Experience is what keeps us from making mistakes - making mistakes gives us experience. I always embraced that maxim, and now, to answer Jimi Hendrix's question, I am experienced.

Once the weather turned cold, I began to notice a hunting idle in a '93 240 with the car in park or neutral; I failed to notice something else, more of that later. The idle would stabilize once the car warmed, so I figured it was time for the torture of replacing a FI temp sensor.

When I pulled the connector off the FI temp sensor, I saw the terminals were pretty well covered with green corrosion. I thought of just cleaning up the connections and popping the connector back on, but because getting a clear shot at even the connector requires removing most of the stuff which has to be moved out of the way to replace the temp sensor, and with 150 Kmi. on the sensor, I installed a new temp sensor.

(Note to self: plot a resistance vs. temperature curve for the apparently good FI temp sensor which you removed.) The new sensor made no difference. So, checking the symptoms more closely this time, I discovered that the loping idle only presented itself when the brakes were applied. After spending some time in the driver's seat pondering this situation I eventually turned off the radio long enough to hear a faint hissing sound when I pressed the brake pedal. It appears that I need to replace the brake booster (servo).

Question 1 - Since I can't find the brake booster I stuck away a decade ago, does anyone have an opinion regarding the Cardone rebuilds from Advanced Auto or a better suggestion?

Question 2 - The last time I pulled a brake booster, it was on an early model 240. It wasn't the easiest thing I ever did, but it wasn't all that much of a hassle. This '93 has cruise control and while I've never pulled a brake booster from a 240 with cruise, I have replaced brake light switches and blower motors. The cruise control hardware definitely complicates things. Does anyone have any suggestions to speed up this job?

Thanks, one and all.
Rich