Rough idle 164

["Daegrigg (Don)" <daegrigg@domain.elided>]

My son and I are trying to diagnose a rough/erratic idling 91 164 which he has at school.  Here's what he told me:
 
 Car running fine during a run to the local mall.  Upon starting to leave car is hard to start and idles very rough once started.  Stallsafter the first several times.  Re start and it runs.  In the morning (ambient NC temp about 40 degrees F) car is hard to start, won't rev at all at first, stalls when gas is applied, but after a minute or so it revs and when placed in reverse and given gas it emits a cloud of gray smoke out the exhaust. At idle the rpm surges between 900 and 1100 rpm sometimes between 750 and 1400 Check engine light comes on at idle, goes off  when revs are increased.

> Car history:  Went through all the systems in August.  AFM checked,
> cleaned, contacts cleaned.  Idle actuator cleaned and remounted;  max/min switch position checked, temp
> sending unit checked OK (by substitution with new unit), compressor
> replaced in September, starter also replaced at different time in
> September, hoses and related plumbing checked in September.
> 
OK.  So car runs fine until now.  The car is drivable but I want to
rule out anything that might produce a No-start condition. 

 I'm trying to walk him through some diagnostics via telephone/email.
 
Thanks,
 
 Don
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