Ok after replacing everything from here to the sun. I've narrowed down my cold start and rough/poor idle to my MAF sensor.

or so i believe...

here's the modifications/replaement back story so you dont jump and ask if i did this or that yet.

i have a 1986 trans am, 305 5.0 TPI fuel injected automatic bought it 9months ago as a project car. car sat for 1yr 1/2

new IAC, new IAC connector, TPS sensor set to .54, mostly new hoses lines(no air leaks detected), new battery, new radiator, new maf power and burnoff relays including their wiring connectors, new throttle body/gaskets, new EGR, new EGR solenoid, and lots of fuel injector cleaner, new fuel filter

car passed emissions then a month or two afterwards got lean code 44.

parked it for the winter and turned the engine on once a week.

car always took 2-3 tries before it would stay running. first tiem it would have poor idle and search up and down before just dying/stalling withing 10 seconds.

then on second-third try giving a little gas car would stay running warm up and idle and driving would be fine.

now car will do nothing but have poor idle and doesnt matter how much gas i give it or how many time i try to turn it on it will spike and drop in idle and tehn die unless giving it gas constantly.

but... i unplugged the maf sensor and vrrroooommm!!!!!! like the car was brand new!!!

i know its in limp mode without the maf sensor but damm. even has more power and response then it ever did.


i plugged the maf back in and alreayd changed the relays and its back to bogging and chugging idle problem.

and i cant test the maf with a volt meter because i cant keep the car running long enough to connect the test leads.


does the maf sound like my obvious problem?

i'm asking before i buy a new one

 

I would say that by everything you said, the MAF should probably be the problem. Any other opinions?

 

Tap on the MAF sensor with it plugged in and running and see if the motor stubles on itself, then more than likely its a bad MAF. Or try it the way I did, go to a parts store, ask to take it outside and hook it up right then and there and if thats it, buy the thing.

 

oh and new o2 sensor and new cold start switch and new coolent temp sensor. sorry i replaced so much i forgot some major ones.

but yea thanks guys anyone else think it might be the ECM? like can just the maf part of the ecm go bad?

 

Nope, its very doubtful it would take a portion of the ECM without the whole thing causing major headaches.

 

ok thank you

 

i tried the tap thing but i dont think i tapped hard enough and now i cant keep the car running long enough to do the tap test. but with it unplugged im ready for the track. its that much of a performance difference.

 

Good luck. I had the exact same problem, and after going through three MAF sensors I gave up and converted to speed density. That's how I fixed my MAF problem, lol.

 

haha i hope i dont have to do that, why did 3 mafs go bad on u? ever figure it out?

 

No I never figured it out. The last one only lasted 1 hour before it died. At that point I gave in to frustration, and did the converstion. It was well worth it. Of course I have other issues as anyone does with an old car, but it runs flawlessly now with a perfect idle regardless of temp. Now if I could only figure out why on occasion it eats the ignition module. lol

 

Is there a kit you buy to convert to speed density or just unplug the mass air. Thanks

 

No real kit, per se, and you can't just unplug the MAF sensor. But still though, the options are honestly limitless. You have an entire venue to choose from....

I'd consider going with a Mega-Squirt, though....