Throttle and idle issues

[RakerBill60]

I recently ended up with an 87 BII 2.9 V-6 4X4 Auto w/ overdrive, and it had set for 2 years. I was able to drive it home from 150 miles away, and it ran good with the exception of a throttle problem.
When I start it after sitting overnight, it will idle pretty high, and after it warms up, the idle will fluctuate up and down about every 30 to 45 seconds. It will idle high even after it has warmed up.
When I am driving it, it acts like it's starving for fuel. When I take off from a stop it has no power, and if I mash the throttle it will take off and run pretty good, and at cruising speed it acts like it is starving for fuel again. The engine doesn't have a miss in it, and I have checked over everything.
After I got it home I pulled the EGR valve and the passage in the intake was plugged with goop that looked like grease. I cleaned it really good, and checked the EGR valve, the IAC solenoid, The MAP sensor, the TPS and the Fuel pressure regulator, and all vacuum hoses.
The one thing I noticed when I put fuel in it, there is a lot of pressure in the fuel tank when I take the gas cap off.
Is there something I have missed? I am going to change the fuel filter this weekend, and have the fuel pressure checked to see where it's at.
And also the transmission is really shifting rough. It seems to take a lot of throttle to get it to shift, and when it does, it almost gives you whiplash. The previous owner had the seals replace in the tranny, and when I checked the fluid, it was halfway up the dipstick tube. And where the dipstick is joined together in the middle, it is always leaking fluid when it sits.
I am going to attempt to drain it and see if it will stop leaking. Also is there a certain way to adjust the kickdown linkage? And is there a modulator valve as well?
I have a fair amount of mechanical knowledge, but I am not too familiar with the BII's.
Any ideas, information, and comments are welcome. If anyone knows of a website where I can get some info on the testing procedures and vacuum tube routing, I would like to know about it.
Thank you for taking time to read my post.

[RakerBill60]

:UPDATE: I went to work last night, got off at 3:00 AM. and headed home. I hit a large pothole in the road, and all of a sudden it started running good.
It ran fine, no missing, and no sputtering. About halfway home it started in again with the power loss, and sputtering.
I must have shook something loose, so I am going to check the wiring, and see if there is a loose connection somewhere. I have also noticed my fuel mileage has gone down the toilet the last few days. And I also have noticed that when I 1st start it, it runs good until it warms up, then it starts running funny.
I talked to the previous owner, and he said that he had to have the ECM replaced in it twice before. To me that's not a good sign.

[drofman]

Check the little black wire off your Neg. side Battery terminal at the connector. This is the ground for the ECM. May not be the problem but if the engine starts running bad after hitting a pot hole it's a good place to look. I would check fuel pressure also just so you know it's not a fuel delivery issue from sitting so long. My gas cap has pressure but it's an aftermaket locking gas cap and doesn't effect it runnig.

[RakerBill60]

Okay, I am going to go to my local auto parts place and rent a fuel pressure guage to check my system.
I will check the wiring near the battery, and clean all of the contacts, including the + & - cabling.
I am also going to check my gas cap, and see if it's a vent type or not, and get an OEM type to see if that helps any or not with the pressure.
I can hear a vacuum leak near the front of the engine, and I am thinking it has something to do with the idle issues.
Thanks drofman.

[RakerBill60]

:Another UPDATE: I replaced my spark plugs today after I broke one, and lo & behold all of them were bad. I checked them and all of them had a gap of 80 thousandths or better, one was at 100 thousandths. Factory gap is 42 to 46. I also replaced 3 vacuum lines, and when I go to work tonight, I will see how it runs.
I have not been able to find the diagnostics connector on the pass. fenderwell. Nowhere! Maybe it's under the filter box, idk.
I will look some more tommorrow and see if I can find it.
Also, does anyone know what the electrical box is behind the drivers seat underneath the cover near the back seat? It is across from where the jack is on the pass side. Any ideas?? It's about 4 inches square with wires coming from it. It was too dark for me to make it out last night.

