PDXLex

As the title states, I have a 1997 ES300 with 204,000 miles, which has caused me absolutely no trouble over the past 20,000 miles I've owned it. Normally when I turn the key it fires right up to about 700-800 RPM's and you can barely even tell the engine is running. Beginning yesterday, the car feels like it is ready to quit and idles around 200-300 RPM's slightly sputtering. Once acceleration is applied, the car runs smooth as silk with full power. However, as soon as the car is returned to idle it still remains rough and low and close to quitting. I've done nothing to the car in the past few days and it has plenty of fuel in the tank. I know there's a multitude of possibilities here, but anyone have any thoughts/ideas/suggestion? Thanks in advance.

PlatES300

iTrader: (1)

probably need to clean the idle air control valve if it's never been done before. common problem on the 3rd gen ES.

decypher

and change the PCV valve (cheap, quick and painless)

PDXLex

Thanks PlatES300! I stopped by a local mechanic and he suggested I clean the Mass Air Flow Sensor, so I snagged a can of mass air flow sensor cleaner.

Thanks decypher! I'll look into this as well. Unfortunately, this problem has been rather intermittent. The car ran fine when I brough it by the mechanic today (go figure).

angmedic91

iTrader: (5)

I agree with PlatES300, I think its your IACV, the carbon build up can prevent it from opening and closing right or it could be the magnetic valve it self not working properly. When the car is idling and foot off the gas pedal the valve allows airflow thru the throttle body into the intake to allow it to idle properly, but if the valve remains closed or stuck, it then doesnt allow enough air into the intake which would cause bad idling.

Charlese

I would check ignition coils and make sure your catalytic converter isn't clogged . I was having the same issue with my Lexus and it I replaced my egr and it continued the same thing my issue was my springs were loose in my ignition coils

285exp

Hopefully it didn't take him 4 years to figure it out.

310WLA

Has anyone tried putting in a IACV from a camry or avalon part # 22270-20060, Into a es300 with vvt? Does it work properly?

LeX2K

That part does not cross reference to the ES300 so it must be different, Toyota/Lexus never (in my experience) list parts that are not compatible or have the identical part with two different numbers (unless the number changes up).

310WLA

Yeah I noticed that the part number comes up exclusively for the avalon and camry. Wanted to see if there was a brave soul that attempted it. With good results. One thing I did notice on the oem's besides both being made by Aisan. The Avalon one is made in the USA, the es300 version comes from Japan.