Service slants

Stuck throttle on cold engine. Oil vapors from the PCV system can be the cause of a throttle that's slightly hard to open on a cold 4-liter naturally aspirated inline 6-cylinder DOHC engine in some 1995-96 XJS coupes. The oily mist collects and hardens in the throttle bore and on the throttle plate when the engine is cold, which makes the plate stick a little in the bore after the car has been sitting for a while. Jaguar has come up with an oil separator that's part of a PCV breather kit (Part No. JLM 20709), which can be retrofitted to eliminate this problem. Should you inadvertently lose one of the throttle plate screws while cleaning, the part number for them is JLM 20936.

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Toyota

Improved shifting. During the 1996 model year, Toyota decided to upgrade its A340E, A340F and A:343F automatic transmissions found in the Tacoma, 4Runner, T100 and Land Cruiser. Sever-al new parts improved the Park-toReverse and Neutral-to-Reverse shifts, which previously suffered from delayed engagement. The revised parts included the B3 Brake Return Spring (went from 16 to 20 springs), the B3 Brake Piston O-rings (new material) and the Low Coast Modulator Spring (lengthened to 1.263 inches and colored purple instead of light green).

Here are the starting serial numbers of the three transmissions with the new parts:

Volkswagen

Modified cam drive chain. If you're doing engine work on a 1997 or newer Eurovan with the 2.8-liter narrow-angle VR6 engine, be aware that from Engine No. AES-0032 79 you'll find a single camshaft chain with a modified tensioning plate instead of the previous double chain. As a result, the chain tensioner does not have an oil passage and no longer needs to be bled. The single chain, tensioner and modified tensioner plate are a set, and will work only in conjunction with each other. Same goes for the dual chain; it'll work only with the older tensioner that has an oil passage. No mixing and matching allowed here. Also, don't mark the single timing chain with a punch or any other mechanical device that could weaken it.

Ford Truck

High idle, sticking throttle. Throttle body icing due to PCV backflow during steady-speed driving in extremely cold weather can be the cause of high idle speeds and a stuck throttle in some 1997-98 Expeditions, F-150s and F-250 light-duty pickups with the 4.6-liter V8 built through 12/1/97. If you ever encounter one of these, you'll notice that the truck probably has an insulated PCV tube that should have been added in production or under Recall No. 9659. But sometimes even that doesn't completely prevent the throttle bore icing condition. So Ford has come up with an additional service kit to further prevent the problem. The part numbers are F85Z-6A603-CB for the Romeobuilt engine and F85Z-6A603-AB for the Windsor-built engine.

Updated fuel pressure readings. The original service manuals for 1998 Caddy DeVilles, Eldorados and Sevilles and Olds Auroras with the 4.6- and 4liter V8s (VINs C, Y and 9), respectively; were published with the wrong fuel pressure reading. So chances are some day you're going to stumble across two contradictory listings. The correct fuel pressure for the 4- and 4.6-liter V8s is 48 to 55 psi. Noting this in all your service literature could save you a botched and costly diagnosis down the road.