Engine idle issue's.

[valelotax]

So today we are trying to find out what the issue is on my 1994 ford aspire with the EFI B3/5-speed manual. It'll idle rough, but stay running. When you hit the throttle it'll just idle down then die. After a while of starting it, it'll rev up, then die, continuously. When you drive it and go into nuetral, or just shift gear's, it'll die. It just doesn't want to stay running.

I have replaced the distributer, IAC, TPS, O2 sensor, tune up kit. I do however have the two coolant sensor's to replace; the one in the front of the motor and the one by the intake manifold. At the end of the exhaust it sound's like "puff, puff, puff" kind of like it's missing, but it's not.

I will try to get a video of it ASAP.

[Damkid]

Engine idle issue's.

Have you done a compression test?

[FB71]

classic symptoms of low fuel volume/pressure. have you replaced you fuel filter anytime recently?

[Bert]

Sage advice from both previous responders. Fuel pump might also be something to look at but only after checking the fuel filter. In the event that should you totally give up; someone here would love to swap your brakes and suspension into a Festy.

[Movin]

Sure sounds like fuel. The air flow sensor is another possibility. Follow the above!!

[iceracerdude]

One thing you can do is to clamp vise grip pliers on the "return" fuel line and then take it for a ride. In cases of a "weak" fuel pump, you might see an improvement which would
give you a better idea of what these guys are saying about that pump. Had a friend do that to his girlfriends jetta, he couldn't believe how it went from running like your car to
making it driveable again. Now, your pump may be too far gone to show those same exact results, but then again, it may just be begining to get sluggish in which case you
might be pleasantly surprised.

[valelotax]

Thank's, just took it to the gas station which is just about 3 mile's away; stalled about 5 time's >. As soon as I get back I'll put the vise grip's on the return line, if that doesn't work or improve I'll do a compression test. If all else fail's, there's a half off weekend at LKQ and I'll get get a fuel pump or just buy a new one. Thank's for the replies and keep you. All updated. .

[valelotax]

Alrighty, so I crimped the return fuel line and it stayed idleing! Though it was going up and down, it didn't die out, atleast not right away. It took 5 minute's to stall. Getting a new fuel filter as soon as I get home from the doctor's. But there is something weird, it idle's high with the light's on. Normal? More to come, still going to replace fuel filter, do a compression test, and replace the two coolant sensor's and maybe a fuel pump.

[valelotax]

Ok, I replaced the fuel filter today. The old one had nasty brown fuel in it, eeew. But, now the car idle's with the light's on, and die's when I turn them off. Could this be an alternator going bad or something else?

[FestYboy]

IAC stuck? likely NOT an alt issue due to the extra load of the lights should cause the stall not the lack there of. is your base idle screw all the way down? (shouldn't be)

[valelotax]

Is the screw you talk about the screw by the TB opening and where the linkage hook's up to? It might be seeing as though we messed with that, if that's what you're talking about. What is it?

[FestYboy]

yeah that's it.... i'm betting the IAC is being funky and the base idle screw was messed with to compensate. pinch off the air tube that feeds the IAC from the intake tube, and then adjust the base idle screw out untill the engine idles. this is assuming that the engine is in good shape (good compression).

[valelotax]

So I set the base idle screw, it idle's. Now the TPS is a little off; at WOT it's 4.2 and is supposed to be 5.0 for OBD-1 (I know how to set the TPS and what it's supposed to be at). Also replaced the fuel filter, I blew the opposite way the fuel flow's and the fuel came out brown. But, I still have a little problem. With the headlight's off it'll die. But with them on, it stay's running. Could this be caused by a bad engine ground? I was thinking of replacing the alternator, starter, battery cable's from their current gauge to 2 gauge wire.

[WeDefyU]

It's possible that the extra load on the engine from your lights being on actually opens the IAC, not sure about this, maybe someone can shed some light. But you can check for sure by unplugging the electrical connector to the IAC and see if it acts the same. I had the problem that the computer is constantly telling my IAC to stay open, so I just leave it unplugged. One more thing might be to check you fuel pressure, brown stuff in the filter could mean brown stuff in the tank.

[valelotax]

Thank's WeDefyU, but I just unplugged the IAC plug; it ran worse. So I am at the same assumption that it is the fuel pump, or the power cable's. It's half off weekend so I plan on getting 2 turbo's (one off a 940? And one off a 850?), two bumper's (both front and rear off an Accent), and a alternator. Do the 2001 Kia Rio alternator's bolt on to the Aspire's?