What is a smoke test?

 

You shoot vaporized mineral oil into a vacuum port and look for it leaking out somewhere.

 

This sounds like a big can of worms.... sounds like something not easily fixed too.

 

Well it depends.. but its generally pretty easy

 

Is this smoke test something i can do myself? Considering you live a decent miles away..

 

If you want to pay over a grand for the machine that does it lol. Is your cel on? Any other weird symptoms?

 

It did come on the other day for a oil switch dtc 5284, but i cleared it. Crap... looks like im SOL. Ive been watching youtube videos and alot of them mention IAC (idk what that is) that was bad cause weird idles. On a side not, inside the engine bay it says the intake manifold was replaced like 4 years ago... Maybe someone put a bad used on on? Or didn't do a good job with the gasket? Could this be something having to do with my o/r h without a tune?

 

So im really starting to believe this could be the problem... same car as mine, and exact same symptoms.

 

Iac is possible. But that Guy cleaned it funny... just hit it with pressurized Carb cleaner.

 

Idle Air Control - Prior to an E-throttle its how the computer controlled the idle speed of the engine. No big deal really, easy to change if its actually bad.

Man that takes me back - I remember on some really far out 5.0 engines, guys were replacing the IAC with a plate that had a drilled passage and an idle screw.

 

I just went outside to check again, had the car on with the on dash tach, it idled between 690-730rpm. Nothing was loose. Stuck my ears around, may be a hissing noise coming from the back of the intake manifold (replaced 1-8-08), but these cars are noisy anyways...

 

Ok. Make it act up. Once its acting up take a hammer and tap on the iac housing. Does the idle straighten up?

 

I can't tell if this is sarcasm... but I'm goin to do the throttle body and iac clean up, maf cleanup and new airfilter this weekend. If it continues, just going to let it be. I only have a year it so of driving it until it sits for a good while.

 

No sarcasm... just do it..

The idea is that the guide for the plunger in the orchestra gets carbon in it and makes it hard for the plunger to operate. Tapping on it causes a vibration that can help the plunger move. Just do it

 

http://www.modularfords.com/f4/2000-...issues-151775/

I followed the instructions here and unplugged the thing plugged into the iac. The engine idled really low, so the iac is good. And there is no vacuum leaks..

 

Um buddy... just do what I said... I've diagnosed many iac valves.. I'm really trying to help here.. and why do you think you have no vacuum leaks?

 

I will tap on the Iac with a hammmer, im not trying to discredit your advice by any means! That website (http://www.modularfords.com/f4/2000-...issues-151775/) said to:

"First functionality test of the IAC: Start and allow the motor to idle. Disconnect the IAC electrical connector. The RPM’s should drop (black vent) or the motor should die out right (non-vent).

If the idle does not drop as expected then:
• The IAC is bad or dirty.
• There is a vacuum leak downstream of the IAC.
• The evaporative purge value (VMV) is stuck open. This is allowing excess air to enter via the charcoal canister.
• The throttle body butterfly valve is allowing too much air to bypass.
• The throttle body linkage is loose or worn allowing air to enter.
• The Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) is loose, bad, or noisy (not giving good closed throttle indication).
• The electrical connection to the IAC is open or shorted. Inspect the wiring. Pay special attention on boosted/modified applications that often need to extend the IAC wiring."

And when I did that the idle dropped down really low and stayed there like they said it should. But I will try the hammer trick, clean the iac and the tb, and change the dang oil pressure switch this weekend. The other thing was, like I said a couple of posts back, when i first posted this thread, i went and checked the engine for any loose connections and found one. The plastic tube from the air intake to the driver side valve cover was slightly leaking. After I tightened that up the idle hasn't dropped under 690, where it used to drop to 500 and die when i was slowing down.

 

Stillthink you have anouther leak

 

Ptobally do -_-

 

Its what fixed my sn95. My idle was messed up also iac fixed it.