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intermittent jerking while driving. MAF reading fluctuates

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Old 05-14-2018, 03:39 PM
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Default intermittent jerking while driving. MAF reading fluctuates

Usually after driving 10 miles or more, the car balks and jerks, sometimes dies at stops. Mass Air Flow reading shows fluctuation of voltage when engine is acting up. Up and down voltage reading. Then all may be okay for 4 or 5 minutes. Sent for new M A F sensor, but not sure that is the problem. I hope it is, but the MAF Sensor on the car is only a year or so old. In fact, the last time I had to buy one, I had to get three before I found one that worked okay. Expecting new one in the mail soon.

Put new PCV vlave on already. No help. Anything else might cause this problem? Any other sensors that might cause this? 2001 Monte SS 3.8
 

Last edited by stumped; 05-14-2018 at 03:42 PM.
  #2  
Old 05-14-2018, 03:46 PM
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You could always just unplug the MAF to rule it out. You'll fail it out and it will run off your VE tune instead.

Other common issues when you have a warmed up car is the oxygen sensor, fuel-pressure regulator, or even a catalytic starting to fail.
 
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Old 05-14-2018, 05:07 PM
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Unplugging the MAF makes no difference, so that may well be the problem. At least now I will know what else to check if the new one does not remedy the problem. Thanks.
 
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Old 05-15-2018, 08:37 AM
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If you unplugged the MAF and are experiencing the same issues, then I wouldn't think the MAF was bad. You've just ruled out the MAF being the problem. Car should run fine without a MAF, just may be a little richer.
 
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Old 05-16-2018, 01:19 PM
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My 02 SS had a similar problem before and it was the fuel pressure regulator. With the car at idle, remove the vacuum line from the regulator, if you see any gas leaking out then it's bad and has to be replaced.
 
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Old 05-16-2018, 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by coolhand
My 02 SS had a similar problem before and it was the fuel pressure regulator. With the car at idle, remove the vacuum line from the regulator, if you see any gas leaking out then it's bad and has to be replaced.
On a supercharged 3800, is the fpr part of the fuel rails or can it be removed from them?
 
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Old 05-16-2018, 02:55 PM
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The new MAF came and was installed yesterday. Today the Monte drove without jerking and seems to run fine again. (Fingers are crossed). I can barely believe though how big brand name auto parts manufacturers are gouging people. MAF by AC/Delco was about $184. Other brand names were not much less and some were even more. The one I bought was less than 1/10 the price of those and works fine. It is not just big pharmaceuticals that are gouging. Again, thanks for the tips and replies.
 
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Old 05-16-2018, 03:23 PM
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Originally Posted by stumped
The new MAF came and was installed yesterday. Today the Monte drove without jerking and seems to run fine again. (Fingers are crossed). I can barely believe though how big brand name auto parts manufacturers are gouging people. MAF by AC/Delco was about $184. Other brand names were not much less and some were even more. The one I bought was less than 1/10 the price of those and works fine. It is not just big pharmaceuticals that are gouging. Again, thanks for the tips and replies.
Hey could you do me a huge favor?? Update me in the future (?„„week?, couple weeks, month?„„?) sometime if the problem seems to come back.. Hopefully they dont OFC but, in case they do I would very much appreciate your updating me on the situation. Thanks much..

Honestly I would be very grateful if you did so..
 
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Old 05-16-2018, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by stumped
The new MAF came and was installed yesterday. Today the Monte drove without jerking and seems to run fine again.
Did you pull the battery for an hour during the install? If not, I would disconnect overnight and then reconnect before you drive again.

If the MAF truly was bad, you want to reset the car's fueling parameters and let it relearn again with the proper reading from the MAF sensor
 
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Old 05-17-2018, 06:16 AM
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Will do. Thanks.
 




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