Thanks for all your help! I really need to spend some quality time under the hood of this car since it's at 92,000 miles and little things are starting to go wrong with it that are frustrating but easily fixed.
I'm going to check the actuator under the dash and the vacuum lines some night this week. I'm beginning to believe the vacuum leak theory because the sound of the engine has changed slightly. It runs slightly rough when cold, but is just fine when it reaches operating temp. About a month ago, I had the tranny flushed and the kid at my friend's shop had to move the MAF airbox to get to the dipstick. Doing so cracked a main vacuum line at the center of the engine compartment right next to the firewall. The car idled terribly and refused to stay started, and the loud whooshing sound under the hood was my main clue as to what was wrong. Why did the hose crack? Because it's made of cheap thin PLASTIC, not rubber or even stainless steel. We fixed it with electrical tape until I can replace the line. I love this car and I hope it runs forever, but this seems like yet another example of shoddy engineering under the hood.
P.S. Thanks to the two Sooners who replied from this battered and bruised Iowa State fan!
