engine races when put in Park

Periodically, and always in the spring, when my 98 escort 2.0 is placed in PArk it does not idel down. The engine races up. Sometimes it will come down whenyou pump the gas, usually you have to take it out of park with a jerk and move it a little and then try again.
When it does it a lot, it get hard to start right after
Anyyone expereince this and what was the solution - thanks for your help

There are a few things that can cause over-idling. Here a few things that come to my mind:

1. Vacuum leak. Air leaking in anywhere and not being monitored by the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor will lead to idling problems. This is a "big opportunity" as there are so many hoses that can develop leaks.

2. Dirty MAF or Intake Air Temp (IAT) sensors. Careful cleaning with circuit board cleaners will usually restore performance. A poorly sealed intake air filter, or air canister, will cause this problem.

3. Idle Air Control (IAC) valve. Usually can be cleaned ... sometimes a new one is required.

4. Engine Coolant Temp (ECT) sensor. If the coolant hasn't been maintained properly, these sensors will fail prematurely. Of couse, they may eventually fail anyway.

5. Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) ... rarely the cause, but it can happen.

6. The ac controls can cause an idling problem. I think the 98 is one of those years that the ac runs anytime the air controller knob is not "off". ???

The ac controls can cause an idling problem. I think the 98 is one of those years that the ac runs anytime the air controller knob is not "off". ???

On the 1998 Model year The AC runs everywhere but first dash vent to the left and floor only.