Solving A Clogged Iac Valve Problem

[madder]

Ok, so I'm starting a new thread and linking it to an older one. I've recently changed my positive Battery terminal clamp after problems with the car not starting. The car starts perfectly now. But after about 5 minutes, if I'm not revving or if I'm slowing down in traffic, the engine cuts out. Radio and lights stay on so the Battery seems ok. Once the car is driving for 10 minutes or so, the problem goes away completely and it drives fine again unless it's left alone for a few hours. If that happens, I usually have to go through the 10 minutes again.

I believe that the IAC valve is clogged. I have heard it's an expensive fix to have it replaced because of where it's located in the car. I'm not sure where it is which is half the problem. I don't know if it's easy to take it out and clean it.

The easiest solution from what I am hearing is to spray some carburetor cleaner into a hole in the Throttle valve which I'm told sits on top of the IAC valve. This, I'm told will help to clean the IAC valve and at the very least be a long term temporary solution to the problem.

I have absolutely no idea as to where I am supposed to spray the carburetor cleaning fluid, so I've attached a few pics of my car under the hood? Maybe someone can tell me where to spray the stuff exactly or any help and suggestions at all. If you want to see the other thread in relation to the Battery terminal clamp I've placed a link to it under the pictures. Thanks.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=116101&st=0

[BALIKBAYAN]

Hi there,

Long time since I was here at this forum. I lost some of the interest of car forums a few months ago, but now I found the interest again.

I read all the other posts in your other thread about the Battery clamps. I doubt that has anything to do with your fault symptoms right now. When I looked at the pictures of your engine bay I noticed some things.

Firstly, the air temp sensor looks like it is not in the right position on the first picture. It is a bit too far out from the airfilter box. Try to put it in and secure it in the airfilterbox. It looks better at the later picture though.

Secondly, you should clean the engine. It looks like you have some oil leaks on the surface on the valve cover and everything looks very dirty and dusty. If the engine is clean it is easier to trace faults. I believe that you might have a loose wire or something like that. It might also be some fluid from a leak that make contacts between to different wires and that might make the engne to stop. Check also that all the sensors are at the right place and that they are connected to the wire correctly.

I hope this was to some help.

[madder]

Thanks for the reply. I will try to clean the engine and make sure everything is where it should be. I will also try to make sure that the hoses and wires are secure and plugged where they should be. After that though, I am not sure about sensors or where they should be etc. I don't know very much about cars unfortunately, although I do pick things up quickly and I am good at most DIY things. So if you have any suggestions I'd be open to them.

When you say that I might have a loose wire, where exactly do you mean? One of the hoses connected to the engine? The symptoms, to me, are consistent with an idle control valve problem, judging by what I've read about the ICV. But I am open to suggestions. Thanks again