1994 Ford Explorer 1994 Explorer Rough Engine Idle While Co

Tiny
JOEBEME
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 128,000 MILES
My daughter's 94 Explorer has a very rough idle when the engine is cold. The engine seems to shudder and reminds me of a vacuum loss problem that I fixed due to a split vaccum hose. This happens only when the car is cold and idling at a stop but when the moving and cold, the shudder is not present. When the engine warms up to normal operating temperature the rough idle is completely gone, even at idle.

I don't see or hear any vacuum leaks. I just took it to a mechanic and it was idling rough when I got there and smoothed out because the car's engine reached operating temperature as he was looking at it. Even though the car was no longer idling rough, the mechanic told me that I had a bad intake manifold gasket. I am not sure how he can to this conclusion as all he did was to spray carburator cleaner along the intake manifold perimeter. If the gasket was leaking, wouldn't it always idle rough regardless of engine temperature? What do you think may be the root cause of the rough engine idle only when the car is not at its normal perating engine temperature?
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 AT 7:55 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
He spayed the carb cleaner to find a vacuum leak, as the block heats up, small leaks can be partially or tottlay sealed with the expanding parts, can also be caused by a poor performing ECT(Engine coolant temp sensor) or IAC(idle air control). These can by slightly out of range and not set a code. Is your check engine light comming on?
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009 AT 2:54 AM
Tiny
JOEBEME
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
The check engine light does not come on.
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009 AT 7:57 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Either of the sensors can be slightly out of range and not set a code, use the spray with engine cold, see if idle changes when the intake area is sprayed, if it does, there is a leak, if no change try the ECT, they are cheap at about 20.00 dollars.
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Saturday, December 19th, 2009 AT 2:19 PM

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