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    #1

    Slow idle on cold days

    Now that temperatures in the afternoon are down into the 40s, my LTD has been idling much slower than before when I start it to leave work. Almost slow enough to worry about stalling. Today it was just a bit colder, and it wouldn't stay running without a little bit of throttle.

    I know I could adjust the idle screw but if there's something else that needs to be corrected I'd rather fix the underlying issue. I figured this would be a common problem but a search found nothing.
    1985 LTD Crown Victoria
    1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
    1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

    Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
    Tags: None
    #2
    The 85 has a mechanical high idle system. If the linkage is gummy, it may not engage. On the passenger side of the CFI unit, you'll find a hockey puck and some other bits. Make sure those move freely. If they are sticky, flush them with carb cleaner and make sure they work. If you open the throttle, you'll see where the shaft comes through over there with a screw and an arm. One of those bits is supposed to drop into position to keep the throttle open a bit. If it drops in but the high idle isn't high enough, adjust the screw as needed. Just make sure it disengages or you'll be in high idle mode all the time. The heat choke (hockey puck) needs to be plugged in for that to work. If its unhooked and/or you have changed the alternator from the stock type without doing a bit of wiring magic to keep it functioning, it won't work.
    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

    Originally posted by phayzer5
    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

    Comment

      #3
      Thanks. It all seems to be working, and I've got the idle adjusted better than it was. Hard to adjust though, turn the screw while it's running and it won't change much, then the next time I start it it's a lot different. Put a tank of non-oxygenated gas in it yesterday and the car seems slightly happier with that too, so I guess I'll see what happens as it gets colder.
      1985 LTD Crown Victoria
      1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
      1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

      Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

      Comment

        #4
        yeah you have to adjust the high idle screw with it on the cam. It should respond as you adjust it, provided you're moving the right screw.
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment

          #5
          Ah, I think I found the problem - it seems the throttle doesn't always open enough to get the cam to the second detent when using the pedal. Sometimes it will, other times not. Didn't notice it before since I was actuating it from under the hood.
          1985 LTD Crown Victoria
          1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
          1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

          Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

          Comment

            #6
            ah. yeah you need to do a pump to the floor before starting to set the high idle cam on these. It doesn't pump like a carb will, but it lets the high idle stuff drop in.
            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

            Originally posted by phayzer5
            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

            Comment

              #7
              Yeah, that's the issue - a pump to the floor doesn't always set it fully.
              1985 LTD Crown Victoria
              1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
              1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

              Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

              Comment

                #8
                ah. make sure those parts aren't sticky, they do that if there is any dirt on them.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment

                  #9
                  On the 85 I had the base idle was adjusted by the VOTM, which is that dashpot thing on the driver's side of the throttle body with a blue vacuum line going into it. Theres an 8mm nut which holds it in place and then once you loosen that you can adjust the idle up or down by turning the 8mm bolt that's near the dashpot clockwise or counterclockwise. IIRC clockwise will increase the idle and vice versa. Based on what you said though its just the choke pull off mechanism that's giving you headaches. I'd spray chain lube on the linkage and then with the engine cold, manually move the throttle wide open and watch the pull off mechanism, it should engage. If not that black hockey puck needs to be adjusted or replaced. There are three screws that you need to loosen and from there you can spin it a bit to the left or right. I believe turning it to right puts more tension on the spring that's in there and will cause the mechanism to engage at higher temps. You'll probably end up playing with it a few times to get it perfect, I can't tell you how many times I had my air cleaner off to mess with the fast and curb idle lol. Gadget will step in to correct anything I got wrong
                  1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                  1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                  Comment

                    #10
                    The dashpot thing is for the low idle speed. The high idle is the screw on the opposite side. Its a goofy system if you're used to EFI, but its familiar if you have worked with carbs. CFI is sort of a bastard hybrid of the two technologies.
                    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                    Originally posted by phayzer5
                    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Oh yeah, its goofy alright. Can't understand why the 3.8's got the stepper motor set up but 5.0's got the dumb choke thing. You are certainly right about that, I got my base idle down to ~450rpm and the fast idle (choke mechanism engaged) to around 1500. Sold it before I could find out if that was ok or not. Car would stumble some and if it kept up the computer would throw vacuum at the dashpot to bump the idle up a tad. I had it set that low because the car would want to idle at 1050 or so RPM with the air on at Ford's recommended setting which tired my foot out with all the extra effort needed on the brake pedal. The car did beat Ashley's TC in a drag race though haha
                      1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                      1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                      Comment

                        #12
                        There are 2 adjustments on the low speed too if you want to get technical about it. I forget exactly how it works but one is an adjustment of how far out the dashpot can come and the other is the throttle stop. I think you turn the plastic end cap thing on it to fool with that. I've never owned a CFI car and its been quite some time since I was actually under the hood of one. I could probably look at a picture and go "oh yeah, its that thing" but I can't quite recall the details right now.
                        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                        Originally posted by phayzer5
                        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Really?
                          I found that with the air on compensation wasn't really necessary. At the time I wasn't a member of this site although I had been trolling and scouring for info. Matt's lincoln and your name came up quite a bit, your knowledge is impressive lol. I do have the old throttle body I could play with but with no car to try it out on it's pointless. As much as I hated that car I'd give CFI another shot, '85 only though. On a side note, I was impressed with how fast that car fired up, almost faster than my SEFI TC despite it being a throttle body and all. My Firebird cranks over for about 4 seconds before it fires, unless of course there's gas/air mix in the intake already, in which case all you have to do is bump the key..
                          1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                          1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                          Comment

                            #14
                            CFI isn't that bad if its right. Its a moody bastard though. I've driven a few CFI cars that Scott (lincolnmania) worked on and they ran absolutely perfectly. Not exactly hot rods, but smooth running and good on fuel.
                            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                            Originally posted by phayzer5
                            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Yeah, when I finally got done with mine it was running damn good. It would randomly stall once in a blue moon though, could never figure out why. Other than that, great throttle response and 15+mpg with it in the city, not to mention I liked the look of the air cleaner and what not better than I like the look of the SEFI cars.
                              1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                              1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                              Comment

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