Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting help! no idle

I have a '99 CSVT (duratech V-6) with 52,000 miles. Tonight, trying to come home from work, went to start the car. It would fire, but would not hold idle. Thought that maybe if I warmed it up by holding revs around 1,000 that would get me home. It would sputter, but hold idle at about 250 rpms, but if I blipped the throttle and released, engine would die. I pulled my plastic snow brush out of the trunk and started tapping things, and finally, the idle held like normal. The thing I hit that seemed to fix it is between the coil pack and the power brake reservoir, and seems to screw into the intake manifold. I suspect this is the idle control valve? Is this repairable or does it have to be replaced? Does anyone have a part #, price or procedure list? Many thanks for any assistance!

Originally posted by ibub:

---

I have a '99 CSVT (duratech V-6) with 52,000 miles. Tonight, trying to come home from work, went to start the car. It would fire, but would not hold idle. Thought that maybe if I warmed it up by holding revs around 1,000 that would get me home. It would sputter, but hold idle at about 250 rpms, but if I blipped the throttle and released, engine would die. I pulled my plastic snow brush out of the trunk and started tapping things, and finally, the idle held like normal. The thing I hit that seemed to fix it is between the coil pack and the power brake reservoir, and seems to screw into the intake manifold. I suspect this is the idle control valve? Is this repairable or does it have to be replaced? Does anyone have a part #, price or procedure list? Many thanks for any assistance!

---

Mine did the exact same thing a few weeks back. I let it sit for a couple hours, and it started up normally. It's happened once since then, and I sprayed some TB cleaner into the IAC (which I was advised NOT to do) and the car has run fine since. I'll eventually replace the valve, just haven't got around to it yet.

Originally posted by delmar:

---

It's happened once since then, and I sprayed some TB cleaner into the IAC (which I was advised NOT to do) and the car has run fine since.

---

I don't see any reason why you can't spray Carb/TB cleaner in the IAC. Certainly a good idea before replacing the valve.

I would try cleaning it-if it fixes it for awhile, then at least you will know what the problem is.

i paid $80 for a new one at a parts dtore around here called willcox they had to order it though, it only took a day, i to sprayed tB cleaner in it but it only lasted a week then it was back to bad idle.

I don't know, I read somewhere that it wasn't a good idea to clean it (could have been Chilton ), but I thought I'd give it a shot - if the valve was toast, I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. But it seems to have helped (for the time being) - my car did moose on the first startup right after (that's the only time it's ever moosed) but that went away after it warmed up.

My csvt did the same thing its the IAC you need the updated version its about 60 bucks or so.

My IAC was replaced last February for the same symptons. Symptons came back again two weeks ago. Dealer changed the IAC again, (for no charge since mileage was less than 20000KMs and less than a year from previous repair). Swapping the IAC did not a cure make this time. Upper intake gaskets were found to be the culprits and now she works fine.Gaskets were about CDN $14.00 each (2 required for the V6) and labour CDN$85.00. My 95 Contour had 213212 kms at the time.