GalaxiePete

I spent a bunch of time reading threads here and elsewhere today before I decided to post anyhow. (What a way spend the work day huh?)

I have an 01 GT with an automatic. This car is stock engine wise, it's my driver in the good months. I have about 85k on it. No I am not running a K&N on this car, probably should be though.

On Sunday morning, I went to start my car. It fired right up and then died right out. This happened a couple more times before I decided to goose it right away. That kept it running but every time I let off the peddle to idle it would die. I managed to get it out of the garage and cranked up the motor to 3k for a few seconds. It started to idle fine after that. I did double check the sensor plugs and vacuum lines at that time. I WAS thinking maybe I had picked up a little water from the tank or something. I drove it all day Sunday and Monday with no more problems.

Then this morning it happens again. I started it a couple times and kept working the throttle to keep it running. When I put it in gear to get it out of the garage, I stalled it and after that it would not start again. I'm leary of using the accelerator when cranking a fuel injected car and I was running late so I just let it sit and took the wife's car. I came home at noon and double checked all the vacuum lines. Still nothing off, cracked etc. I turned it over and it wanted to fire but wasn't catching. I tried to start it 3 times before I opened the throttle a tick. It started right up and billowed out some nice rich smoke for a couple seconds. So I am figuring it was flooded, but why wouldn't having sat for 4 hours have fixed that issue? Anyhow...

I am leaning toward an IAC Valve issue. It's my intention to clean it, the TB and MAF sensor tonight. But before I get it all torn apart is there anything I need to know or anything else I should be looking at? Will I need a new gasket for the IAC?

GP

GalaxiePete

Ok, so I went home and cleaned the IAC, TB and MAF. I forgot how bad a TB can get. However, is it anyone else's experience that BEHIND the butterfly is just nasty? The front was fine, it was totally behind. I don't remember that from my 5.0. I used to clean that a couple times a year but is was always equally bad on both sides.

I didn't have the problem today or last night after cleaning everything. The car does idle 100% better then it has in forever. It's not that it idled "bad" it is just smooth now vs a "lope" that I thought was always there.

I do have a couple questions ...

I think I have a bad air cleaner to MAF piece. The piece of plastic that bolts to the MAF and is clamped into the stock air filter. I never noticed it before because I never pulled the MAF. But the bottom of that piece looks "warped" but at the same time it looks like it was manufactured that way. It does not seem to fit tightly to the stock air filter box. Has anyone else noticed this on their car?

This one should be simple and I think I know what it is but... There is a hose coming out of the IAC Valve that runs to a small black box and then continues on. What is that black box? I didn't have the time to try and tear that apart as well but I am guessing there is some sort of filter in there?

kevinpaul

you ever figure this out?