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What are the signs of a bad IAC Valve?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom95gt
  • Start date Start date Dec 29, 2008
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Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Dec 29, 2008
#1
  • Dec 29, 2008
  • #1
My car is stuttering going down the road and the guy at Auto Zone said it sounds like the IAC valve but I don't see how that would be
 
I

inphiniti

Active Member
Mar 15, 2003
412
3
28
Providence, RI
Dec 29, 2008
#2
  • Dec 29, 2008
  • #2
sign of a bad iac valve would be stuttering. or at idle it could be idling like ****... i just swapped an IAC on my girls expedition. the truck would idle as if it was cammed out, and soon as you go to drive, it would stall.

it COULD also be that your MAF is clogged.. my maf was clogged with a bunch of debris, i sprayed some of the MAF cleaner in there and it fixed my bucking... the guy @ Autozone could be right. but its also another thing to look into... either way you should be ok and i believe the iac is rather inexpensive.
 

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Dec 29, 2008
#3
  • Dec 29, 2008
  • #3
I never thought about cleaning the MAF i'll try that asap
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
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129
Dec 30, 2008
#4
  • Dec 30, 2008
  • #4
If the issue occurs while you have the gas pedal depressed any decent amount, the IAC is not the issue. And if it idles well, hot and cold, the IAC is not the issue.
 
S

saleener94

Member
Apr 24, 2006
153
1
17
Compton,CA
Dec 30, 2008
#5
  • Dec 30, 2008
  • #5
I say spray the MAF with MAF cleaner first. helps alot
 
Reactions: 97gtstang01

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Dec 30, 2008
#6
  • Dec 30, 2008
  • #6
Well I cleaned my MAF and no difference... to give you guys more details it doesn't do it as much when the engine's nice and toasty actually not at all if I've been driving around for a while and whenever it does it feels like I'm hitting snow banks... it's definitely noticable so if anyone can give me anymore ideas asap it will be appreciated, i'm waiting for it to just poop out on me

p.s. I have a nice exhaust leak by the head but i doubt that has anything to do with it
p.s.s. I replaced my 02 sensors maybe 2 months ago so they shouldn't be bad already
 
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inphiniti

Active Member
Mar 15, 2003
412
3
28
Providence, RI
Dec 30, 2008
#7
  • Dec 30, 2008
  • #7
hmmmm... my only suggestion would be to swap out the IAC valve... it could be getting stuck open/closed every now and again and then refixing itself.. the IACs arent that expensive..
 

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Dec 31, 2008
#8
  • Dec 31, 2008
  • #8
Today it got much worse the car would just be a constant misfire so I'm goin to check the cap and rotor I might get another set of o2 sensors
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
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Dec 31, 2008
#9
  • Dec 31, 2008
  • #9
Did you pull codes and fix that exhaust leak? The leak can affect O2 readings.

Pull the cap and check inside the bowl for signs of damage to your PIP.
 

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
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South Jersey
Dec 31, 2008
#10
  • Dec 31, 2008
  • #10
Another update took car out after 2 hours and run's fine its so confusing it has to be a sensor
I pulled codes but I'm too dumb to count the beeps lol I think one came up saying o2 sensor running lean... do you think thats because the exhaust leak? I think it was doing it before I developed the leak. I haven't gotten around to fixing that. I pulled the cap looked at the rotor it looked fine, maybe a little corrosion. I don't know what to look for concerning the PIP
 

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
9,302
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Acworth, GA
Dec 31, 2008
#11
  • Dec 31, 2008
  • #11
HISSIN50 said:
If the issue occurs while you have the gas pedal depressed any decent amount, the IAC is not the issue. And if it idles well, hot and cold, the IAC is not the issue.
Click to expand...

Not true, I've had a bad IAC cause my car to jerk and studder while cruising at highway speeds.

Kurt
 

final5-0

Mustang Master
Apr 6, 2003
6,817
12
79
DFW Texas
Jan 1, 2009
#12
  • Jan 1, 2009
  • #12
About cleaning the meter

Just to be sure there is no misunderstanding

The idea is NOT to clean the inside of the meter

The idea IS to clean the tiny wires inside the electronics box

You have to take the box apart
to get maximum benefit from cleaning those wires

IMPORTANT ... You DO NOT wanna break those wires
and
They are quite fragile ... so ... Be Careful

I know ... I know ... This is so obvious to a lot here
but
We got less experienced folk joining us here daily

Grady
 

legalize420

Active Member
May 21, 2005
1,541
1
37
South Florida
Jan 1, 2009
#13
  • Jan 1, 2009
  • #13
have you checked the plug wires? pull them off one at a time and make sure there are no burns or cuts.
 

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Jan 1, 2009
#14
  • Jan 1, 2009
  • #14
I have read the How-To Clean you MAF thanks Grady and another update drove it around all day today and no problems I'm stumped
 

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Jan 12, 2009
#15
  • Jan 12, 2009
  • #15
Well while I was replacing my clutch cable, out of a hunch i decided to see if my dizzy was tight and it turns out it was fairly loose. So i tightened it down and so far so good no stuttering or pinging yet. I guess that could have been the problem?
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Jan 12, 2009
#16
  • Jan 12, 2009
  • #16
Tom95gt said:
Well while I was replacing my clutch cable, out of a hunch i decided to see if my dizzy was tight and it turns out it was fairly loose. So i tightened it down and so far so good no stuttering or pinging yet. I guess that could have been the problem?
Click to expand...

Where was the timing at when you got a timing light on it? For studdering, it was probably very retarded.
 

Tom95gt

Member
Oct 10, 2007
186
1
19
South Jersey
Jan 12, 2009
#17
  • Jan 12, 2009
  • #17
That i am not sure about... i think it was retarded but i didn't use a timing light because their wasn't one available so i spun it counter-clockwise and it sounded bad so i spun it clockwise and once i went down the road it was pingin so i turned it back some and now it's perfect from what i know
 
S

spock2001us

Member
Aug 23, 2005
143
0
16
Jan 13, 2009
#18
  • Jan 13, 2009
  • #18
when my IAC last went bad it would not hold an idle whatsoever....it was a constant stall. After the stall, it would start right up, but unless I held the throttle open slightly, it was an immediate stall. I replaced the MAF cause it is so cheap, but it was still a stall, would not hold an idle whatsoever. I replaced the IAC and that was exactly what the problem was.

Any idle issues I have ever had have been corrected by replacing either the IAC, MAF, or the TPS or all three because they are so cheap to replace.

Oh, and I also had a problem before when my dizzy came loose. Can't correct it properly without a timing light...in my opinion anyway. Stall and tough start was a result of a bad stater on the dizzy too.
 

Chris 03 GT

New Member
Sep 20, 2015
5
1
1
Clemson, South Carolina
Sep 20, 2015
#19
  • Sep 20, 2015
  • #19
I'm having the same problem too. Just bought a 2003 GT. It was sitting for a year untouched. I was thinking bad gas? But I've added stabilizers to the gas. Cleaned MAF Sensor and changed Fuel rail sensor bc my codes were P0190, P1150, P1151,P1152,P1131,P1132. Any solutions??
 
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revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
9,302
1,645
214
Acworth, GA
Sep 20, 2015
#20
  • Sep 20, 2015
  • #20
Clean the ac out and see if it helps. It's not long term fix but it will at least let you know it's the isc.

Kurt
 
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