Help, Car Engine Runs Fast

[flashlight]

Okay so here's the deal. My engine is idleling very high. when I put the key in and turn the engine over it catches and takes off like it's on drugs. And it stays high without going down to a normal idle. Also all vaccum hoses have been checked. And I've checked to make sure that everything is connected to where it should be. So here's my question for you guys, what could the problem be?

[94metroxfi]

Is your distrubutor loose?

It may have advanced itself.

Could also be a leak at the tbi or intake.

[Johnny Mullet]

Maybe there is a problem with a stuck throttle cable or the throttle butterfly is gummed up or stuck. Either that or the timing belt jumped time.

[flashlight]

It's not possible for the distributor to be loose as I checked that and then tightened it all back up. Which intake?

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by flashlight

Which intake?

He is referring to the intake manifold. There is a lot of vacuum lines attached to it and any leak there may cause high idle. Sometimes you can hear an intake leak with the naked ear.

[flashlight]

At the moment it would be next to impossible to hear anything with the naked ear. When the engine running sounds like a chainsaw on high. It's also not likely that the timing jumped a tooth because I was working on that today and everything stayed lined up like it should. And the fact that the timing belt is brand new. I only got it a couple of days ago.

[flashlight]

Also is the butterfly valve supposed to be completely closed, or can it be opened slightly when the gas pedal is not being pushed in?

[flashlight]

When you're talking about the throttle cable do you mean the accelerator control cable? It's the only thing that I can find that even comes close to it in the factory service manual.

[94metroxfi]

Yes

[flashlight]

If I need to is it pretty easy to change out the accelerator cable?

[flashlight]

Hey guys thanks for the help so far. I've gotten the timing belt lined up perfectly and have that section of the car all put back together. I am still having a problem with the high idle although it's not as bad as before. Could a plugged up EGR valve cause some of this problem?

[RossT]

If you can't find any vacuum leaks using carb cleaner, and all of the hoses are hooked up per the underhood diagram, then find the idle control solinoid motor. It is a blueish-greenish thing on the back of the TB. There should be two vacuum hoses (one on top of the other). Disconect the one the goes to the lower part of the TB and plug with your finger. Do this with the engine warmed up. What does the idle do? If the valve is bad (very comon) it will allow to much air to pass into the TB causing a high idle.

If the car has AC also try to plug the hose that goes from the black ac idle control motor (black thing on firewall with hose going to TB) and see if it is allowing air to pass into the TB. Only a small amount of air should go thru that hose and only when the ac is on. AC off means valve should be closed.

Also check the idle scew that goes into the TB. If you can't adjust the idle down with that screw all the way in, than you are getting air into the TB (vacuum leak).

I don't think the EGR is your issue, but you should remove the vavle anyway to make sure its not stuck open or closed and that your passageway thru the intake from the exhaust is not clogged. If the egr is stuck open the car won't run very well at idle.

Idle control solenoid looks like this:

I grab everyone from the junkyard (they go bad alot, and most from the junkyard are bad too)

ac idle motor it in yellow: