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high/hunting idle

10K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  zacco 
#1 ·
Hello Folks,

My '88 Trooper has developed a high and sometimes hunting idle, and it started a few weeks ago when the weather got colder here in the Northwest. It normally idles at 900 rpm at a stop, but now it's in the 1200 to 1700 range and sometimes hunts in between. The other day the outdoor temp was in the 60's and Trooper was back to a 900 idle. Now the temp is in the low 50's and the high idle is back.

Any thoughts? Vacuum leak? A sensor of some kind? Radiator issue?

The fuel and air filters are new along with the plugs, wires, distributor, cap & rotor.

I am also noticing a slight loss of coolant.

Thanks Much,
Tony
 
#2 ·
No knowledge on the 2.6 but if it were a sensor causing high idle it could be either a TPS(Throttle Position Sensor) or a Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Have you sprayed your vacuum lines for leaks yet?
 
#3 ·
glad you asked that question because i am having a similer problem and for the life of me cant figure it out. it has almost got to the point that a match is going in the cab !!!!!. if you get anything figured out i would sure like to know.
thanks and good luck.

Tommy
 
#4 ·
On my 88 trooper and on the 92 Amigo I have noticed the vacuum lines leading to and leaving the temperature valve on the top of the thermostat housing split due to old age and causing the same prob. If I understand the operation of that valve it opens once water temp reaches operating temp and allows air to pass to vacuum switching valve (VSV) and if temp gets too high it will open essentially a vacuum leak to allow the engine to idle faster to cool off. All that said if the hoses are leaking it will idle fast due to vac. leak at the wrong time and place. ie. not thru the mass air and truck don't know what to do. This fixed mine. Trooper2Guru, does this mean i get your truck now? If my theories of operation are wrong, Jerry please correct me!
 
#5 ·
Same symptoms on my pickup along with the loss of coolant eventually led to a total failure of the head gasket, and warped head, and burnt all 4 exhaust valves. But that's a worste case cenario I suppose.

Look into that thermal valve on top of the thermostat housing. You can actually eliminate it if need be.
 
#7 ·
Not likely, but I would start with checking for any kind of vacuum leak first. Then that coolant loss still concerns me, but not if you can see where it's leaking from versus the engine consuming it! More details please!
 
#8 ·
The high idle issue is prolly due to a vacuum leak, or a malfunctioning thermal valve or the fast idle seloniod.
 
#9 ·
Also, when my 2.6 had a surging problem, it was caused by a bad O2 sensor.
Easy to test that, even the chiltons manual had a test procedure using a meter.
 
#10 ·
Hello,

Mine had a similar issue. After replacing all of the vacuum lines, the spark plugs, cap & rotor, wires, filters, etc., I discovered it was the top butterfly on the air intake hanging up slightly. I think it is because I tightened that clamp for the intake a bit too much. Anyway, I spent some time working it with some PB Blaster on the shaft and some emery cloth in the passageway. That did it! Any time it starts to act that way again, I just squirt a little PB Blaster on the shaft and spring assembly and it stops.

I also had some surging at speed. One (hot) day, the fuel pump failed. I replaced it and that fixed the surging.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Rick
 
#11 ·
Someone else posted this in a response on another thread:

"Sounds like the auxiliary air regulator (the round thing under the intake manifold) is giving you fits. Try unplugging the connector and see if it makes any difference. It's a Bosch-style 2-pin connector, the rear-most one on the bottom of the intake. There is a hose on the bottom that is U-shaped to connect to the intake manifold.
It is designed to bypass the throttle body to allow more air when the engine is cold. It has a bi-metallic strip that is attached to an electric heater. When cold (and engine off) it allows maximum air into the engine to assist cold starting. As the engine runs, the heater heats that strip and causes the valve to close. It takes a minute or so to close completely. If the valve is messed up, then it could cause your issue.
You can clean that valve by removing it, loading it full of a penetrating cleaner (PBBlaster comes to mind) and let it soak for a couple of hours, and see if you can break it loose."

My auxiliary air regulator ("AAR") caused me to have the exact problem that you described during cold weather. Instead of buying another $150.00 AAR and enduring the skinned knuckles and cursing that replacing it caused me in the past, I bought a simple heater valve from the local NAPA store, cut the air hose connecting the AAR to the intake manifold and installed the heater valve in the line. My Trooper now has its hot weather idle speed of 900 rpm, when warmed up with the heater valve in closed position. The idle with the valve closed, when it's really cold, doesn't fall below 500 rpm. If I ever wanted to get a faster idle during cold starts in cold weather without opening the hood, I would rather install a manual choke cable to control the heater valve than purchase and install another AAR.
 
#12 ·
I have an 89 Trooper with the GM 2.8l. Lately my rig has been idling close to 2k. I have checked for vacuum links... after replacing all old ones individually. I have also bypassed the air pump with a new serpentine belt. I have also ran a Lucas fuel injector cleaner through the tank, and 5 or 6 tanks, seafoamed the engine. Is there a way to reset the idle or is there a fuse?

Thanks!
 
#13 ·
Oregonredtrooper, totally separate engine entirely. There is an entire process for this setting minimum idle. Involves unplugging something and jumping the diagnostic terminal under the console.

There has surely got to be this description given to the guys that were tuning after doing the 3.4 swap. Just do some searches on here and you can find it.
 
#14 ·
My 90 trooper was doing the same thing I had no cooling issues or vac leaks
the issue was the return spring was sticking I tried everything ended up putting a peace f hose on the little finger
 
#15 ·
Heres a pic
 

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#16 ·
Yerp,wesharris,this is what I did to mine(2.6 4ze1)I also disconnected the IAC and the Thermal valve at the top of the rocker cover.Carb cleaner sprayed inside the throttle body also made an immediate difference.I made sure the cleaning fluid went into the shaft pivot points in the side of the butterfly plates.On another note could the coolant temp sensor be putting out a voltage that corresponds with a cold motor telling the computer to richen the mixture thus causing excessive fuel consumption?
Cheers,Gaz from OZ
 
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