I don't have any thing on hand to look at and specifically so just making some suggestions. I would also inspect for vacuum leaks. Depending on your comfort level which sounds high does the air intake have a sensor that you can easily disconnect and see if that smooths out the idle. This is not a solution - it just can help pin-point the trouble. Tracy answered 6 years ago.
Ford Escort Idle Problem: Ford Escort, Wagon, k Plus Miles
Q: I am the original owner of a Ford Escort Wagon 1. For about the last six months, the engine has been idling rough when in gear, and sometimes, when traveling at slow speeds 35 to 40 mph , the car has a jerky motion. This only happens about half the time. I replaced the plugs twice in the last 10, miles, changed the PCV valve and the gas filter.
how to fix a rough idling 1.9 litter ford engine in a 93 escort lx
This doesn't begin until after the car has warmed to operating temperature and it isn't a consistant occurance. Furthermore, today the idle went haywire. After driving from a cold start for about 5 minutes and the clutch was engaged or tranny was shifted out of gear the idle raced to an extreme level and didn't come down. I had to ride the clutch a bunch at stops to keep the engine from redlining.