Hey guys this is my first post to the site. Been checking the site out as a guest for a while.

Anyway, I have a '98 F-150, 4.6 ltr, auto, 2wd with about 40,000 miles. The problem I have had come up a couple of times in the last month is the truck will not idle after sitting a few hours (after a short drive to work). The only way I can keep it running is to hold the accelerator down slightly, and hold it while I shift it into gear. After about 5 min. of driving having to hold the accelerator down at every stoplight to keep it running, the problem seemed to go away. Anyone else have a problem like this, and if so how did you solve it?

Thanks
F-150 in Bama

 

Sounds like the idle air control valve.

 

in the Heart of Dixie!: What V10 said. Take it(tomato paste size shiny, tin-colored 'can' bolted to the intake adaptor--near the throttle body) off and flush it out with brake or carb cleaner. Shake it and see if the internal valve will swing back and forth freely--flush it out again. Install it and see if it's any better.

If cleaning doesn't help or help's a little, then replace it--about $50 from Ford.

Dan