Just got my first Gen II Tracker on Friday and it has a minor problem, the rpm's drop very low at idle and it tries to die at stoplights. I have a '96 and a '89 but know nothing about the 2.0 engine so any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Does it do it all the time?  My 2.0 only does it if its been pouring rain out for days and everything is really really soaked.  Once it dries up it runs fine, I'm figuring it a sensor, just not sure which one.     Dave

Does it do it all the time?...

Thanks Dave....it doesn't do it all the time and wouldn't think rain has anything to do with my problem because it hasn't rained here since I got it. Seems to be more of a temperature related thing for me so I'm thinking IAC problem or dirty throttle body but I'm open for any suggestions.

i've got a '01 2.0 tracker and had a similar problem at 55k miles.  It would start fine but as you pulled up to a stop sign or traffic light the rpm's would try to drop to about 400 and almost stall out the truck.  Turned out that the spark plugs were toast.  I'd replace the fuel filter as well if that hasn't been done before.  This would be a good place to start since both these can be done for $20 if you can turn a wrench.  While I didn't do it, i'd recommend removing the strut brace in order to access one of the plugs.

Thanks Frank, I'll give new spark plugs a try

Thats not a bad idea, espcailly since ine has 61,000 miles on it    Dave

Mine had/has the same problem.

Especially in cold weather. I changed the fuel filter but that didn't work, so I cleaned the carbon out of the throttlebody. That helped for a couple months so thats what I do now. If it starts idleing rough I just clean the throttlebody.

Never thought to check the sparkplugs. I think I need to change them anyways. I got almost 95K on the Tracker

Mine had/has the same problem.

Especially in cold weather. I changed the fuel filter but that didn't work, so I cleaned the carbon out of the throttlebody. That helped for a couple months so thats what I do now. If it starts idleing rough I just clean the throttlebody.

Never thought to check the sparkplugs. I think I need to change them anyways. I got almost 95K on the Tracker

You shouldn't be getting carbon biuld-up in the throttlebody.  If you are you have some type of blow back.  Check your timeing,  sprark pulgs for signs of issues. http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/engine/plugs.html  or even a air filter that needs replacing tossing the air/flue mix off. If its not any of these you might have a bad valve. 

George

Hmmm I thought it was ok to have carbon in there. The dealer never said anything bad about it, they just cleaned it also.

On another note...
   My PCV valve still rattles like it's supposed to but it looks like carbon or a light coating of dirty oil all around where it goes into the valve cover. and I just noticed last time I changed the oil that the valve cover gasket looks like it's leaking too. I retightend the valve cover bolts and a couple in that area were a little looser than the other ones.

The reason I considered the throttle body is because of a Ford Tempo that I owned years ago. It would do the same thing and a mechanic friend told me to remove and clean the throttle body. I am still going to change the plugs in the Tracker even if the throttle body cleaning fixes the issue.