it is a 88 gl spfi d/r 4wd wagon , it will start good ,then after a few seconds it will die , after doing this a few times it will stay running and warmes up , all this is after it sits and the motor is cold , any suggestions ? if so location of the problem

also it was running ok, until i messed w/ the maf censor and changed it , but i put the old 1 back in ,because it would not stay running ,

Don't really know on SPFI/MPFI cars, ...... But maybe you buggered the coolant temp sensor when changing the MAF unit. Engine is cold, needs more gas to run, CTS isn't saying engine is cold, so it ain't getting the gas it needs.

 

 

 

Just a thought...................

ok, where is the coolant temp censor i have forgotton

you may also have disconnected a vacuum line as well. i'd guess that a vacuum leak is more likely. double check all the vacuum lines near the MAF.

i changed the coolant temp sensor ,no difference , i 'll go out and check all vacuum lines again , anything else that might cause it ?

still no luck, but i'll wait until it cools off again

ok,

May have had nothing to do with the MAF change.

SPFI cars are known for the IAC valve

sticking. Try cleaning it.

Do a search for IAC (Idle Air Control)

or Idle Control Valve

been many many posts on it.

ok, i thought about that , will give it a try tonight

cleaned the ivac valve , no change , all vacuum lines are good, it was alittle dewy this morning , a very bad surging problem now in the morning , this afternoon is started ok then quit , while ideling you could hear the surging , i have given up , any suggestions ,before I BURN IT TO THE GROUND

We'll all give it our best this aturday, ifin you can wait that long that is. Got some good car-brains heading your way. We'll get you going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks tom, if i unplug the maf sensor it makes no difference ,i have alot of spare sensors etc... so we should be able to get it running , before i screwed with it it ran pretty good and good mpg , just a slight surging the first mile or so then it was great ,

so is something going on next weekend? well if all else fails BURN IT TO THE GROUND

YO FOX!!!

 

Just a small get together at Jim's place this Saturday, (not aturday as stated above). Some fix-it wrenching, some scrap-it wrenching. May have buyer for his BRAT with me too.

 

BE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

vegetable soup , chips, pop, coffee, will be served , also wrenching, fixing dl, springs on turbo wagon, scrap and strip xt,

well did not burn the dl to the ground , it starts good, then after 5sec it stalls , restart it does the same thing , 3rd time it will stay running , bad surging after that ??

also when i unplug the maf sensor it does not affect anything ?

I had a car with the same problem and I chased down engine parts and sensors until I was blue in the face. It turned out that a capacitor had falled off the dircuit board of the computer. I replaced the computer and it runs like a gem.

 

 

Good luck

ok, before i changed the maf sensor the car ran pretty good very little surging , i put the old 1 back on and now it is worse

maybe the wire or terminal is corroded? jim i will be there this weekend.

 

tom, would you have a spare alternator?

 

alleyboy, i have the same piece of metal i made jims carrier mount with, i will bring that and the welder. see if you can conjure up some small strip of steel about an inch wide, 1/4 thick, some angle iron or of that sort

got it running good, i put eveything back like it was , the silver thing that is screwed onto air box and then the maf sensor , i changed both and it ran real bad , so i put the old one back on , all good

the MAF was replaced with one that wasnt obviously broken, whilst wiggling some wires the car maintained idle. it has to be temp related, as the car gets warm it doesnt stall. but it doesnt idle fast when cold either.

 

jim replaced the temp sensor with a new one from the dealer, and it doesnt seem to make a difference even unplugged it runs the same. so i am thinking of a bad spot on the harness

 

last night simply unlugging the ecu and re installing it seemed to fix the problem untill we messed with the coolant sensor. before that we had code 23 and 51, MAF and neutral switch. after r&r the ecu no codes. now we have a code 21 and 23, maf and coolant temp sensor, even though the temp sensor is new.

 

its gonna call for some probing of the harness, i'll check all the grounds on the motor first, then probe to the ecu, and if i find dead spots then off comes the fender.

 

the spfi engine harness did have a corroded terminal, but not the maf wires, and not the temp sensor wire, but the white wire right next to the temp sensor any ideas?

went and got coolant temp sensor, 68.00 bucks 2 hr drive, still did not fix problem , car will start then die ? code maf sensor + coolant temp sensor

any suggestions from anybody ?