A Bad Maf?

thundrturdfixer

Registered User
I was trying to look through the forums but I couldn't find enough info. I have a 1989 sc and the vacuum is at 14 at an idle. It runs bad. Literally no power, like I can't even get it up a hill. Misfires and lots of exhaust smell. Through all of this there is no check engine light. I replaced the tps, knock, and idle air control sensors. Still nothing. I checked for leaks all over and came up with nothing. I dropped the down pipes off of the exhaust manifold to check for blockage and still the vac never changed. Even though there is no check engine light, could the MAF be bad? I can't believe I can't figure this out!! Most poeple have a problem where the car just doesn't run as good as it could and they can find the problem. Mine runs so bad, I can't drive it. It also seem like, at idle, if i floor it, it would take like 3 second to get to 5000 rpms. If I only give it half throttle it goes up faster?! Can someone please help me!? I don't wanna give up on it. I just put 9 grand into it. Please help!
 
Check your crank damper. Sounds like you slipped timing. ANY wobble of the crank pulley with the engine running is no good.
 
It does wobble a little bit, but I cant get it any better than it is, This problem witht he vehicle barely running happened over the period of a month. Little by little the vehicel just started running worse and worse and losing vacuum. like it wasnt all at once.
 
If it wobbles ANY it means it (the damper) is most likely broken and the timing is now screwed up and likely much if not all of your problem. It is NOT going to get better until it is replaced.
 
Had Same Problem

I was trying to look through the forums but I couldn't find enough info. I have a 1989 sc and the vacuum is at 14 at an idle. It runs bad. Literally no power, like I can't even get it up a hill. Misfires and lots of exhaust smell. Through all of this there is no check engine light. I replaced the tps, knock, and idle air control sensors. Still nothing. I checked for leaks all over and came up with nothing. I dropped the down pipes off of the exhaust manifold to check for blockage and still the vac never changed. Even though there is no check engine light, could the MAF be bad? I can't believe I can't figure this out!! Most poeple have a problem where the car just doesn't run as good as it could and they can find the problem. Mine runs so bad, I can't drive it. It also seem like, at idle, if i floor it, it would take like 3 second to get to 5000 rpms. If I only give it half throttle it goes up faster?! Can someone please help me!? I don't wanna give up on it. I just put 9 grand into it. Please help!

I just had a similar problem...no check engine no codes. Try removing the MAF connector..if your car runs well with the connector removed it is the MAF that was the case with mine...I replaced the MAF and all is well now.
 
Any wobble of the balancer isn't good......

If it breaks all the way off, it could ruin the engine......:mad:

Replace the balancer first.....

It sounds like you could have a blown intake gasket......

This happenned to my 89 XR-7 and we spent countless hours trying to diagnois it before I decided to take it apart and fix it......

Take a length of rubber vacuum line and put one end in your ear and use the other end to probe around the intake area on both sides of the engine while it is idling......

If you hear a hissing sound, you have probably found your problem.....:D
 
- A Maf that bad would throw a code, when was the last time you changed your plug wires? Got an upshift light while cranking?

- Its really hard to see if your balancer is wobbleing when your motor is bucking back and forth, try takeing the belts off and jiggleing it with your hands while its in gear.

Hope this helps.
 
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