2001 ford idle problems

[screech]

i have a 2001 f-150 pu 5.4l motor which is giving me trouble with idle. when i start the truck -cold- it seems to work fine but after it warms up and i start it it will not idle unless i keep my foot on the gas and after awhile it will then start to idle again and be fine until i stop and start again. does anybody out there have any idea because it would be greatly appreciated- thanks

[SoonerKA99]

I have a 200 F150 5.4L 4x4 having the same problem currently... I had a K&N Filter on it, but the dealership told me that the oil on the filter can coat the mass airflow sensor and Idle control valve/Sensor. My idling problems are horrible. The truck with surge on start up and die stop lights. They are trying to charge me over a $1K to fix, but I think I can do it cheaper by getting my own parts. They ran code on it and it said the ICV or Idle Control Valve Sensor is going out and the mass airflow sensor is bad. I just need to make sure this is a job I can do by myself without screwing up my truck worse...

[LTJGWorth]

You got it Sooner. It's most likely you IAC (Idle Air Control) valve. You can do one of 2 things: 1)Clean it. 2)Buy one. On the 5.4L engines, the IAC valve is located on the back of the intake elbow. It's easier to get to if you just take the elbow off. To clean it, remove the 2 bolts holding it on and spray the inside of it really well with the carb cleaner. I pretty much washed the inside of mine with the cleaner. Replace all the parts and it should be good to go. If you end up having to buy one, they are about 50 bucks. On the 4.6L motors, the IAC is on top of the intake right next to the throttle body and is a lot easier to remove. Good luck guys!

[screech]

thanks for the help. i had the IAC cleaned and it made a little difference so then i replaced the IAC and everything is now working fine.