Alrighty... I got my car running, and it's got a nasty surging idle (minus the clouds of white coolant smoke... I'll get to fixing that once I can borrow a cherry picker)...

I know this is normally caused by the TPS, so I tried testing both sensors with a DMM, and while the overall range, including the top is fine, idle is at 1.45-1.50 on the wide range sensor, and 1.12 or so on the narrow sensor, when they're both supposed to be 1 and .8~ respectively.

I already adjusted the crap out of it and it wouldn't get any better than what I told you it is... although I did get the idle down from 2000 to 1500... but the screw won't go any lower...

So what should I do? Replace the TPS? Or try something else?

 

thermowax in the car? sounds like the thermowax idle screw is out too far, or the throttle plate stop screw is in too far..

 

Well I think the throttle plate stop isn't the problem since at one point it did actually idle at 750.... and then shot straight up to 1000, 1500, and then 2000.

There is one vacuum hose I can see that's very (can be removed easily) but I don't know if it's leaking...

I suppose it could also be the coolant leak itself causing the high idle... but I think it's the TPS. I can't afford to buy a new TPS though! Unless some place sells cheaper rebuilds or there's someone with a decent used one...