Thread: Fixed A/c now have high idle issues :-/

For a while my A/c wasn't working due to a leaking condenser. I replaced the condenser and had it recharged and everything was working fine. Later that night I got on the car a little bit all while enjoying the cool breeze from the A/c . The next morning I started it up and it's idling at 2,000 RPM. The first thing I thought was the throttle cable was stuck so I pulled back on the gas pedal but it didn't change anything.

Once the car warms up the idle will drop to about 1100 RPM. It will drive fine until I get to a stop sign or light and then the rpm will bounce up at down at around 2000-2500 RPM (kind of like a TPS issue). If I pull back on the gas pedal the rpm will drop and will stop bouncing.

Once I start driving again and come to another light it will idle fine and at around 1000 RPM with the A/C on.

Anyone have this issue? It's weird that it would just happen out of the blue like this especially since it's been years since I messed with the TPS and Throttle cables.

sure your throttle cable isn't stuck in some awkward place underneath the hood? it's happened to me more than once.. lol

or ya got a wicked intake leak past the throttle body.

The AC will increase the idle slightly when it's on, BTW.

I know the A/C will normall increase the idle by a few hundred RPM but not by this much. I don't think the cable is stuck because the problem will randomly start happening. I drove it all night again and it was fine until I hit one light and the rpm started bouncing again. Once I spooled the turbo a bit and came to the next light the bouncing went away

It's driving me crazy!

The IACV-FICD might be bad. try a new IACV or clean the one you have. Does it only do it with the AC? Also maybe the compressor is starting to go bad and causing too much load on the engine.

Check for vacuum leaks before you try to get the IACV off. Could be either, but the IACV is a bit of a pain to get off (worse to get on). Try to isolate whether it is only doing this with the a/c on or not.

I took out my IACV to clean it but it was pretty clean and didn't have much build up if any. I also checked the butterfly flap on the throttle body but that was clean also. Those two checked out so I started messing with the throttle opener and BAM!

The issue I was having was with the throttle opener on the throttle body. It was basically getting stuck. I adjusted the little screw on the opener by backing it out all the way and the idle instantly dropped.

The car feels great and idles around 1000 RPM with the a/c on. I also noticed my throttle response is back again!

BTW quick tip to check if the IACV is working properly is to pull the valve off the motor and turn the ignition on and the valve should be extended. Once the ignition is off it should retract.