IAC valve on a Ford F-150 requires regular cleaning and maintenance otherwise;, you have to replace it frequently.
How to Clean IAC Valve on Ford F-150? To clean the IAC valve on Ford F-150, turn off the engine, access the valve, and detach the electric wiring. Next, use a brake cleaner and spray it on the holes and clean the IAC valve. Finally, rearrange every removed equipment and turn on the engine.
How to Clean IAC Valve on Ford F-150?
I have added 7 easy steps to replace or clean the IAC valve on your Ford F-150. But, first, you should locate this valve on your truck.
Location of the IAC Valve on Ford F-150
The IAC valve is present below the black throttle body cover. This cover is held using three bolts.
Basically, the idle air valve is connected with the throttle body, which is connected to the engine. Two cables coming from the engine are usually attached to the valve.
Whenever you notice the signs mentioned below in your truck, you should know that your IAC valve needs cleaning.
You do not need to it to a professional for the cleaning of the pipe. Instead, you can clean the valve with a few easy steps.
Turn off its engine
First of all, if your vehicle is running, you need to find a safe parking spot and then turn OFF the engine.
After that, lift its bonnet and remove the throttle body. It is a large black cover that is present around its corners. Next, use screwdrivers to open the screws of the black body.
Locate the IAC valve on the Ford F-150, which is about 2 to 3 inches long. Aluminum material is present in the valve. It is close to the throttle body and has two bolts for holding it tight to its position.
You can use a wrench to remove the bolts. However, it would be best if you kept bolts and screwdrivers in a safe place so you can easily access them whenever needed.
Remove its wires
IAC also has some wires connected to it. It would be best if you unplugged them for your safety. In some models of Ford F150, you need to remove the valve from underneath the vehicle.
Clean the valve with spray cleaner
Cleaning is an important part that needs specific precautionary steps. You should wear plastic gloves and glasses.
Under the IAC, there are two holes present. The air passes through these holes. You should see whether there is any dirt stuck inside or not.
You can either use a brake cleaner spray or fast air coming out of a nozzle for cleaning.
Be very careful while spraying the holes because the spray contains many chemical agents that may cause dangerous reactions in your body.
After spraying the nozzle, wait for 2 to 3 minutes and see inside the two holes. There should not be any dust particles now.
When you see that no particles are present and proper cleaning is done, you should start putting all the components back.
Place the pipe on its previous position and again, with the help of a wrench, tight both the bolts. Try to fix the bolts tightly.
Now plug the wires with the pipe again and check whether there are any loose ends or not. Replace the wire if it is in poor condition.
Once it is connected, now place the black cover on it. Next, pick the screws, place them in their holes and tight them using screwdrivers.
Check all its parts
Recheck that all your components are placed at their required spot or not. Then, put down the bonnet of the Ford F150 gently.
Enter in your truck, and now try to start the engine using your keys. Two conditions can happen. It will start running, or the engine might not start.
Test drive it for about 10 minutes; if the RPM does not fluctuate or the engine does not stop, it means the pipe is clean now.
On the other hand, if the vehicle does not start or turns ON but starts stalling, this means the problem is still there. Replace the pipe; otherwise, you will keep having trouble with your engine’s RPM and speed.
What are the symptoms of a bad idle air control valve?
Just like any other component in a vehicle, idle air control is not a fail-proof part. As a result, it can sometimes get dirty, or it may start producing noise.
However, you can learn about its symptoms and can make sure nothing like that happens with you ever.
Following are some signs that show your idle air control pipe either needs repairing or proper cleaning should be done.
Fluctuating RPM
When your engine is ON, but your vehicle is in an idle state, then your RPM will go above 1000 and below 900 in no time.
This fluctuation will only happen in an inactive state. However, it will keep on fluctuating, and it may cause other problems as well.
It shows that there is some problem with your IAC pipe. Therefore, you should not waste any time and take it to a professional.
Sudden Stopping of the Engine
In an early stage, your truck will start stalling randomly. There may be many reasons for a machine to slow down, but a poor idle air control pipe may also cause this condition.
First, it will be slow, but then it will start to stall frequently. You will get annoyed by this condition if you do not fix it in time.
Valve Getting Clogged
When air goes into the IAC valve, big dust particles or other items can enter the valve.
These items get stuck with the inner walls of the valve and disturb its functioning. The jammed valve causes many internal issues as well.
Failing to Start theEngine
When you try to turn the truck ON, it will not work as the valve is jammed and not enough air is going inside.
Sometimes it may start, but the engine will die instantly, indicating that there might be some problem with your IAC pipe.
Warning Light of Engine
The warning light will start to blink, or the ECU will turn it ON. Anything connected to the engine causing an issue will make the ECU activate the light.
When the light turns ON, you should stop the vehicle and check for any problems. It is a rare condition, and sometimes it might not happen. However, you should not ignore the warning light.
How much does it cost to clean the IAC valve?
You require a brake cleaner spray that may cost you around $20 for cleaning.
You may need extra bolts or screws in case the old ones get rusted. You can get many bolts and screws in one dollar.
The average cost of cleaning the idle air control pipe is between $35 to $45 if you do it yourself.
Similarly, if you need to replace the IAC pipe, then the average cost of replacing it may vary from $70 to $600, depending upon the market price of the components you need.
A professional would charge you around $110for replacing or repairing its pipe.
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