Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve

chrisghz

CLEANING THE INLET CONTROL VALVE/ THROTTLE/ IDLE CONTROL/ BUTTERFLY VALVE

SYMPTOMS
Unsteady and too low idle rpm cycling between 700 to 500rpm. No power at tickover as engine is struggling and it's easy to stall. You put the aircon on just to bump up the tickover a bit. Tricky to put on a small amount of gas, nothing happens and then a sudden surge of power, noticeably tricky to accelerate smoothly from low revs.
In a nutshell, it affects rpm from 500-1200rpm range

THE CAUSE
Gunge has built up in and around the idle control valve, a butterfly flap in the air inlet controlling the amount of air entering the engine. It causes the flap to stick when the flap is nearly closed i.e. near the idle position and when the throttle actuator tries to move it the very fine amounts needed to attain a steady idle it struggles against the resistance

WHEN IT HAPPENS
Anytime after 30k miles depending on your environment. Shouldn’t affect people on low mileage so much

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY
Really easy on the 1.6, other variants should be similar

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Once you’ve removed the top engine cover, the inlet control valve is real easy to find, right on top of the engine. Just back off the air inlet tube securing clip.

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Right angled circlip pliers work well but you can improvise how to release the catch.

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Pull back the tube and then swing it out of the way for access to the butterfly valve. Best to use a cloth to clean the valve area rather than kitchen roll so you don’t lose bits and almost any cleaner like WD40 will do.
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Push the flap carefully open and clean especially around where the flap lies when it’s closed. Watch your fingers though

RESULTS
Afterwards, you should get a rock steady tick over of around 700rpm , noticably easier setting of small amounts of gas, even easier smooth gearchange, less stalling, in fact all round a very much nicer and easier drive at low revs

Athos · 16-11-2006

A very well done guide!

Nice job Deckchair5 and very helpul for many people with out the slightest idea of where this valve is located.

Big Drunk · 20-11-2006

THANK YOU!! I had to sign up just t express my appreciation for this info. I drive on the M25 and my car had got to the point where it wouldnt idle at all. Imagine that in heavy traffic, nightmare. The car now idles perfectly, its like a new motor. All thanks to this thread. Cheers!

killyourmama · 20-11-2006

First class, so easy and so damned effective! Kudos!

Nick68 · 03-12-2006

Thank you so much. I have been struggling to get to the bottom of my stilo's stalling problems for weeks. In desperation found this web site and your excellant advice. It worked a treat the car is 100% better after following your advice.

Muki · 07-12-2006

Bravo Deckchair5!

I did it and motor is very very grateful!

Simply and effective! Something what normal service doesn't do, it's not their level!

I'm on LPG, the difference is maybe more effective.

Grateful !!!!!

Deckchair5 · 03-03-2007

Glad it worked for you!

sheriff_stetchers · 28-03-2007

Cheers dude!
My engine kept cutting out and coming up with engine fault - garage said it was a MAP sensor error, I was goin mad cleanin all the filters out but it still kept happening!
Saw your guide and low and behold I opened up the TB and it was black with grime!!! Clean and shiny now and it has transformed the car!!!
Nice one!

Ihatemyfiat · 29-03-2007

I have had the stalling problem for a while now and was about to take into a dealership to get it sorted.
Having read other peoples similar problems and horror stories of dealerships not being able to isolate the problem and using what seems like guesswork at the stilo owners expense, I was of course concerned. (no offense. I'm sure there are some good ones out there)

I have never touched an engine before but thought I would give this a try. Took me 20 minutes. Drove to work today and didnt stall once. Recently the same journey I would stall at least 5 times.

Just need to get my power steering fixed and sort out the misfire now.

THANKYOU

Brendan. Nelson · 21-09-2007

Originally Posted by sheriff_stetchers

Cheers dude!
My engine kept cutting out and coming up with engine fault - garage said it was a MAP sensor error, I was goin mad cleanin all the filters out but it still kept happening!
Saw your guide and low and behold I opened up the TB and it was black with grime!!! Clean and shiny now and it has transformed the car!!!
Nice one!

