Cold start + Gas + 3 mins = Working Car

[Grnarowana]

Hey Guys,

I have a question about a Toyota, but not a Solara. My buddy has a 1994 Camry and that thing runs like crap when it's cold. The car won't idle unless we give it gas for about 3 mins. If we don't give it gas and crank, it'll immediately die. We've been doing this for a year now and I'm curious - what's wrong with the car?

[Midias]

I would check the IAC it controls the fast idle circuit. Take it off and clean it with throttlebody cleaner.

[pwizzle]

I've had that same problem awhile ago. I turn off the car but leave the keys in the 'On' position. Then I just listen to the radio or something and then after a few minutes or so I take the keys out and go somewhere. When I come back after maybe a few hours and start the car, it would crank but would immediately die out. After awhile, I figured it out and just revved it up to about 2k rpms right after cranking the car and let it warm up for about a minute or so until I can ease my foot off the gas and it'll idle just under 1k rpms.

Is that what your friend experiences? If so, I would tell him to not do that because it's embarrassing especially in a public parking lot.

[KILLA CAM]

I would say it's 97% likely it's the Idle Air Control. I just had to replace mine. Very easy fix.

[Midias]

I would also clean the MAF pwizzle it may help. As for cleaning the IAC I tried to clean my wife's with the throttle body on and it did not seem to make a difference but cleaning it completely removed was night and day. She had no cold weather fast idle before the cleaning and now her car idles normally.

[Jai_Jai_Binks]

Rather than just replace teh IAC, have you first tried "CLEANING" the bugger out with throttlebody cleaner? (just like the first reply said, its cheap and at least you know if this helps).