[drofman]

RABS Module

[RakerBill60]

Thank you. After I was under my BII I seen a module under for the rear brakes.
After I installed the spark plugs it runs so much better. The fuel mileage still sucks, and it idles really rough after I drive it for about 15 miles or so.
I guess I will eventually get it figured out.
Thanks for all the help so far guys.

[RakerBill60]

I have run into another problem with my BII. After it sits for a few hours after I drive it, it is leaking trans fluid out of the dipstick where the seam is in the middle of the tube. I have pushed the upper part as far as it will go on the bottom part, but it still leaks. I checked the fluid and it is halfway up the tube.
It has an aftermarket cooler inline with the radiator cooler, can it be draining back into the trans? Was there a problem with any of the A4LD trans draining back from the torque converter or coolers?
I also added some fluid the other day, and it didn't drain into the trans, it run out the tube all over the ground. Is there a vent tube on the trans somewhere, and if so, where is it?
I have one more question concerning the driveline. I have the GKN style, and the boot on the front of the driveshaft is gone, and all of the grease has been thrown out on the body. Can the boot be replaced, or do I need to get a new joint if it is even replaceable. And can I swap the GKN out for a Spicer style? I figure the yokes on both ends would have to be replaced if I did.

[RakerBill60]

Throttle and idle issues are almost completely cured. I have replaced all of the vacuum hoses, the EGR vacuum regulator, tuned it up, fuel filter, cleaned and checked the AIC solenoid, and it runs great, and it idles like it should. Starts right up, and after driving to work 15 miles one way, it still wants to lope and idle rough. Still running awfully rich, and averaging 10 MPG.
My next project is to check the timing, and replace the O2 sensor.

[drofman]

Check your fuel pressure regulator. you can unplug the vacuum side and plug it (intake side), start it up and see if fuel comes out the hole.

[RakerBill60]

No fuel out of the regualtor. I replaced the hard plastic hose with a rubber one after it broke, and when I changed it, there was no fuel, or fuel odor coming from it. I will start it tho, and check it the way you said to do.
Thanks.

[oneway]

Check the little black wire off your Neg. side Battery terminal at the connector. This is the ground for the ECM. May not be the problem but if the engine starts running bad after hitting a pot hole it's a good place to look. I would check fuel pressure also just so you know it's not a fuel delivery issue from sitting so long. My gas cap has pressure but it's an aftermaket locking gas cap and doesn't effect it runnig.

do you know the gauge size of that wire? Mine has a half-assed splice in it from the previous owner - connected with a twist on butt connector. Wires a exposed and look really bad corrosion wise. I'd like to replace the entire wire - but if I can't - I'd like to replace that section properly but want to make sure I use the correct size wire.

[drofman]

don't know but 10ga should work unless someone else knows

[RakerBill60]

I am almost positive that is the right guage, I checked mine, and it's 10 guage. Just make sure that you get a good clean tight connection, and if you can, solder it, and use shrink wrap on it to get a good watertight seal with less chances of it corroding in the future. I do that with all the wiring I do on anything, and I haven't had a failure yet.

[04sd]

I have run into another problem with my BII. After it sits for a few hours after I drive it, it is leaking trans fluid out of the dipstick where the seam is in the middle of the tube. I have pushed the upper part as far as it will go on the bottom part, but it still leaks. I checked the fluid and it is halfway up the tube.
It has an aftermarket cooler inline with the radiator cooler, can it be draining back into the trans? Was there a problem with any of the A4LD trans draining back from the torque converter or coolers?
I also added some fluid the other day, and it didn't drain into the trans, it run out the tube all over the ground. Is there a vent tube on the trans somewhere, and if so, where is it?
I have one more question concerning the driveline. I have the GKN style, and the boot on the front of the driveshaft is gone, and all of the grease has been thrown out on the body. Can the boot be replaced, or do I need to get a new joint if it is even replaceable. And can I swap the GKN out for a Spicer style? I figure the yokes on both ends would have to be replaced if I did.

The trans does have a vent on the top of the case, usually with a short piece of hose on it. The oil level should not be half way up the fill tube. Maybe the went is plugged up or maybe just overfilled with oil.