Won't run good until it's Warm??

My 1995 Ford Contour 2.5L(Duratec) will not idle by itself until it reaches at least 100 degrees. The hotter it gets, the better it runs. When I first start the car in the morning, it dies right away, UNLESS I keep reving it up and down and not taking my foot completely off the gas.

Eventually, I can EEAAASSSEE of the gas pedal slowly and it will stay idling by itself.

I get NO EEC-IV codes, which has me thinking it can't possibly be a sensor related issue.

I know the car is running Lean because when I do the KOER test, I get two O2 Sensor codes indicating a Lean condition. I also checked the manifold vacuum and only got 10-11" hg at idle.

I was thinking it might be a vacuum leak, but I can't hear any "hissing" sounds at all, plus, I sprayed soapy-water and carb cleaner around the intake manifold gaskets and the idle did not change at all.

I read online that a vacuum reading of 8-14" hg at idle indicates overly advanced timing, but how can I possibly correct that problem when it's controlled by the PCM via the ICM??

Another strange thing happened after the engine was nice and warm, when I would put the transmission in Drive or Reverse, the RPMs would go up by about 100!!!??? Before this whole problem, it would do the opposite and increase in Park and Neutral and decrease in gear.

I took the car for a drive around the block a few times and it was just "OK". At some Stops, the revs would start getting bouncy between

400-600 RPMs, and the lights would dim in sequence(probably because of the lower idle speed).

Does anyone have any clues as to what the problem might be??

THANKS!:)

Reply to
bigbossfan80
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Maybe the choke is sticking open?

Reply to
Roger Blake

Hi, Joking? '95 car with choke? Tony

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Reply to
Mike Behnke

================================= Start by looking inside the throttle bore, if its dirty clean it with carb cleaner or the like. Then if you still have problems clean or replace the IAC valve, thats the valve that controls the idle speed. It is a very common problem on all Fords.

Reply to
Scott M

Reply to
Joseph A. Zupko

I don't have a Contour, but on my LeSabre, it was the EGR/recovery system that was all buggered up. It recirculates exhaust to warm the engine up, but my sensor/valve and relay were bad, so it would idle all screwey until it was warm and it turned itself off.

(like having a bad choke on a motorcycle)

No error codes on my car, btw.

Note - if this system is causing stalling and backfiring and such, it's likely roasting the MAF as well. Q: do you notice that it hesitates and is sluggish on hard acceleration?

Reply to
Joseph Oberlander

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the coating is gone or isn't working, so....if its dirty, clean it.

Reply to
Scott M

That's some pretty faulty logic right there.

Plus you need to chek all your vacuumn devices and vacuum hoses for leaks.

Reply to
Childfree Scott

Reply to
Sharon K.Cooke

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