Surging Idle checklist: Vacume Hoses

dirty slut · Dec 6, 2005

So im beggining my quest to figure out why my car idles so bad, I just bought the car a couple of weeks ago. The first thing im gonna do is replace the vacume hoses as it seems that has been the cause for many other owners. I looked under the hood today and couldnt really locate any of them, or they dont look like what I expected them too. How big are they and what all needs to be replaced, if there is a "how-to" some place that would be awsome but any help/pointers would be great, thanks!!

edit:
92 LX hatch

88-GT · Dec 6, 2005

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/Mustang_AC_heat_vacuum_controls.gif
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxFordVacuumDiagram.jpg

If you become familiar with "why" and "what" the vacuum lines are actually there for it makes it pretty simple. I was always intimidated by vacuum lines and electrical until I actually sat down and took a look a the diagrams. Not half as complicated as I thought.

And this is the site I got it from, very good information, anything you should ever need.

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine#Diagrams

onefstsnake · Dec 6, 2005

Check the vacuum lines behind the passengers side shock mount. They are colored plastic lines...

Stupid mistake by Ford...
Plastic Vacuum lines + Hot/Cold + time = broken lines

I bought some silicon lines and fixed a bunch of the plastic ones.

Curse · Dec 6, 2005

onefstsnake said:
Stupid mistake by Ford...
Plastic Vacuum lines + Hot/Cold + time = broken lines

I bought some silicon lines and fixed a bunch of the plastic ones.

look at all the plastic lines, some don't look cracked until you move them. Mine were so brittle, trying to disconnect them would break them.

by the way dirty , I like the name reminds me of an old girlfriend

onefstsnake · Dec 6, 2005

by the way dirty , I like the name reminds me of an old girlfriend

Dirty ? hmm.

NO_RICE · Dec 6, 2005

dirty :taco: said:
So im beggining my quest to figure out why my car idles so bad, I just bought the car a couple of weeks ago. The first thing im gonna do is replace the vacume hoses as it seems that has been the cause for many other owners. I looked under the hood today and couldnt really locate any of them, or they dont look like what I expected them too. How big are they and what all needs to be replaced, if there is a "how-to" some place that would be awsome but any help/pointers would be great, thanks!!

edit:
92 LX hatch

You should really tell us some symptoms so that we can diagnose the problem, but replacing the vacuum lines on a car you just purchased is a good idea anyway. You really need to research the idle problem and learn how the components which control the idle work. Do a search there are many threads on this.

or look here:
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=534062

Curse · Dec 6, 2005

onefstsnake said:
Dirty ? hmm.

Long story, I'm not FoxFan88 so i won't post it. J/K FoxFan

dirty slut · Dec 7, 2005

88-GT said:
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine#Diagrams

great site, thanks!!

NO_RICE said:
You should really tell us some symptoms so that we can diagnose the problem, but replacing the vacuum lines on a car you just purchased is a good idea anyway. You really need to research the idle problem and learn how the components which control the idle work. Do a search there are many threads on this.

or look here:
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=534062

Well the car starts fine and drives fine but sometimes when im at a redlight the car starts revvving, it goes from 0500 to 2500 RPM's, sometimes it dosent go all the way up to 2500 but it eventually gets there. If i hold down the throttle a little bit it seems to help. Also, the previous owner said he use to spray the MAF w/ electrical cleaner alot to help the problem, but every two weeks seems too often to me, I want a permanent solution, not a temporary fix, and its sucks to be at a redlight and everyone thinks your reving at a minivan

RUNINAGT · Dec 7, 2005

MY 86 HO did the same thing. I replaced the IAC motor and cleaned the throttle body many times. never really helped. Then someone told me to install a spacer that goes between the IAC and the throttle body. It was about a 1/4" spacer that fit perfectly. There were some screws on it that allowed for air adjustment going into the throttle body @ idle. Since I installed that $11.00-$15.00 pc from Ford, it never acted up again. I owned the car for many years after that. Think about it, it makes sense. Mine ran fine but sometimes the idle would go eratic (surge). Give it a little gas to hold it steady and it was fine. Sometimes the engine would die if I turned the steering wheel @ the same time it was surging. Obviously the power steering took more power from the engine. I say give it a try. If it works then great you owe me some LX Taillights. if it dont then, good luck on your journey
I figured I would give the taillight thing a wurl

Black Sun 5.0 · Dec 7, 2005

Is there a part number for this item? I have a feeling if I walk into the Ford dealer and ask for a just spacer for the IAC and the TB, I'm going to get one of those blank stares.,

RUNINAGT · Dec 8, 2005

Black son im working on that now.

