[wkenneth]

Well...yesterday my car started running like crap. It stutters all the way from 1000 to 4500....its very very noticeable when driving up hills and such....any ideas what might cause this?
Got a K&N Cone, Custom exhaust, and thats it so far, but I've had those for a while as in the months, and nothing happened yet.
Thanks guys

 

[Rolling-Thunder]

Standard answer for this one is to first clean the MAF

 

[wkenneth]

Yeah, maf is cleaned. Still runs like poo. Any other suggestions?

 

[GreenBird]

plugs and wires...

CHECK your plugs and wires.

you can check your wires by opening the hood at night in a dark place. with the engine running, you will see blue flashes of light from the plug wires if they are bad. plugs should be red-gray with slight wear.

 

[wkenneth]

So I should check for arcing, or just bad wires and plus?

 

[Rolling-Thunder]

I guess the next thing I would check is plugs and wires, maybe fuel filter, too.

Have you tried actually disconnecting the maf and taking the car on a test drive?

I am still leaning towards the MAF sensor..........

How many miles, and what year T-Bird ?

 

[wkenneth]

I'll check plugs and wires, its a 95 bird w/ 103k
No I havent tried driving w/o the MAF, but I can do that this afternoon....
thanks

 

[Rolling-Thunder]

If your wires have 103K on them, then you should replace them anyway.

With that many miles, it could be that your MAF has just had enough.

Keep us posted.

Note:

In case you don't know, the MAF being disconnect may cause your check engine light
to come on. If it does, just re-set the computer by doing the fuse #15 trick.

 

[GreenBird]

So I should check for arcing, or just bad wires and plus?

checking for arcing IS check the wires.

 

[wkenneth]

I've been looking into the wires thing already, and the maf is a ReMan that was on the car when I bought it. I'll disconnect it and see what happens....

 

[wkenneth]

Well guys, the culprit has been found.
My alternator was putting out exactly ZERO amps. Which is not good when its sposed to be pushing 130. So my car is dead in my friends neighborhood. woohoo
Anyway, called autozone $167.99 w/ a $35 core charge. Owie. Well...gotta do what I gotta do. Thanks for all your suggestions guys. Much appreciated...I probably wouldnt have cleaned my MAF yet, but its done now. Now I'm waiting for my girlfriend to call me back (since she works at a body shop and gets parts at cost *cough*) Anywho...

Thanks

 

[Rolling-Thunder]

You should be able to get a better deal than that on a 'new' alternator.

There also should be 'electrical rebuild' shops near you that could even
fix yours for less than that.


Good luck, and let us know how you make out !

 

[wkenneth]

Well, got the alternator replaced...bought new plugs since it is running lean, I think they're cooked....so I'll put those in later...as for the engine.....very very nice. Runs better off an alternator than it does a battery
Thanks for all your help guys...