set idling. Haynes is confusing!

[brokebill]

through the years i've bumped my idling up and down a few times for a quick fix for when she wants to stall.(usually due to nasty throttle body valve)

looking through my haynes book today on setting the idling and proper procedure for an 88 FI is a bit confusing.
word for word;

place trans. in park, set emergency brake,start engine,warm up to operating temp.

on 1988 models,raise the engine speed to 1800 rpm and hold for 30 seconds.
position the transmission selector in drive and check idle speed.
install a tachometer according to man. specs and set the ide speed to 550-600 rpm by turning the throttle plate adjusting screw clockwise and then back the screw out an additional 1/2 turn.

my questions,
1. why do i hold it at 1800 rpm for 30 seconds?

2.why does it say to turn it clockwise when the book dont know if its idling too fast or slow?

3.and why would i set it to 550-600 rpm then back it back out 1/2 a turn

i know Fuel injection with all the sensors and all are way different than a (nonfeedback) carb and they adjust and reset shit theirselves so maybe this is where i'm getting lost.
and haynes sometimes gets things wrong.

appreciate if someone can make this make sense to me.

undazed but still confused, Bill

[gadget73]

no no no, the idle is not adjustable on an EFI car. that is not an idle adjust screw, it is a throttle stop screw to keep the throttle plate from shutting so far that it jams in the bore.

[brokebill]

[IMG][/IMG]

no no no, the idle is not adjustable on an EFI car. that is not an idle adjust screw, it is a throttle stop screw to keep the throttle plate from shutting so far that it jams in the bore.

book covers 88 - 2000.
sorry the pic is a little fuzzy.
thats what it says for 88 only. calls it a throttle plate adjusting screw.
---------
for 89-92 it says back off the throttle plate stop screw so it does not touch the throttle lever pad . insert a .010 feeler gauge between the throttle plate stop screw and the throttle lever pad.

tighten the screw till it touches the feeler gauge. remove the feeler gauge and turn the screw in an additional 1-1/2 turns.

start engine and let it stabilize, depress accelerator quickly and allow the engine rpm to settle back down to idle.

the PCM and BPA-ISC valve should adjust the idle from this point.

then it goes on to say the 4.6 engines are not adjustable.

lot of different models, lot of different procedures.

thanks' Bill

[91waggin]

And the plot thickens....

The Chilton manual only lists the idle adjustments for the carbed cars in 88, and in 89, it says that the FI cars aren't adjustable. It says that the PCM does all of that.
On my 5.0 FI, there is a metal cylinder on the back of the throttle body that has a few wires hooked into it; it is mounted on the throttle body at an angle. This is the IAC (idle air control), and if you have one (I suspect you do), and your car is idling funny you might want to replace this. Sorry I don't have any pictures for you at the moment.

Remember this is for my 91 FI, and I don't know if Ford changed how the idle was set on the earlier FI cars.
Just for a reference point, my car's high idle is at 1100 rpm, and the normal idle is at 500 even.

Hopefully some people who know a little more about all of the different engines will chime in here...

[brokebill]

from what i can find it looks like the only carbed 88 is the 351. mines the 5.0 and is definately fuel injected. dont know about pre 88.

looks identical to the page i posted.
thanks, Bill

[87_crown_vic]

86-91 looked identical with the engine setup. the IAC controls the idle on the EFI 5.0 and can get gummed up inside of it affecting the valve/piston inside. take out the 2 bolts and clean it up good and lube it with a lil wd-40. i would also clean up the throttle body around the butterfly since it gets build up as well that affects the way it operates.

[brokebill]

so the book specifically singleing out the 88 as being idle adjustable (since the book only starts coverage at 88 may apply back to 86) and then starting with 89-92 as basically adjusting themselves is wrong?

i do know that the idle responds up or down when turning what they refer to in the 88 as the throttle plate adjusting screw just as a carb does.

and in 89- 92 they call it the throttle plate stop screw and and its function seems to serve a different purpose as the PCM & BPA-ISC adjusts the idle.

remember this is Ford and they change at least waterpumps that i know of midyear so who knows what else.
anybody else still have an 88 that they havent switched over to a carb?
HELP!!!!
thanks, Bill

[87_crown_vic]

that screw is just a stop... if you turn it in it opens the butterfly on the throttlebody like you push on the gas pedal.

[brokebill]

so why the different procedure for adjusting and different name for the screw in post 88 cars?
just trying to understand.

[gadget73]

no idea but there were no significant engine differences between 1986-1991 on the 5.0. Books are always screwed up with this. They give info on CFI up to 85, which is correct. Then they give info on SEFI from 88 or 89 onward, but somehow miss a couple years in the middle. The 5.8 was a carb setup and also didn't really change in any real way.

[brokebill]

---------
for 89-92 it says back off the throttle plate stop screw so it does not touch the throttle lever pad . insert a .010 feeler gauge between the throttle plate stop screw and the throttle lever pad.

tighten the screw till it touches the feeler gauge. remove the feeler gauge and turn the screw in an additional 1-1/2 turns.

start engine and let it stabilize, depress accelerator quickly and allow the engine rpm to settle back down to idle.

the PCM and BPA-ISC valve should adjust the idle from this point.

so to set my screw back to factory settings since i have several times messed with it over the years, i need to follow these instructions outlined for the 89-92?
thanks, Bill

[gadget73]

that sounds like the correct process to set the throttle stop on a SEFI engine. Should be valid for all 86-91 5.0 motors.

[brokebill]

Emailed Haynes about their Book; Their Response......

Dear Sir:

Thank you for your interest in Haynes Automotive/Motorcycle Manuals.

We have been unable to find an verify that this procedure should be done. The stop screw is sealed from the factory and it really shouldn't be tampered with. On some early models there was a adjustment screw but we can not verify that it should be adjusted. I will forward your email to our managing editor and his editorial staff for review.

Sincerely,

Technical Research


I'll keep ya up on what they have to say for themselves.

Bill

[86VickyLX]

My Haynes Manual also says that. I have the exact same manual. It also says that it does not cover the 351 option on the Crown Vics or Grand Marqs.

[87_crown_vic]

doesnt it also state in the book about informational purposes and some other