Help needed: My 1995 Liberty (Legacy) starts, then dies?

[Terry in Oz]

G'Day Guys, first of all, "Terry in Oz" is my new username, I was previously registered as "Terry in Australia", but for some reason I couldn't log on today, and I need some help ASAP, so I re-registered. I haven't been active here for a year or so because my first Liberty (Legacy) has been so reliable, so I apologise for my absence, in advance.

 

Anyhoo, since I bought the old green 1995 Liberty (Legacy) FWD, I've also bought a 1994 Liberty with twin turbo Legacy engine and running gear, which I love, but my son loves it more, so he owns it now, and I just bought a minty "one owner" 1995 AWD Liberty (EJ22, Auto transmission) that I'm doing a little work on before I put it back on the road next week.

 

It was a regularly serviced car, (timing belts changed 30,000 miles ago) so apart from replacing most of the fluids (oil and filter, coolant and thermostat, brake fluid) I've replaced all 4 brake rotors and pads, as the old ones were getting a little thin. The only other problem (apart from the fuel gauge not working) has been an erratic idle, whether it's hot or cold.

 

The idle speed will jump up to 1500 RPM or so, so I thought that perhaps the MAF sensor needed a clean? I've done this before on my green Liberty and the twin turbo-beast, I had a can of MAF cleaner in my toolbox, so I gave it a good clean and reassembled it, and hit the starter. The car fired right up, the tach needle rose to around 1500 RPM, then dropped down to around 1000 RPM, then conked out. I tried again, and again and again, and still it wouldn't keep running after the initial fire-up.

 

Assuming that the MAF sensor had gone to God, I bought a shiny new(ish) reconditioned one, ($295.00, ouch!) installed it, hit the key, and......... no difference! Damn! I removed the cable plug from the MAF and it fired right up and idled at 1000 RPM, and I was able to move the car out of the carport so my wife could move her car out, but as soon as I re-connected the plug, the engine immediately stopped.

 

I don't have a code reader, nor do I know how to use one anyway, so I'm wondering if anyone here can help? Please? It really annoys me that apart from the erratic idle issue before I removed and re-fitted the MAF, it was running perfectly, and now it's pretty much a "non-runner". Thanks in advance guys, Cheers, Terry. 

[Fairtax4me]

Check all of the hoses that attach to the intake tube, make sure they're properly attached at both ends, especially the big hose to the idle control motor.

[Terry in Oz]

Thanks mate, I'll go check them all out shortly. Cheers, Terry. 

[Terry in Oz]

Well thanks to Fairtax, my little Liberty is up and running again, thanks mate! I've no idea how I missed it, but the big hose had come off the intake tube, causing a massive vacuum leak. It's all good now, but I really wish I'd noticed it before I spent 295 bucks on a new MAF! Cheers, Terry. 

Edited May 20, 2015 by Terry in Oz

[Fairtax4me]

Sorry you had to spend that and find out it wasn't the problem! That hose is difficult to see sometimes and almost always the cause of this start-stall problem.

[Terry in Oz]

Yes mate, I'm constantly learning new things about these wonderful cars, I was just looking at a u tube clip of someone cleaning out the idle control motor to fix the erratic idle, that might be my next job! Cheers, Terry.   

[alpop]

I had the erratic idle and it actually threw an "abnormally high idle" code a few times, removed the IAC valve and it was all black in there, cleaned up the IAC valve and the idle air passages in the throttle body and so far so good!

 

From what I've seen those darn IAC Valves are awfully expensive, much cheaper solution (can of throttle body cleaner).

[Terry in Oz]

I saw a utube clip of a guy emptying a bottle of Seafoam into his IAC valve with the engine running, is this recommended? I'd rather not remove the IAC if I don't have to? Cheers, Terry. 

 

[Fairtax4me]

Its difficult to keep the engine running with the IAC hose disconnected, more-so when you're pouring in a liquid that alters the combustibility of the fuel going in.

 

Easier way.

Can of throttle body cleaner. Get the kind with the plastic straw. Pull the IAC hose off of the intake tube, stick the straw in about an inch then slip the end of the hose back onto the nub on the intake tube. Now you can start the engine and it will stay running normally. Maneuver the can so you can connect the straw to the nozzle and spray the cleaner a couple shots at a time into the IAC. Use your left hand to spray and your right hand to work the throttle lever to keep the engine running, and to cause the IAC valve to open and close as you spray in the cleaner.

[Terry in Oz]

Oh, OK, that makes sense, I wondered as I watched that vid how the Seafoam could completely clean the valve without it rotating. I ordered some Seafoam (it's hard to find here, and expensive) but I'll keep it for future use, and just use some throttle body cleaner for this job. Thanks again for your help mate, much appreciated! Cheers, Terry.