb 11, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
9
Views
640
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Feb 19, 2026
86HO5.0
8
K
Resolved Need some assistance. Holley Terminator X alongside H/C/I. Very rough/inconsistent idle
  • karhoot
  • Jun 6, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
0
Views
95
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Jun 6, 2026
karhoot
K
C
Engine Idle cuts out
  • claypoolxx
  • Mar 7, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
22
Views
704
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Jun 5, 2026
KRUISR
D
Engine Throttle sticky even after cable replacement
  • dqureshi06
  • Aug 16, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
6
Views
343
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Aug 17, 2025
AeroCoupe
Idle issues….again.
  • Nostang25
  • Sep 7, 2025
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Replies
2
Views
172
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Sep 7, 2025
AeroCoupe
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?