HOT IDLE COMPENSATOR (HIC)
HIC attached to the air intake case serves to provide the optimum air/fuel mixture during hot idle so as to
ensure stable idle speed.
HIC
has a bimetal which warps as the heat transferred to it rises higher than about 55°C (131” F). Caused
by this, the valve in HIC starts to open and it reaches to the full open state at about 70°C (158” F).
While the engine at idle, the throttle valve is closed and the vacuum in the intake manifold stays high. As
the HIC valve opens in this state, the air from the air cleaner is drawn through the HIC valve into the
intake manifold to prevent the air/fuel mixture getting richer during hot idle, thus maintaining a stable
idle speed.
1. Air cleaner
r‘
i/
,
4. HIC
2. Air intake case
5. Bi-metal
3. Intake manifold
6.
H
IC
valve
Fig.
5-
l-6
Hot idle; compensator
5-8