DIY: Cleaning the IAC

[talonXracer]

The rotor in the IAC can sieze and cause a wide range of issues. If it siezes in a open position, it will act like a vacuum leak. If it siezes in a closed position, the engine will want to die at idle and will require the TB butterfly be slightly open to run.

The rotor can sieze-up rather easily, especially when you have a aftermarket intake and/or disable the TB heater, due to condensation forming in the IAC's internal passageway.

So take a Dremel and cut slots in the 5pointed tamperproof screws retaining the IAC to the bottom of the TB and remove them with a straightslot screwdriver. Now take that same Dremel and slot the screws retaining the electrical portion to the rotor and passageway and seperate the two parts like this,


You can see the carbon and dirt deposits in the passageway in this pic.


Now clean the passageway with a brake cleaner and toothbrush. Drain all the cleaner and put the IAC passageway submerged in penetrating oil for a few hours.

Now take a drill and some spare vacuum/fuel tubing, a piece of a bic pen and spin that rotor. Try to leave some oil in the passageway for lubrication, but watch out the oil will be thrown around everywheres if you are not carefull.




IF AT THIS POINT the rotor does not spin fairly freely, the IAC will need to be replaced. Eventually the rotor will sieze again, but adding a little light oil into the IAC port in the bottom of the TB at your oil change time and before storage will stave this off for awhile.

[william]

awesome! great pics

[az-epdrvr]

good fyi

[Chazwick05]

great info.

[oneglory]

am I correct in assuming you need to take the TB off to do this?

[MR.Pizza]

Great post, the drill and vac tube method is genius.

[japarossa]

Great DIY worked for me

[TXEP3]

I just cleaned a spare IACV from an old throttle body of mine couple minutes ago using this technique and now she spins like a top. I'm stealing the sensors off for a new TB. Only thing I'd like to add to this is if you're going to use a Dremel and slot out the screws holding on the IACV, you might as well slot out the tamper-proof screws on the TPS couple inches away. My $.02

[BeaterEP]

First snag:
How do you get the throttle cables to release? Once again the service manual is...less than descriptive. Where, exactly, are they hooked in? LOL, love these learning experiences!

EDIT:
Nevermind, had some road tar or something on the end of the pedal cable, was obscuring the link.
Figured it out LOL.

[talonXracer]

I loosen the locknuts and remove the cables from the cable stay. Then rotate the TB wheel by hand and slide the cable barrels out of the wheel.

[BeaterEP]

Yeah, got it figured out LOL. Just trying to remove some stubborn coolant lines now, and the TPS which seems to have a rubber cover over it, so's I can't find the clip. Ugh, and the temperature here is dropping rapidly, so fingers are getting numb! :D

[TXEP3]

the temperature here is dropping rapidly, so fingers are getting numb! :D

LOL! I don't wanna hear it! weather.com says I'm supposed to see -29 tonight =[

[chew]

My car had a weird idle today when I was leaving work almost felt like it was going to turn off, From what I have been reading it could be fixed by cleaning the IAC, could you do me a favor if you still have them but re-post the images photo bucket says image has been moved or deleted. Thanks

Bump for the thread!

[BeaterEP]

So did this about a year ago, got a newer unit that I cleaned up really well and am going to swap in.

WTF?! How much coolant is supposed to come out of the upper nipple when you pull that hose?! I had a little bit last time around, but this time the stuff just keeps flowing out! Not just dripping, either. We're talking steady stream.
I finally popped the hose back on and left it just now to see what you guys thought. Is everything just under too much pressure? Pulled th radiator cap hoping that would defuse the situation a bit, but no dice.

Ideas? I can't have coolant steadily flowing from whatever opening the whole time I'm working, that's just a giant mess!
HALP!

[whatsvtec]

So did this about a year ago, got a newer unit that I cleaned up really well and am going to swap in.

WTF?! How much coolant is supposed to come out of the upper nipple when you pull that hose?! I had a little bit last time around, but this time the stuff just keeps flowing out! Not just dripping, either. We're talking steady stream.
I finally popped the hose back on and left it just now to see what you guys thought. Is everything just under too much pressure? Pulled th radiator cap hoping that would defuse the situation a bit, but no dice.

Ideas? I can't have coolant steadily flowing from whatever opening the whole time I'm working, that's just a giant mess!
HALP!