mass air flow sensor problem maybe

I drive a 95 4.6 V8. Over the past 3-4 months, a problem i have has progresivly gotten worse. When I step on the gas to accelarate faster, the car seems to roughly shimmy forward while loud popping noises come out of my tail pipes. Also, the check engine light is on and i've done things to try to fix it like fuel injector cleaner and i've replaced my fuel filter. if i clean or get a new MAFS, would this fix my problem?

Have your codes checked to see why the check engine light is on.

gets old dont it bird?

actually, i did bring it to a mechanic as soon as it came on. i thought that i needed to get my fuel injectors cleaned. but when he plugged it in, he said he was getting a weird reading so he didn't think that i should spend the money on getting them cleaned. he said the reading he got seemed like a messed up sensor (he wasn't very specific). he reset the light for me, but it came right back on in about 10 mins. also, after i changed the fuel filter, i reset the battery myself and again, it came right back on in a matter of mins.

Find a mechanic that knows how to use a code reader or go to Autozone where they check them for free.

cd6-yes, but we must be patient with Newbies! They seek the answer. :)

and the answer is in these pages--its in the book, read the book, know the book, and live the book and ye will find the answers ye seek-oooopps---its fri, not sunday sorry fellas lol

That's ok cd6. Friday night is when we hold our "service" in the OLMC (Our Lady of Massive Consumpsion) garage!

communion consist of stale peanuts and carbonated thought juice?

Holy fire water!

Vasta, sure sounds like the maf sensor is bad. When it is bad i believe the engine runs really rich, making the exhaust fart....and you also get hesitant acceleration. GO TO AUTOZONE....tell them you want your check engine light read...your car IS OBD2 COMPLIANT...like mine (i got a 95 4.6).... The code reader they have should say voltage wrong or maf sensor..or air flow something....this is all the MAF.

Bad part is..the maf is like $80-150....or you could go to www.tccoa.com, register on the forums and see if someone can hook you up.

Just to let you know, if it is the maf...it's not like the end of the world, you can drive the car in its condition....just dont go for like over 2-3 weeks.. Basically you will harm the catalytic converters and waste gas like a bitch..

Sounds like is might be dirty. Do you fun a K&N type filter? The oil that comes one it does get the element for the maf dirty. Hose it with some carb cleaner, might help?

thank you all for the advice, i didn't know autozone did free readings. i'm used to working on old cars... this computer shit still blows my mind (how a dirty or bad sensor has such an impact on so many things). the only thing stopping me from cleaning it is getting that stupid ass torx tool to remove it. i already bought a special cleaner for this sort of thing. as soon as i find the tool, i'll let u know how things are going- thanks alot guys!

You should be able to shoot some into the aircleaner/MAF housing with out unbolting it.

Lol vasta..i hate them computers on cars...i actually worked at autozone, and LOVED when we would get like these small block reliants, 350 montes, 67 bondo'd big block camaro's.....you look under the hood...NO FUCKING COMPUTERS...it's awesome.

JUST MOTOR...

you're telling me! my father and i work a lot on his 68 plymouth fury III convertable. it's got a 4 barrel with a 318... there's enough room under the hood to live there! the car does weigh about 3 times more than my first stang though... lol

i'm betting on PROBABLE tuneup problem not maf --ie bad wires, plugs----maf is not generally known for popping exhaust---one thing you learn and learn well when you are a young mechanic(that was quite a while ago) any internal combustion engine that has a misfire under load(shaking/shimmy on acceleration, popping/backfire) is 99% of the time is due to secondary ignition failure---and yes it sometimes is that easy----computers tend to complicate the thought process not the diagnosis or repair

I am also having problems like this. My 94 tbird 4.6 runs like crap when you first start it. If I give it gas the car sounds like it wants to die. After the car warms up it runs fine. I did have my computer replaced two years ago, and I also have a K&N filtercharger. One of you gents suggested carb cleaner, did anyone try it. I am somewhat ignorant on how to work on vehicles, but I changed my TRS and cleaned the throttle body, and the problem still persists. Any other ideas on what the problem, and resolution may be?

forza your problem sounds more like maf as it is very temp sensitive and symptoms get progressively worse over time--i cant remember what thread it was in but i gave a detailed explanation of operation and why its bad when cold and is fine when at operating temp--look back thru files

PROBLEM SOLVED!

i finally found a tamper-proof torx bit set and i removed my MAFS and there it was, plain as day- corrosion. i bought a special electrical cleaner spray and soaked everything in sight. i scrubed the corrosion with a toothbrush and wiped it all away. i put the sensor back on and i noticed an IMMEDIATE difference. my car never drove so well.

thank you all for you help, i love you!!

PROBLEM SOLVED!

i finally found a tamper-proof torx bit set and i removed my MAFS and there it was, plain as day- corrosion. i bought a special electrical cleaner spray and soaked everything in sight. i scrubed the corrosion with a toothbrush and wiped it all away. i put the sensor back on and i noticed an IMMEDIATE difference. my car never drove so well.

thank you all for you help, i love you!!
Your welcome, glad it was something simple. Not always turns out that way, not often enough anyway.

i to have a 95 tbird 4.6 and had the same problem i had the codes checked and replaced the mass air flow sensor replaced but it didnt fix the problem. so i took it to a shop and the took out the computer cleaned it up and it ran like new

I was wondering about how much did it cost to take it to the shop and have the computer cleaned up, I think I might have the same problem. I started the car and it was fine but after I warmed it up I started driving and it turned off. I turned it back on and it ran fine again, but after a few blocks its started loosing power and I tried accelerating, but the car was hesitating. I turned it off and then back on and I left it in part for about 5 minutes and then I put it in drive and it was fine until 30 minutes later when I turned it off and I tried it again.
thanks for your help

When I needed to clean my MAFS, I didn't have those symptoms. My car would run sluggish and hesitate when I accelerated, but it would never shut off on me. Maybe check your accelerator or the 15A fuse powering it? But either way, I never brought it anywhere to clean it, I did it myself. I had to get a tamper proof torx bit set (the star with the circle in it) to take the MAFS off. Then I soaked it with a special $5 electrical cleaner spray that I got at a Pep Boys or AutoZone. When I put it back together, it ran just fine. Whatever problem you have, good luck fixing it!

Paul

Thanks for the info. I will try checking the fuse if that doesn't solve it then I will try to clean the mafs.
thanks

Clean the computer? Ok thats a new one to me.

I love these new computers heck they are what put the bread on the table here! hahahahah sorry your pain is what keep my dad in buisness.