Idle Air Control Valve (IAC) location

This is my first car so Idk if it's so where really obvious or complicated lol

If it's carbureted it won't have an IAC valve , idle is set on a screw that 's over ridden by a separate choke cam for cold starts , 85 was the transition era from carbs to TBI ( throttle body injection ) , so you may have many different vacuum lines and other weird $h!t . What problem are you having ?

That's not a carburetor. Looks like an early TBI set up to me. I'm seeing Standard part number SA1 or AC22 for the IAC. On something this old you really should have a factory shop manual. Not a Chilton's type repair manual. You can Google the part numbers for pictures. Hope that helps! Jim

i found service bulletin for your vehicle, found this picture. Idle air bypass valve. Hope it helps. I'd have to look for it?

@beatupchevy The issue is that the car will start but won't stay running when I turn it on, I've googled & checked on youtube & most people say it's a problem with the IAC or Idle Air Bypass Valve. So if I don't have one I'm extra confused on how to fix the issue lol This is my fisrt car so that also explains why I'm a little confused

What engine do you have? It's fuel injected so you most likely have an idle bypass valve or IAC as it's called today. The two Standard part numbers I posted yesterday are for the IAC on the 2.3L turbo 4 cylinder. Is that the engine you have? What is the eighth character of your VIN? That will tell us exactly what engine you have. I was going by the vehicle listing you posted. You can view pictures of the parts on Rockauto.com. Will the engine stay running if you hold your foot on the gas pedal? Do you know for sure you have gas in the gas tank? The gauge may be not be accurate. Jim

Looking at oilyspill's diagram again the IABP solenoid on the diagram is the IAC. One thing you're going to run into with this vehicle is old fashioned terminology in books and manuals from the period. Terminology didn't become standardized until later. A perfect example is the BCM (Body Control Module) on my 1994 Fleetwood. At the time Cadillac called it the CCM (Central Control Module). Until I figured out CCM was an old term for the BCM it created a lot of confusion for me when I had to diagnose the security system. I still recommend getting a factory shop manual for your Thunderbird. Try Ebay or Faxon Auto Literature in Riverside, CA. They have a website. Hope that helps! Jim

@Js08016 the eighth character is F. The car does stay running when I press on the gas pedal but as soon as I take my foot off it stops. There is gas in the vehicle, I filled about halfway a day or two before this started happening. Another note is I was changing the power steering fluid when the car started doing this. I don't think that has to do with it though, I think that was just a coincidence

@Js08016 I just looked it up, It has a 5.0L engine

There's a pressure switch in the power steering system. It's supposed to speed up the engine idle speed when you turn the steering wheel quickly or to the end of its travel. This is to prevent engine stalling, especially when parking. Make sure that switch is still plugged in. Hope that helps! Jim

Ok, so you have the 5.0L V8 302 cubic inch non high output engine. It is fuel injected, so you do have an IAC. Or as Ford called it back in those days IABP (Idle Air ByPass) solenoid. From what I've read it will be on the throttle body assembly itself or on the intake manifold. If it does need replacing ask the person at the auto parts store for the IAC. The old fashioned term will just confuse them!! Take the old one with you when you go to the store too. Hope that helps! Jim

Js08016 Do you possibly know where the IA would be in this car? Sorry I'm asking so much lol, it's my first car & I've been tryi g to find it for awhile now with no luck

Iac*

Jaywheezie I’m experiencing the same issue with an ‘86 model that carries the 3.8L V6, I was having vacuum issues for about a week and a half and I finally broke down one day and discovered my “exhaust exit check valve” was broken, so I replaced it. The car would turn over but wouldn’t start even while throttling, finally got it over to a buddy’s house and replaced my spark plugs and spark plug wires because I read that long term vacuum issues can lead to caked spark plugs, pretty much replaced anything that could have been effected by a long term vacuum issue, including the fuel pump and fuel filter, along with the fuel pressure regulator. Discovered this idle air control valve theory today and found myself not being able to identify where the IAC valve is located. I don’t even know if this IS with the dam thing but it’s the next step in my process of eliminations. Advice is needed and very heavily appreciated!

1986 Ford Thunderbird starts but will not stay running unless throttling ^