Need help with car dying

[Pauldb]

I just bought a 93 1.6 MX3. When I bought it it needed a new head gasket. I replace that , but the car does not idle correct. When it is in drive it does ok. At stop signs it will kind of go up and down and almost die. However if you put it in park or neutral it die’s very quickly. I changed the spark plugs, and the wires look good. Did all the other stuff, Just replaced the A/T Filter. Could it be the timing or does the idle need to be messed with.

[ryanlindenberg]

do a search for "idle problem" or something like that. there is a huge thread about some kind of valve that gets plugged or something.

[92RedMX3]

Idle Air Solonoid(sp?) Unplug it and see if it is fine. That will tell you if its it or not.

[guyaverage]

It MIGHT be the IAC valve, which is on your throttle body. Take it off and clean it out, it may take 1/2 hour if you take your time. Take off your intake hose, remove the throttle cable (and throttle sensing cable if you have an automatic), remove the 2 bolts and 2 nuts that hold the throttle body on, disconnect the 2 coolant lines, and the one air line. Remove the screws that hold the IAC valve to the throttle body. The inside is probably caked with carbon, oily residue and gunk. Use any average carb spray cleaner and spray it out a bunch of times as good as you can. Spray it until the drainage is no longer dirty and black (Mine took about 5-6 times). Wipe it out, respray it, drain it, and keep doing it until it is nice and clean inside. Now reinstall everything. (Be carefull reinstalling it, there is an funky shaped O-ring that goes between the IAC valve and the throttle body..try not to crush it). After you clean and install it you may need to adjust the idle speed. Go to the "diagnostic" plug on the firewall, open it up and connect a jumper wire between the #10 and ground contacts. Ajust the idle to 750-800 (or wherever you want it). Then remove the jumper wire and take her for a drive. If none of this helped, check the plugs, wires, distributor cap, air filter, vacuum lines, and intake hoses.