Hi there, these are pics of my rodeo ute, 2.6 ltr. Im in Australia but i assume these models are all the same . This part doesnt not look right as its not listed in any of the manuals, but is connected to the two vacuum line switchers.






From what i could research, the thicker two lines connected to it are also connected to a Fast Idle solenoid as if the car had one, howver there are two other lines smaller lines going places, and no electrical connections to it. The top hose went to the top thermal valve position, the lower one back into the manifold. Could someone work out what it was as ive removed it and moved the vacuum lines back to where they should be as per the manual i have, so i just wana know what it was!!!

If it comes off the thermal valve on top of the thermostat housing it must be a vacuum switch for the AC. It's meant to kick up the rpm when the AC compressor bogs down the engine. That's my educated guess cause I couldn't afford AC so I don't have that set-up, but that's one purpose of the thermal valve.

Two votes.

You might find the engine wanting to stall out at idle with the A/C on now. I say put it back in.

Ok thanks guys. The car no longer has any air conditioning installed as it was too expensive to have it regassed over here. And its one more belt the old girl is trying to pull.

Its just that the "normal" fast idle solenoid only has the two larger lines coming into it, where as this one has another two smaller ones coming from the VSV's.

Seeing as the car doesnt have any aircon, do u see a problem taking it out and moving the vacuum lines back to where the should be as per the manual??

Oh yeah as you can see there are no electrical connections to this unit either?? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again...

Should be no problem at all... just keep the windows rolled down.

Sounds good fellas, cheers! So i should block off where the two larger ones went into the manifold and the top Thermal Valve right? or Wrong? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/sleeping.gif" alt="" />

Remember I said ONE of the purposes of the thermal valve was to kick up the rpm. The second purpose is a "hail mary" attempt to cool down the intake in the event of your coolant overheating. If the coolant overheats the valve will open, by-passing the throttle body, and opening the air path between the intake tube and the throttle chamber. That will introduce some cooling air. You should leave the rubber tube on between the plastic throttle intake tube and the thermal valve. Cap the upper outlet facing the throttle chamber and leave the lower tube connected to the throttle chamber. It will be a rare circumstance if you need it but I assume the engineers who designed the engine didn't put it there by accident.

I don't think he was talkin' about removing the thermal valve on top of the thermostat housing Ralph, only the A/C fast idle solenoid...

You do need to put a cap on the top port on that valve, or else you will have a HUGE vacuum leak, and you will be lucky if the engine even runs! And, cap any of the other lines that you remove... you don't want to introduce vacuum leaks into the system. If you make it like the diagram, you should be OK .

I'll just leave the valve there and bung up the top valve as per my manual. Thanks again guys!