iac

my windstar (2000) starts and dies.. ive read 100 posts about the idle ac cleaning but the closest ive found on where it is was "on the throttle body on the drivers side" i dont even know what it looks like. can someone show me a link that has a picture please? also once its removed wd40 or carb cleaner all over? on the outside? inside? how do i clean it exactly?

thanks-

Ken

Hi Ken

Here is a link to an IAC.

http://www.mototron.com/prod_idleair.htm



It is not, I think, a Ford IAC but looks pretty similar to the on my '96. If you know where your air cleaner is, start there moving toward the engine. You probably have an accordion looking rubber intake hose assembly attached to the throttle body. The throttle body will have the cable from the accelerator pedal and the cruise control units attached to it so that will help you make sure you are looking at the right thing. On top of the throttle body you should find the IAC. It will look something like the one in the picture on the hyperlink, and should be held on with two screws and have an electrical connection on the end. Use a little carburetor cleaner to clean out the ports. I wouldn't soak it.

Let us know how you do.

Don't even waste your time "cleaning it", that's a utterly worthless excersize. It *might* help for a while (a week or so), or it might kill it completely. Just replace it with a FORD/Motorcraft unit. Avoid the aftermarket stuff, it mostly low quality off-shore junk. The noteable exception is ECHLIN, who uses OE Ford parts (for these anyway) with the Ford name and Part # ground off.