how to clean the IAC on a 02 firebird?

[larryndog]

how do i clean the IAC on a 02 firebird.... photos would help

[ninobrn99]

what do u need to clean the iac for? are you sure its the iac you need to clean? its a sensor/motor on the TB. im pretty sure its the bigger of the two sensors on the TB. Id use a qtip and alcohol to clean the contacts.

[sunsetorangess]

I didnt know they could be cleaned.. Ill ask the question why do you want too clean it?
J

[Breadfan]

Yes IAC's can be cleaned. Don't confuse them with the MAF which yes you'd use something like isopropyl alchohol and a q-tip to clean.

The IAC is on the side of the throttle body just above the TPS. It has a silver round cylinder look to it with an electrical connector on the back.

It's held on with two torx screws and has an o-ring. Remove the bolts and the electrical connector and it comes out real easy. Carefully take the o-ring off, don't lose it, but remember how it goes on.

IAC is basically a motorized valve that adjusts a secondary airflow through the throttle body. It helps keep a stable and good idle.

They get very dirty over time, mainly looking like carbon buildup. Just like the TB gets dirty, so does the IAC.

I clean them simply by spraying them with carb cleaner or electrical contact cleaner from CRC (available at any auto parts store.) Basically what you'll see is a plunger/valve sort of thing. Just spary all the deposits off it. There are no contacts the need cleaning on the IAC.

The IAC is the upper sensor on the TB, the lower one is the TPS, do not disturb it.

You'll be surprised how much junk is on it, especially with high miles.

Usually you don't think about it until it's a problem. Soemtimes I've seen them so dirty the jam up. People often replace IAC's when they only need a few seconds of cleaning.

He wants to clean it becuase he's indicating he has as surging idle and that the engine is staying revved for a few seconds when he revs it. That may very well be a dirty IAC.

Typically when I do something like this as maintenance I clean the MAF, IAC, throttle body, and reset the TPS to the correct voltage though on the LS1 I do not know what the TPS volts should be or if they are adjustable.

I'm sorry, I do not have pics. If someone has a good engine shot with the intake tube and thorttle body I can edit it to point to all these sensors.

My camera is at someone's house right now so I can't do pics just yet, sorry!

If anyone is interested could go ahead and take some pics and writeup someting for doing basic maintenance on the intake from air cleaner to throttle body. I just did this on my dad's '99 SS which was running rough and surging at part throttle under load. Now it runs awesome with only 20 minutes of work and no cost in parts.

[ninobrn99]

off topic, but are you alson on grandamgt.com? great info btw..
Nino

[Breadfan]

off topic, but are you alson on grandamgt.com? great info btw..
Nino

Yup, don't post there much anymore, infact haven't visited in awhile. I used to have a 2001 Grand Am GT but traded it in for my Marauder just over a year ago.

My Grand Am had 90k when I traded it in, no real major issues though the LIM was starting to leak externally a bit. My sister got a 2002 and it was a real lemon sad to say. Her LIM went twice in 50k miles, first time under warranty second time they wouldn't cover it without a fight so I just did it for her. She had alot of passlock issues, a few no starts, and a cracked radiator. I do wonder how much of that had to do with the differences in how we cared for each car...

[ninobrn99]

ok, i was gonna get those LIM gaskets from ya, but found them pretty cheap from our sponsors I HATE MY GA!! i wish the damn thing would burn!

[Breadfan]

ok, i was gonna get those LIM gaskets from ya, but found them pretty cheap from our sponsors I HATE MY GA!! i wish the damn thing would burn!

Wow, small world. Oddly enough I still thave them sitting in a box, I should pop on their and hand them off to someone who needs them. At this point I've had them over a year and a half. Bought two sets when I did my sisters car figuring I'd need them eventually.