Skipper5
08-11-2004, 02:49 PM
Okay, last weekend i cleaned my idle control valve because the car wouldn't start and hold an idle. a few others have had this problem so i decided to post some instructions to help you if you choose to do this. it can be done as regular maintenance too.
symptoms: car will start but not hold an idle and just drop in RPM until the engine dies. may also cause (auto) transmission to shift hard between gears. or the car is just idling or shifting poorly.
*note* i am not a certified mechanic. i'm not liable if you screw something up :)
tools:
10mm deep socket
2" extension
1/4" drive ratchet
size 5 allen wrench
flat head screw driver
carb cleaner
cleaning rag
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04490.jpg
heres what the TIS instructions tell you to do (mine are more complete):
http://members.roadfly.org/roderick/ICV.jpg
procedure:
first thing to do is get the intake off. this will be a little different for everyone depending on if you have a stock airbox, store bought intake, or "frankenstein" CAI like i do. get the darn thing off. if you put it in you can get it out. make sure to disconnect the MAF sensor too. i disconnected mine at the rubber elbow and before my downpipe:
TIS procedure for taking out stock airbox:
http://members.roadfly.org/roderick/filter.jpg
disconnect the tube coming into the rubber elbow. pull on it. i found it easiest to reach under the intake tubing with my right hand. this tube goes to the ICV. remember that for later if you lose it:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04482.jpg
next is to take off the throttle butterfly thing sitting in front of the throttle body. using the size 5 allen wrench loosen the two screws holding it on. the other screw is diagonal form the one shown. i disconnected the connector on top and set the part (still attached to the cable) to the side in the engine bay:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04483.jpg
next we take off the throttle body. grab the ratchet, extension, and 10mm socket and crank off the 4 bolts holding it to the manifold. i suggest doing the back 2 first. theres room back there for the ratchet.
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04484.jpg
i like to leave the 4 bolts in their bracket and pull that out as one piece.
while you have the TB out you might as well clean that as well. grab the carb cleaner and rag. spray some cleaner on the rag and rub on the inside of the TB. clean every nook and cranny you can. heres a pic half way done. he black ring on the right side of the butterfly is what i cleaned off. big difference:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04486.jpg
i layed the TB down right next to the other throttle butterfly elbow thing. heres what things look like in my engine bay now:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04487.jpg
the ICV is the aluminum part in the middle of the above pic. you can see both hoses (their clamps) that go into the valve. *note* on the top of your unit you will not have a hose. you will have a gasket pluggin directly into the manifold that you just yank down on. you will be cleaning these inlets later. take not of the 3 bolts on the bracket holding the ICV in place. those are next. again using the 10mm take these 3 bolts loose:
[img]http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04489.jpg[img]
this is where you get to do it yourself. disconnect the ICV from the manifold by pulling down. next you have to disconnect the connector on the back of the unit. its just like the other ones. with that done you should be able to pull the ICV out. disconnect the remaining hose (the one that went to the intake elbow) and prepare for cleaning.
take your carb cleaner and spray it directly into the the inlets of the ICV. if you're like me the carb cleaner will go in clear and come out black. this means we're actually cleaning! keep spraying the cleaner into both sides and swirling around until the fluid coming out is clear. (if you want you can do the chicken dance with it too. that way you can say you've done the chicken dance with an ICV! i may have pretended i as rambo and did a sweeping gun motion like in the movie. i had my shirt off too...it all makes sense, trust me.) i sprayed compressed air in to the inlets after i was done to make sure it was nice and dry in there.
now you're ready to reinstall. everything goes right back in except in reverse order. make sure all hose clamps are tight and connectors connected. start your car up and enjoy!
i hope this was helpful to you. if you have any questions post them in this thread because someone else might have the same question. :redspot
symptoms: car will start but not hold an idle and just drop in RPM until the engine dies. may also cause (auto) transmission to shift hard between gears. or the car is just idling or shifting poorly.
*note* i am not a certified mechanic. i'm not liable if you screw something up :)
tools:
10mm deep socket
2" extension
1/4" drive ratchet
size 5 allen wrench
flat head screw driver
carb cleaner
cleaning rag
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04490.jpg
heres what the TIS instructions tell you to do (mine are more complete):
http://members.roadfly.org/roderick/ICV.jpg
procedure:
first thing to do is get the intake off. this will be a little different for everyone depending on if you have a stock airbox, store bought intake, or "frankenstein" CAI like i do. get the darn thing off. if you put it in you can get it out. make sure to disconnect the MAF sensor too. i disconnected mine at the rubber elbow and before my downpipe:
TIS procedure for taking out stock airbox:
http://members.roadfly.org/roderick/filter.jpg
disconnect the tube coming into the rubber elbow. pull on it. i found it easiest to reach under the intake tubing with my right hand. this tube goes to the ICV. remember that for later if you lose it:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04482.jpg
next is to take off the throttle butterfly thing sitting in front of the throttle body. using the size 5 allen wrench loosen the two screws holding it on. the other screw is diagonal form the one shown. i disconnected the connector on top and set the part (still attached to the cable) to the side in the engine bay:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04483.jpg
next we take off the throttle body. grab the ratchet, extension, and 10mm socket and crank off the 4 bolts holding it to the manifold. i suggest doing the back 2 first. theres room back there for the ratchet.
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04484.jpg
i like to leave the 4 bolts in their bracket and pull that out as one piece.
while you have the TB out you might as well clean that as well. grab the carb cleaner and rag. spray some cleaner on the rag and rub on the inside of the TB. clean every nook and cranny you can. heres a pic half way done. he black ring on the right side of the butterfly is what i cleaned off. big difference:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04486.jpg
i layed the TB down right next to the other throttle butterfly elbow thing. heres what things look like in my engine bay now:
http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04487.jpg
the ICV is the aluminum part in the middle of the above pic. you can see both hoses (their clamps) that go into the valve. *note* on the top of your unit you will not have a hose. you will have a gasket pluggin directly into the manifold that you just yank down on. you will be cleaning these inlets later. take not of the 3 bolts on the bracket holding the ICV in place. those are next. again using the 10mm take these 3 bolts loose:
[img]http://68.6.62.91:81/~photos/albums/album172/DSC04489.jpg[img]
this is where you get to do it yourself. disconnect the ICV from the manifold by pulling down. next you have to disconnect the connector on the back of the unit. its just like the other ones. with that done you should be able to pull the ICV out. disconnect the remaining hose (the one that went to the intake elbow) and prepare for cleaning.
take your carb cleaner and spray it directly into the the inlets of the ICV. if you're like me the carb cleaner will go in clear and come out black. this means we're actually cleaning! keep spraying the cleaner into both sides and swirling around until the fluid coming out is clear. (if you want you can do the chicken dance with it too. that way you can say you've done the chicken dance with an ICV! i may have pretended i as rambo and did a sweeping gun motion like in the movie. i had my shirt off too...it all makes sense, trust me.) i sprayed compressed air in to the inlets after i was done to make sure it was nice and dry in there.
now you're ready to reinstall. everything goes right back in except in reverse order. make sure all hose clamps are tight and connectors connected. start your car up and enjoy!
i hope this was helpful to you. if you have any questions post them in this thread because someone else might have the same question. :redspot