Chrysler Repair: 96 LH: Code P1294, exhaust gas recirculation valve, exhaust gas recirculation

Question
I have a 1996 Chrysler LHS that for the past few months have been getting increasingly worse. The problems are (1) Rough/high/poor idling, (2) Incorrect Idle speed/stalling, (3) stalling and jerking when coming to a stop at traffic lights. Before I replaced my IAC valve/motor one week ago it had never cut off when I stopped at a stop light (which it did yesterday), also before I replaced my IAC valve/motor it idled at close to 4000 rpm when in park with the engine running, now it idles at 2200 at park  with the engine running .Also I want to mention that my gas peddle have been sticking for as long as I can remember (even before my engine light came on at the beginning of my idle control problems). When my engine light came on in the beginning  I had it checked for free at  AAA Auto and they just told me the code and not what might be wrong with it. The code I received was “Fault Code P1294-Target Idle Not Reached”! Not wanting to spend the $80.00 to have Pepboys tell me what may be wrong and then another fee to fix it I decided to just have the IAC valve/motor replaced. I'm behind now $105.00 because the problem still is not fixed! After some more research I was wondering could it be the “EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE”? Also Is the IAC valve/motor another name for the “throttle control valve?” If not could my problem be with/in the “THROTTLE CONTROL VALVE?” Any help would be greatly appreciated!  

Answer
Hi Jay,
The problem with the idle situation could be several other things worth checking:
The throat of the throttle body may be crudded up and that will cause it stick and give you bad running so open up the air intake to the body and clean the throat, both sides of the throttle plate and the idle air passageway on the side of the throat, with solvent. I don't believe the throttle control valve could be the same as the IAC, but really the throttle valve proper (the plate that pivots also called the butterfly) is more likely what is meant by the throttle control valve. That of course is mechanical and that is the reason I suggest that you clean it out.
The egr could certainly cause rough idle and die off when coming to a stop, if it is sticking ajar. Here is how to deal with it initially:  I would take a look at the exhaust gas recirculation valve which is located behind the engine near and slightly under the air intake/throttle valve. It is mounted in a pipe that runs between passenger side exhaust manifold and the air intake manifold. The valve is mounted horizontally and has a valve stem between its round vacuum actuator top and the body of the valve attached to the pipe, inside the flange that connects the two parts. The stem has a slot into which you can insert the tip of a flat-bladed screwdriver so as to lever the stem back and forth against spring action which should move freely and close tightly. If the stem seems to be sticky so that stem doesn't close all the way by spring action, then you can try spraying some penetrating solvent like WD-40 on the valve stem to freeup its motion.
If the valve is sticking slightly ajar it will make for a rough idle and poor acceleration such as you describe because the mixture is too dilute. It is one of the most common causes of this symptom. So see if you can find the valve and check/lubricate the stem. To check it in motion you can rev the engine from idle to 2500 rpm and back to idle and watch to see if the valve stem moves freely in both directions to the extreme open and closed positions. It may be that the interior of the valve is cruddy so that might require that it be unbolted from the pipe where it it attached and cleaned. But chances are good it will only be a sticky stem. Feel free to write back with the results and other questions you might have.
I hope both of these approaches will solve your problems with no costs.
Roland
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