The Love/Hate relationship with our cars

[scowha7]

I love cars, I really do. They're cool! Especially Ole Yeller! Unfortunately she's getting Ole'er every day! Each day I get out, I knock off the rocker panel cover because the rocker panel is gone on the driver's side. That's cosmetic. 10 days ago, I decided to clean my K&N open-air intake for the first time in probably 2 years. Ever since then I've had the darndest time starting or keeping the silly thing running. I've fixed 2 vacuum leaks, cleaned up the mass air flow sensor, reset the computer. Tonight, I'm going back over to the shop to pull of the entire Air intake and check for more damage to that system, check and possibly clean the throttle body, check throttle position sensor etc.

These ole cars just don't bounce back. Lessons learned:

1. Either clean the air intake more often

--OR--

2. Leave it dirty!

[JCON]

Oops!!!

[BUCKY]

I hate when that happens!

I had a '76 Dodge Charger with a 400 big block and giant four barrel carb. It got around 12 MPG.

I decided to rebuild the carb to make it run better and get better mileage.

It ran better, all right......but it went from 12 MPG down to 10 MPG!!

[scowha7]

Got it all figured out... cleaned the air filter and MAF goes bad... gonna cost me $100 to get her back on the road

[scowha7]

That MAF only lasted 17 years and 234,000 miles. Right at 234,000

[JCON]

Darn MAF!!!

[BUCKY]

They don't make 'em like they used to.

[scowha7]

So I'm back to driving my truck with the MAF Sensor unplugged. Needless to say, the computer is VERY confused. In 1st - 3rd gear, it can't figure out the appropriate throttle settings from one moment to the next so it's an experience to say the least! I drove my oldest daughter's 2002 Monte Carlo SS yesterday thinking my truck would sit until we get the $90 for the sensor. Seems that when she says it "runs rough" she was right this time. (She complained endlessly about our 2001 Monte that had an intermittent cylinder 6 misfire that was barely noticeable and that we repeatedly said she'd have to deal with because it had 350,000 miles on it!)

Her car actually grinds in 1st - 3rd gears. I felt like I was driving a chain driven vehicle, so I checked all fluids and took it for a check engine code test. It was 1qt low on tranny fluid and oil so I topped those off. Codes came back as "Random misfire detected" and "Coolant temperature not reaching temperature at which thermostat can regulate it". That coolant thing is a sensor that I told her to buy 3 months ago but as a result, the engine runs at about 145 degrees! The other error says that one or more of the 6 cylinders will randomly not fire in sync and to replace the intake manifold (YIKES). So, I checked the vacuum system, cleaned and bypassed MAF sensor and sure enough, next step is going to be intake manifold.

She had a rough night, because then she found out that they can't get "adequate" internet at the place that her fiancee will be living in beginning in October (He moves in on Saturday). According to them, the place is not fit to live in if they cannot get unlimited internet with at least 25 mb/s download so that they can play his XBox. THAT'S when I realized that my wife was as fed up with their 10 hour a day video game habit as me because her response was "Guess you're going to have to learn to do without. WELCOME TO ADULTHOOD!"

[JCON]

Oh my!!!

[BUCKY]

WOW!!!

[JED]

If it ain't broke don't fix it I was always told,us men just have to tinker!!

[scowha7]

So...Quick update. Saturday, my truck became nearly undriveable. It took me 3 attempts to get out of my driveway and up onto the main road. Then it was taking 3/4 of a mile to coax the thing up to 40 mph. Needless to say, I was frustrated. However, yesterday, some of my efforts of the last few weeks paid off! We sold two more parts off the expedition I've been disassembling. Those two parts will cover the cost of my MAF sensor, so it's being ordered this morning and I should have it when I get off work!

[JCON]

Hope that solves the problem!!!

[scowha7]

Me too!

[BUCKY]

Have you checked your catalytic converter? I had one get stopped up, once, and it ran just like what you described.

[scowha7]

I can't say for sure if the Catalytic converter is still on the truck or not and that's all I have to say about that.

[scowha7]

My brother in law the mechanic checked all my work. He said that if I unplugged the MAF and it ran better, then it was the MAV. At idle, the MAV being unplugged allows the engine to run perfectly. The problem is that the throttle position sensor requires the MAF to tell allow the engine and transmission to shift properly. So, that's the problem I have when running without the MAF. With the MAF plugged in, it shifts perfectly, but misses terribly in all gears. (It also is hit or miss if I'm going to get it started or not)

[BUCKY]

Is it a throttle body, or individual injectors?

[scowha7]

Individual injectors.

[scowha7]

MAF sensor fixed it!! YAY!