RUNINAGT · Dec 8, 2005

O.K. got it. Part # is F2PZ9F939A, Ford now tells me its called a surge repair spacer. They are still avail from Ford about $32.00 now. There was actually a TSB (techinal service bulletin) for this problem. I'm tell'n you guys it fixed mine. I've owned 2 5.0's and test drove many other in my past years. Most of them had the same surging idle problem. Then on 3/08/2002 I found out about this fix. I owned mt 86 from 1997 till 2003. After taking about 10 minutes to install, adjusted the screw some, whalaa SURG IS GONE!!!!!!!!!!!! Simply remove IAC put spacer in between IAC and trottle body with new gasket and I think it comes with longer screws. Screw it back to the throttle body, plug in, crank, adjust if needed. Hope it works for ya guys. I was very surprised when my engine idled correcty. Douting it would work. SURPRISE.

dirty slut · Dec 8, 2005

^^^^^YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!

This thing has been buggin me and today it actually died when I was tryin to inflate my tires that keep goin flat . Thanks for the part #, couldnt ask for more:SNSign:

RUNINAGT · Dec 9, 2005

let me know how it turns out Hope it works

dirty slut · Dec 9, 2005

Well I went to go it today and they didnt have it in stock, they can order it though.

While I was there they printed out the TSB's that have to do w/ the poor idle. TSB93-24-8 says that it will happen if "your thermostat is is stuck in the open posistion, or opening at a temperature lower then specified", or the radiator reservoir cap or attached sensor is not functioning properly. Apparently is makes the car run in open loop causing it to have a rough idle, and sometimes possibly stall. Apparently open loop also makes it unable to detect other things that are going wrong.

Well, The car has had a "Check Coolant" light on since I bought it and the car never fully warms up (I thought this was a good thing, I guess not). The previous owner told me that the cap needed replaced. 50resto has them for $30somethin bucks including the sensor. So I guess im gonna replace the thermostat first, then the sensor & cap, then Ill try the spacer fix.

Side note: Is the spacer essentially the same thing as an EGR spacer?? If so I might as well get that instead since its only a few bucks more and supposed to give a performance gain right?

jrichker · Dec 9, 2005

The check coolant light is because the overflow reservoir isn't full of coolant, or because the sensor thinks there isn't enough coolant. It isn't connected to the engine computer in any way.

See the sticky "Help me create the Surging Idle Checklist" at the top of the forum for help with your idle problems.

Black1987Stang · Dec 9, 2005

I would try that spacer first, let us know if it works, im thinking about picking one up too

RUNINAGT · Dec 10, 2005

No it's not the same thing as the EGR spacer. This is for the IAC. Iv'e been working This shop for 11 yrs now. Trust me we tried a lot of things. Then out of the blue someone told me about this spacer. What the hell nothing else worked so what was 11 bucks @ that time. All I can say is thatt it fixed mine. The 86 did not have the maf sensor. Dont think that would come into play. Either way I hope ya get it fixed, because I know how frustrating it was. It seems like not many ppl know about this spacer, but many are complaining about the surging idle. Did Ford tell you the name of the TSB for that spacer?? It was something like surging idle repair thingy?>!? Let me know.

dirty slut · Dec 10, 2005

When I went there I forgot to bring the part# so I asked them to look it up from the TSB. They looked through all the TSB's and could not find it so I left w/ out it. When I got home I called back w/ the prt # and they said they can get it but they have to order it, but I have to pre-pay. So now I got to go back on Monday and pay for the thing, and then wait for it to come in before I can install it. They said it was like $32 and some change

RUNINAGT · Dec 12, 2005

Time and money well spent if it works!!!

Surging Idle checklist: Vacume Hoses

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