Engine won't hold at idle

ORION

Registered User
Hi There,
I'm recently bought my first SC and am learning as I go along.
I have an auto 90SC and after a little work now she starts up nicely but will stall at idle without a foot on the gas pedal. She will hold if you give it a little gas. I tried letting the car warm up to normal temp. and it still stalls when you take your foot off the gas. I did add about 1/4 of a tank of 94 octane gas along with a booster hoping that it was just old gas, but that did not do the trick. Next, I was planning on starting with the simple stuff like changing the fuel filter.
I'm no mechanic and am learning as I go with the help of the Haynes manual, tech. spec.s etc....
Any other suggestions?
Thanks.......
 
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A light tap on the gas will keep it running. I think I have it as low as 500 rpm..even just slightly below.

500 is pretty low....sounds like you need to adjust the idle air bypass screw and possibly the throttle blade set screw. Might also want to check to make sure the IAC (Idle Air Control) valve is plugged in. It's the black gadget that lays horizontal on the side of the throttle body.

David
 
Factory Literature

Hi; Welcome to SCCoA. As you begin your SC ownership, I would suggest that you purchase a Factory service manual, EVTM (Electrical Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual), and set of Ford wiring schematics. These can be obtained quite cheaply on eBay, and are well worth the money you'll invest.

The aftermarket manuals (Hayne's, Chilton, etc.) are incomplete at best, and in many instances, wrong. You will save much frustration and time if you buy the factory books first. Aside from being a big help when you need them, they're fun reading as well.

The membership here will be a big help to fill in the blanks where the manuals are unclear, or to find a quicker/cheaper/better way to work on these cars. There's a wealth of information here, so use the search feature, and don't be afraid to ask questions. I guarantee you that someone has already solved the problem you have, regardless of what it is.

Good Luck,

JD
 
Thank you for the kind welcome and advice. As I flipped through the Haynes manual I thought it seemed a little incomplete. I will pick up the factory service manual and wiring info.
I am very excited to finally own an SC. It's been my dream car since it first came out.
You can bet I'll be asking many more questions in the future.
Thanks again.
Lucas
 
If you want, you could go to alldatadiy.com and get access to all the Ford manuals etc for your car for a cheap price.

Fraser
 
Thanks...I found the site via a google search yesterday.
Thanks again for everyone's help.
 
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