CEL 12 and correct procedure for cleaning Ford IAC?

[alchemist]

I just pulled my IAC on my 90 Grand Marquis and wondered about cleaning it. Would figure you would detach the electrical motor (two Phillips screws). Can you spray some throttle plate (3M) cleaner in there? Mine didn't look that gunked up, but deep inside there's a shaft with some sort of rubber seal that seals between the two holes. You can't reach it with clean towels or fingers, so figure spray may help.

Thanks everyone-

[nfldfordltd]

I use a bit of spray like brake cleaner or WD-40 and Q-Tips down in whatever I can reach once the electrical motor is separated from the plunger assembly. The two philips head screws split the unit right nice. Careful you don't tear up any gaskets or seals and you should be golden when you get it put back together!

[alchemist]

I wish you could take out that plunger and clean, but you cannot...

[GM_Guy]

Leave it attached to the car, start it up, and shot short bursts of cleaner into the (IAC) hole. Too much and the car will stall, if its a routine cleaning and not gunked up this'll clean it up without a lot of extra work (even if minor. You get lazy as you get older) =-)

Alex.

[sly]

Leave it attached to the car, start it up, and shot short bursts of cleaner into the (IAC) hole. Too much and the car will stall, if its a routine cleaning and not gunked up this'll clean it up without a lot of extra work (even if minor. You get lazy as you get older) =-)

Alex.

+1 what he said. Any can of carburetor/throttle body cleaner will work too. If it's uber gunked up... it'll take longer.

[1990LTD]

you can indeed take the valve off of the solenoid to clean the valve itself. you'll get more than you would just by spraying it into the TB. as has been mentioned, you might not need to though.



if it's never been cleaned before i'd take it apart and clean it, and clean the bejesus out of the throttle body and IAC passages therein.