90 ford taurus

Mar 13, 2006 2 Replies

I have a problem with my 1990 ford taurus gl i have had several tests done on it and have all been great. After i drive it to a store and it is parked for just a minute or longer. It is hard to start and hard to keep it from dieing. I have to keep the gas pedal down and keep it down for several minutes for it to stay running. It has died on me several times when i have stopped a light. The battery is new. I need some advice i don't know much about cars and could use some help.



IAC valve is worn or just dirty. Shiny metal cylinder on top of engine, near throttle body.

This sounds like a sticking Idle Air Control Valve, pretty common problem on Ford vehicles. It will look like one of the illustrations about halfway down this page:

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It is mounted to the intake manifold near the throttle body (where the throttle cable connects). It's held on by 2 screws. They "can" be cleaned with solvent, but in my experience the problem often returns fairly soon. May be worth a try though. Replacements are a little pricy at about $70. If you decide to replace it, you may find a Wells brand part (carried by Auto Zone) for a good bit less money. Don't be tempted. The quality of this brand tends to run from bad to horrible on engine management parts.

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