Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting loud belt at idle

No prob, johnoh.

It's best not to try adjusting any screws on the throttle body. The only adjustment that I can see is the air bypass screw, and that is sealed at the factory. I wouldn't mess with it if I were you.

Oh, yeah, do this while the car is turned off, since it won't idle right with the air box off, and you'd have no way of knowing if it helps or not. I did mine with the air box off, but I'd have to go out and look at it again to see if you can get to it with the box on.

The throttle cable is the one closest to the passenger side. It is attached to the black cam on passenger side of the throttle body shaft. The other one should be your cruise control cable.

The throttle cable is held in place in the bracket by a steel clip that slips in the top of the bracket. Take a look at the throttle cable housing, it has a lot of "notches" or rings on it where it goes into the bracket.

If you pull the clip off, you can then pull the cable housing back from the bracket. You'll feel it click as you pull it back. That's what I mean about only going one or two notches at a time. If you pull it too far out, the car will idle too fast, and that's not a good thing. After you pull it out a notch or 2, put the clip back on.

You just want it to idle a tiny bit higher so it smooths out. It made a huge difference on mine.

I have other issues to sort out, but I can't seem to find a fix for my surging/bucking problem. I looked through the archives, but the closest I could come to a fix was posted about 4 years ago, and the link to the fix seems to be dead. Darn.

Okay I got it now. Thanks a lot! I have not put everything back together yet to try it because I have to run.

This tip should be in the "how to" section. A lot of us have dashboard shaking idle speeds that are too low and up until now I have seen no way to adjust idle speed!

I am assuming I have to move back enough notches to create a slight opening between the the throttle plate and throat. To do that I had to move back 4-5 notches - as far as it would go - otherwise there is still slack in the cable and the plate is fully closed.

Just take the slack out of the cable and go maybe one more notch. You will be very surprised how small an opening it needs to bump the idle up where you want it.

When I did mine, it idled too fast with the tiniest visible opening, that's why I suggested 1 or 2 notches to start with.

Let us know if it works out.

i noticed that too. With the notches as far out as I could get there was only a pretty small opening in the throttle, but it idled way too fast. The next notch down results in a super small opening, and the idle appears to be about the same as it was before, maybe just a tad higher. At that setting the belt squeaks and the dash shakes, but somewhat less than before. I'll leave it there for now.

I came across a post on some other forum where a guy said he put one of those split shot lead fishing weights on his throttle cable, so it lifted the cable out of the cam groove enough to increase the idle.

I haven't gone that far yet, but he said it smoothed things out a good bit.

I hate to say it, but quality didn't seem to be job 1 when Ford came up with these cars.

I have a 96 Aerostar that has been hands-down one of the best vehicles I have ever owned.

The Contour runs really well when it runs, for a 4 banger, but I have yet to figure out how to get it fixed, and this seems to be a very common problem with these cars. This is THE worst car I have ever tried to troubleshoot.

I have no problem with Fords, but this does NOT seem to be one of Ford's better ideas.

But, I'll keep plugging, since I actually do kinda like the car.