I made a post about my car having an idle that sounds like its "cammin". It bounces up and down and stalls sometimes. Well the person who owned my car before just informed me that he thinks the mass air flow sensor is bad. It works, but doesn't work properly. I have a scan tool that can get the readings, but I don't know what they should be at. It went from 38-42-41 and keeps bouncing around. I would like to know if anyone else knows more about this topic so I can make sure that it is bad before I go spending $300 on a non returnable part. The Burn off relay was replaced before btw.
Thanks.

 

Unplug the MAF sensor with the car/key turned of, then start car. If it idles properly, then problems is in MAF wiring/sensor/relays.

If car still has problem, turn off, plug in maf...then post below.

 

I tried that ealier and that is why I ruled it out. I was told that the maf works, but it is not working properly. Just that the reading were wrong.
It stalls with it unplugged.

 

you can unplug it when its already running it will stall

you have to unplug it then start it it will run in limp home mode

and if it idles bettter with out it there your problem

i think i have the same problem

 

Unplugging the MAF sensor while the engine is running is not a very wise idea. It is best to unplug the MAF sensor and then start the engine. As suggested earlier, check the relays and wiring. Have you been getting a Service Engine Soon light? If you have, what are the codes that are being stored in the computer.

 

Like I said to everyone. The maf does work. I am just told that it does not work properly. I am not getting any serive engine soon light at all or any codes whatsoever. I just want to know what it should read.

 

Go to this link and read the diagnostic chart in it.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...5&goto=newpost

 

Idle should be somewhere between 6.0 to 7.9 grams per second when warm and depending on mods to the motor it could be anything from 170 to 255 grams per second at WOT. At idle it will bounce around a fair bit, it will not be a totally consistant number.
The numbers given in your first post would almost indicate LV8 values at idle.
If your maf read 42 g/sec at idle it would toss a code out pretty quick.

 

Im going to try and see if I can borrow one from someone. Does it have to be the exact year or engine size? Or can I get it from any 82-92 TPI?

 

86-89 should be the same. 1985 are Different. I have a 1985 camaro which orignaly had a 870' ecm and I switched to a 1986-1989 165' ECM with a$6e Mask, and was told that I can use my 85 maf on a 1986-1989 ECM but you can't use a 86-89 maf on a 1985 Car with the 870' ECM. I think I recall one is analog and one is digital. Some one will chime in and clear this up. Just my .02

 

I plugged my scanner in and it sits at 7 pretty much. I also tried a maf from my old car, but the kid gutted the screens on it. I installed it and the car would fire up and die. Its off an 86 T/A btw

 

Well have you ever switched relays for the MAF sensor and the MAF burnoff??? They are the same relay so you can unplug the MAF relay harness and plug it into the MAF burnoff relay and vice versa. You said the burnoff relay was new but you never said if the MAF relay was new too.
The MAF relay sounds like the one thats acting up, not the MAF burnoff relay.


As far as idle, 7ish gm/sec when warm sounds very close.

You should see an increase when you accelerate of course. At WOT your readings will jump up quick and then as RPM comes up the readings will slowly increase from there. Its easiest to see in a long gear like 3rd rather than 1st gear which can go by pretty quick.

 

well i was having pretty much the same problem with my 305 tpi, but im taking that out and putting in a 350 and planning on keeping the tpi from the 305. ill probably change the MAF sensor, i've read a lot about it being a very common thing to go bad on 3rd gen's.... i know its 300 bucks but i dont want to screw up the 350 when i break it in b/c its not getting the correct air/fuel ratio