1999 Venture Van Stalls with Low Idle

ronatola

1999 Venture Van Stalls with Low Idle

Unread post by ronatola » Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:13 pm

Hello all. I have a 1999 Venture Van.
The engine has a low idle and stalls when stopped/parked after driving on the highway for 10 minutes or longer. Whenever I drive it to the train station in the morning to go to work, it dies as soon as I park it. I drive 10 minutes on the highway.
The engine light is on, but goes off sometimes for months before coming on again. I've brought it to at least 3 mechanics and they can't get the light to stay permanently off, and say to just drive as-is.
But that still leaves me with the low idling problem.
This has been going on for 4 years now. It doesn't always stall, but the potential is always there, as you can hear the low rpms threatening.
In 2007 I had the engine light interpreted as P0122 TP SENSOR CIRCUIT LOW. The mechanic replaced the Throttle Positioning Sensor.
Engine light came on again 2010. Mechanic did a Computer system check/smoke test. Diagnosed a Leak in evap system so they installed a new gas cap and vent valve. 2 months later, engine light went on again. Mechanic said fuel line leak and replaced it. 1 month later light is on again, and low idling persists. I put alot of $ into the problem with no solution.
Some mechanics say the engine light has no relation to the low idling.
Help please. Wife wants me to get rid of it, but the Van is in great condition except the low idling/stalling problem.
I don't care if the light stays on, as long as the low idling/stalling stops.
Can't I just instruct a mechanic to increase the idle rpm?
Any ideas?

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butchkaz
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Re: 1999 Venture Van Stalls with Low Idle

Unread post by butchkaz » Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:42 pm

First of all, no you cannot just increase the idle as with older cars. The idle is controlled by the Idle Air Control Vavle (IAC). Which brings me to this... that valve may be faulty. Or just full of carbon. Another possibility that is very common is the the whole throttle bore and plate is full of carbon. A good cleaning usually will fix that idle problem. Since you did not tell us the code stored now, you could have that TPS code back. Either the sensor has gone bad again, or there is a wiring connector problem at the sensor. A little tug on each wire at the connector may cause one to break.
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