I came on to the forum to see if there was any mention of the problem that I have been having with a 1.6 Stilo Multiwagon. From the description of your problem, it sounds like you had a similar problem. After getting the Lambda sensor changed and cat flushed, the car kept dying on me. The car would idle but I would lose use of the accelorator. I would pull in, turn off the engine, wait a few seconds, restart and all would be fine again for another while. On occasion when it happened the engine would hunt (rev up and dowm) like an old truck or tractor and cut out. The problem usually occured if I was changing down and did not go into low enough a gear.
The "Engine Fault" light was constantly on. The diagnostic showed a MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor fault. The garage flushed the manifold in case the sensor was clogged. This worked for about 3 weeks. I changed the MAP sensor to no avail. The garage, after consultation with FIAT tightened some pins in a connector. No luck.
Are the symptoms that I have described similar to those that you experienced.

Deckchair5 · 25-09-2007

An unsteady tickover and dying- then yes. Give it a try anyway, it's easy, takes 5mins and will do no harm provided you're careful. What have you got to lose?

tomasipaolo · 30-09-2007

Big thank you! It does really work...

Paolo Tomasi

minimad99 · 02-10-2007

Is this just for petrols or does the JTD have the same type of control valve?

kmb · 05-10-2007

anyone have a idea where this is on the 1.2 2003 model?

Cant seem to locate!!

Regards,

Kieran

famousgrouse · 25-10-2007

Been in the garage 3 times to fix it, each time they clear the fault on the ecu and tell me "all is well". All was not well each time!

Cleaned the inlet valve it sorted the problem! Cheers!!!

16-11-2006	#1
Athos Get Your Own Title Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SLP Posts: 254 Thanks: 0 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve A very well done guide! Nice job Deckchair5 and very helpul for many people with out the slightest idea of where this valve is located. __________________ *PERMAGRIM CLUB*
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20-11-2006	#3
killyourmama Hasta la victoria siempre Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow toon Posts: 188 Thanks: 1 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve First class, so easy and so damned effective! Kudos! __________________ Stilo 2005/6; GP 2008/9; Sei Sporting 2009/10 Its only a matter of time until the next one...
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07-12-2006	#5
Muki Muki Join Date: May 2006 Location: Zagreb Posts: 94 Thanks: 4 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve Bravo Deckchair5! I did it and motor is very very grateful! Simply and effective! Something what normal service doesn't do, it's not their level! I'm on LPG, the difference is maybe more effective. Grateful !!!!! __________________ Stiloman
	Quote

03-03-2007	#6
Deckchair5 Whaddya mean too old? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Roman city Bath Posts: 5,589 Thanks: 688 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve Glad it worked for you! __________________ 02 Stilo 1.6 Dynamic 3 door 99 Bravo 1.2SX
	Quote

28-03-2007	#7
sheriff_stetchers Get Your Own Title Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: covo! Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve Cheers dude! My engine kept cutting out and coming up with engine fault - garage said it was a MAP sensor error, I was goin mad cleanin all the filters out but it still kept happening! Saw your guide and low and behold I opened up the TB and it was black with grime!!! Clean and shiny now and it has transformed the car!!! Nice one! __________________ Ex brava owner, 1.2 full induction kit and manifold + exhuast system, 16" rims, and custom interior (RIP) Fiat Stilo 3dr, in blue bog standard (atm, haha!)
	Quote

25-09-2007	#10
Deckchair5 Whaddya mean too old? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Roman city Bath Posts: 5,589 Thanks: 688 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve An unsteady tickover and dying- then yes. Give it a try anyway, it's easy, takes 5mins and will do no harm provided you're careful. What have you got to lose? __________________ 02 Stilo 1.6 Dynamic 3 door 99 Bravo 1.2SX
	Quote

02-10-2007	#12
minimad99 Driver Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Rustington, West Sussex Posts: 1,085 Thanks: 35 Trader Rating: 0	Re: Cleaning Your Inlet Control Valve Is this just for petrols or does the JTD have the same type of control valve? __________________ 3 Door Sprint Blue JTD with Skyroof, 17 inch Fox R1 alloys, -30mm Eibach Springs Boge Turbo shocks, OMP Strutbrace, RED.DOT 6 Grooved discs front and rear with fast road pads RED.DOT RACING TUNED - to 153BHP / 201FTLB TORQUE
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