I'm still trying to figure out my idle situation, when I remembered something about my IACV while cleaning it out. It was VERY hard to move the plunger part (look below) in and out, and it would travel only like a cm at most (off the top of my head - it's been awhile).
How much travel should this thing have?
How hard should it be to push in and out?
And finally, if this was malfuctioning, would this cause idle problems (bad dips when coasting)?
Thanks for the help,
Lou
Oh, here's the picture:

 

Ive got a 96 Max, and cleaned the IACV yesterday. Mine didn't look like this picture. I didn't see any plunger - just a metal cap shaped thing witha couple of holes in the side edge of the cap. Plus mine had a sensor on top like this picture, plus one on each side. Now I was to find a picture of what mine is supposed to look like if it doesn't look like your picture.

 

Ive got a 96 Max, and cleaned the IACV yesterday. Mine didn't look like this picture. I didn't see any plunger - just a metal cap shaped thing witha couple of holes in the side edge of the cap. Plus mine had a sensor on top like this picture, plus one on each side. Now I want to find a picture of what mine is supposed to look like if it doesn't look like your picture.

 

Bump - that picture shows the INSIDE of the IACV, taking the 2 screws off and pulling it off exposes this part. The two hexagonal "towers" also unscrew and expose more to clean.

 

hey i cleaned it too.... dont even bother taking apart its clean in there...at least it was in my car (94k) let me know what happens with the idle

 

Duh....thanks, I'll go in again and check it out. Mine is likely to be funky - 146,000 miles. thanks.

 

No one? Oh well, I'm throwing the IACV from my parent's Max into my car tomorrow to see if the idle situation goes away. If it does, then it's time to hit the junkyards.

 

i dont think you are supposed to move that part in and out. i have never replaced an iac on a nissan but i have on a ton of other cars and a lot of times they come w/ specific instructions not to move the plunger. but yeah...a bad iac can cause a funky idle. hence the name idle air control valve