A little misconception regarding function of idle control valve.

Whenever a cold engine is started it requires a rich mixture and a little more than normal throttle opening to keep running.

On carb cars, there was the choke blade and the fast idle cam.

On FI cars, there's the extra injector or a computer program to create rich running and there's the idle control valve to bypass a little more air, i.e. creating same effect as a fast idle cam but not actually opening the normal throttle blade. These are both controlled/monitored by an engine temperature sensor input to computer.

Not much action from idle control valve once engine's warmed up, except that it's supposed to be closed. It indeed "controls idle" during engine warmup, but after that it doesn't do anything.

In the mornings when my engine is cold...for about 5-10 seconds I do not have a misfire then it slowly gets worse for the next 10 seconds before it feels the same as when it is warm. Could there be a possibility that the valve is not closing when it should be? Would that be considered a vacuum leak? (I have had the car smoke tested and I have no visible vacuum leaks at all.

If the valve was not closing then you'd just have a high (but not misfiring) idle....around 1500ish....

Okay that's ruled that out then. Thanks!

Did you ever check for trouble codes?

No trouble codes....only trouble code I have ever had in the last 4 years and 30k miles has been an altitude correction capsule which I replaced with one from the junkyard...unfortunately not my misfire, but codes are clean now.

I heard that the EZL has trouble codes stored? Is that true?

Later EZLs have a DTC readout but not in 88. You are aware that in 89 Mb changed the camshaft profile for a smother idling engine. There very well may be nothing wrong with your car as the early cams are known to idle a little rougher than the new profile cams.

Personaly I think the early cam has the potential to make better power than the later cam. If I remember correctly the early cam has a smidge more duration that they took away from the later cams. I'm going to do the head in my 90TE soon and I'm going to pull the cam and rockers out of my 92TE parts car b/c it has an 89engine in it. I've done a lot of work to my 90 but it still just doesn't pull down low like the one with the 89 engine in it did.... not even close, really. I've chased and fixed a lot of demons in the 90TE but I think that the weak low end is the later style cam. I've got several mods happening when I do the head on my 90 so a stronger engine won't prove my point but if it is still weak down low then it will at least disprove it and I can keep looking for my low end power.

You can check the potentiometer through the instructions detailed on this site: http://sg-motorsports.com/AFS%20Pot%20write-up.htm

Mine was bad, and I had to replace the whole air flow sensor though because I couldn't find the potentiometer separately. It solved my idling issues but my misfiring issues were resolved through other means. I had to do new plugs / wires / rotor / cap, EZL ignition module (pulling the vacuum line on it, you should be able to hear the air flow), and the last piece was my #5 injector was a little loose and that cylinder was choking up. Found that by pulling all plugs and then realized that the injector was loose.

Don't think the M103 has a TPS, but there is a microswitch for idle. You can see it with the air cleaner off, towards the firewall. $25 cheap replacement. This is more for controlling idle speed rather than any misfiring issues though I think...

Good luck.

Is it a "Real misfire" or a rough idle? There is a difference......a real misfire would rob the engine of power and you'd have a fouled plug(s) and get terrible MPG's.....

Does it misfire all the way through the RPM range?

Rough idle then. Does not misfire through RPM range. I get terrible MPG (15mpg average 50% F/W 50% City), Plugs look fine. I am robbed of about ~40HP according to iWrock when I let him drive my car.

Great link on the potentiometer. Thanks. It is on for replacement though...so I am only checking:
Just make sure its set at the correct voltage?

It's an actual rough idle...not normal. I can hear the engine surging rhythmically along with very poor power and MPG as above. It's not normal when the whole car shakes. My visor shakes all over the place some times.


---

Also my mixture is tough to get right. I can never get the idle and 2000rpm to be within 10% of each other. I currently have the idle set to ~45% but after I rev to 2000rpm it sits at ~60%. Any thoughts on that? From what I understand, it should be within 10% of each other.

the idle control valve will not cause a misfire.....

[QUOTE=ps2cho;2120255
Fighting an idle misfire.
[/QUOTE]

You stated that you checked the spark plug wires for arcing. Did you check them in pitch dark, if possible?

Another misfire thread:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=162549&highlight=fuel+accumulator

The M103 does have the air flap position sensor. The throttle has fully closed and fully open switches.

Yes I checked it at night with a spray bottle. I wasn't expecting to see any arching with brand new wires.

I will check the fuel accumulator tomorrow as well.

----

Any thoughts on the mixture problem? It clearly states in the MB CD's that idle to 2500RPM must not differ by more than 10%....Mine differs by 15%. What could be causing this?

I have a question: Why does the car stall after I disconnect then reconnect the ICV? (electrically that is)