Extended Idle questions

[noeleo]

Is there a way to "kick up" the idle speed during an extended idle period? For example, when I take my wife to the $ store and I sit in the parking lot with the A/C running, I think it is beneficial to raise the idle speed. I wanted to know if there is a way to install a switch or the like so when the truck is in park, you could switch it on and have the idle increase to 1000 or 1250.

Or am I just wishing?

Thanks for all the great advice here. Fixed many little things from this forum.

noeleo

[LoneWolf04]

The engine will already automatically bump up idle when it senses the AC compressor kicking in by the added engine load. It adjusts to what it needs to keep the engine at a constant idle. You will hear this and see it in the tach when it engages. Bumping it up more than necessary will just waste fuel. Now if you were running a PTO or a winch for extended periods of time, that would be the only reason I could see you wanting to accomplish this.

[noeleo]

Thanks, LoneWolf for the response.

If I press the skinny pedal and hold the rpm at 1250, the A/C works great (vent temps around 45°). So, since I'm having poor A/C performance at idle, should I just add a condenser fan? Or is this a combined issue of the compressor not pulling the low pressure down AND the lack of airflow across the condenser? Driving down the road, the vent temperature will drop to around 40°, but when idling, it will only do around 60°. I'm not too mobile, so mostly just sit in the truck and let the wife shop, but at ambient temps we've had lately (100+), it's tough to sit in the truck without good air.

[HenryJ]

I tried to do this for remote winching operation. I experimented with the IAC and a controlled vacuum leak. Neither had positive results. It has been so long now that I forget the solution others had used. There may have been a stepper motor controller used for the IAC valve that was working on other vehicles?

Sort of gave up on it after weighing the efforts involved for the benefit gained.