(I will try to put up a video on YouTube for a better view of the problems) as the title suggests, i have 3-4 anoying small problems with my 1991 5.0 (fairlane) in my te cortina, 1st, the worst one is the alternator is tempermentle it charges fine one day and then the next nothing! i dont know if it could relate to one of the other problems witch is a short at the battery, with the key off you get the tinyest arc every now and then (if youre touching it on and off) but when the key is on the arc is much bigger! about 3-4mm ive searched and searched but i cant find the problem! and the other one is idle hang when you start it idles at about 1500rpm then will drop down to 1000rpm after about 15 seconds then will finaly drop to idle 700rpm, but when you rev it the idle will hang at 1000rpm for about 4-5 seconds ive adjusted iac but not the tps, as i dont have acces to a multimeter at the moment!

i have done my research and i couldnt find most of the things i wanted to know, or not clearly so i thought i'd kill 4 birds with one stone! sorry if it sounds stupid, im 16 so im new to these engines! ido have mechanical knowledge!

Whats the IAC like inside, very dirty or clean. They can play up. But its probably not that.

Its clean inside, maybeits sticking? Recently its started a problem as you have it say 2000rpm and you wot it it misses really bad almost to point where it wont gain any more rpm ill have to try a tinning light, I've got a video being uploaded now but the sounds very shotty.

i just pulled it apart and it clean the needle moves freely but the solenoid sleeve does not move? i tried pulling it in/out, started the engine (holes blocked off) and butterfly closed to a point where the engine is about 300 rpm or so, reved it reved fine, no hang at all so im probably looking a new iac.. can you buy the solenoid its self?

Try www.rockauto.com. The one I got was from a 91 Crown Vic, the Mustang ones are a little different, and the Crown Vic one was exactly the same as ours. They are fairly cheap too.

Alternator brushes fail, and can be ordered from USA for $notto much - I ordered 2 sets. Unfortunately my alternator appears to have dropped a winding too.

Most parts are available for those alternators if you look - I can go looking for the link but dont have it here. Consider too using the EF/EL (must be V8) Alternator - More reliable, higher current (110 or 100a)

thanks! ill have a look, i got a working (second hand) IAC and it still hangs like crazy on start up, what else could it be?

How many times phased it been started now? It's normal for an ecu that hasn't been through the learn cycles. Could also be temp sensor. My be holds idle higher than my el for longer when cold. It also gets better after driving it a few good times

Nigel

by phased you mean setting the idle? which temp senser would possibly be the trouble? thanks

sorry to ask again (i asked in another thread) but the speedo on my corty is out 7 k and its a cable drive, is there a gear that can set it back about 7k? or will putting 18s on would do it? what wall height did the fg "biohazard" (im sure thats what you call them) come out with? eg 225's?

225's sounds hell skinny. 245 probably on the money.

ah thats rite, the wall changes as the rim gets bigger ive got 235's on 17s.. alright thanks!

Wall height is calculated by the profile, ie: 60 profile = 60% of tread width.

205 65 15 = 205 width x 133.25 wall height

235 45 17 = 235 width x 105.75 wall height

etc etc

You're rev hang is more then Likly the base idle set wrong, could be a small vacuum leak or the acc cable sticking a bit, the ISC can compinsate for these things to bring the idle back down a little.

thank you SWC, and pakrat, the isc, idle someing something? ill try and reset base idle, what would you recomend? i was thinking something like 750rpm.. it has no A/C or power steering to worry about powering..