TheDeuce
09-08-2010, 08:06 PM
Ok, this may be a little lengthy but I want to make sure I cover everything. For a little while now I would have this problem with my ‘85 6000 STE. After driving a while, or taking the car out an hour or so after a decent trip, when I would brake the revs go down as expected, but they would go down to about 250-500 rpm right at the point when I completely stop and it would seem like the car wanted to stall but it would sort of “catch” and get a slight surge to bump the RPMs up to 500-750. Then the check engine light would come on and give a code 34- MAF sensor. Not having the money at the time, I couldn’t replace it but I cleaned it with MAF sensor cleaner and it wouldn’t happen all the time, maybe once ever few months, always on a later trip when the car was warm, after being stuck in stop and go driving, etc, and after the car would run like crap, hesitating to accelerate after a light or whatever, then catching up, until I turned the car off.
Then a few weeks ago, while driving home from my new job, I was cruising at around 45 and the car just started surging, getting me up to 55 in a second and the engine light just flashed, not stay on. This happened once more. Then a few days later it started that while cruising along the revs just drop to zero , like the car says “I quit” and I have to furtively pump the gas to keep going. This was always on my way home from work in the afternoon after the car sat all day save for my going for a little drive at lunch time, which I do to get out of the building every day. Then last week, while stopping to turn in to the parking lot, it stalled and took a few tries to get it started again. That night while making a tight turn out of a parking lot after getting drive thru it stalled out, started after a few tries. The next day, Saturday, after going out on a second trip that day it did the “I quit” thing while driving and I stalled on the street, angering people. Again after a few tries and some pedal pumping it started again and I hurried home.
I decided to change the fuel filter since it’d been a little while since changing it before and the fuel pump is only 5 years old, and in that five years I didn’t travel that much, and it was the quickest and easiest thing to do. I use Lucas fuel treatment every so often as well. Did that as well as replaced a bit of gas line that looked like it was leaking. Noticed that the return line to the tank was kind of rusted and could use replacing sometime, but I didn’t have any more replacement line. Took it for a test run and everything seemed good, until it did the “catch” / sensor light thing. Code- 34. Monday I installed a new MAF sensor, reset the computer by pulling the negative. Everything seemed good on a long trip.
Then yesterday on the way home after stopping at the grocery store for about 5 or 10 minutes on my way home, it didn’t want to start. Took a few tries but it started. Then at a light, the “catch”/code 34. Then this morning I was going to work and it did the “I quit” thing, but I was able to get it going by pumping the pedal. This is the first time its done that on the first run of the day, the others were later in the day on a separate trip. Coming home was ok but it seemed to be running a little rough, but that might just be my paranoia and worry about stalling in rush hour.
What could this be? Fuel pressure problems? Computer issue? Vacuum issue? Heck, maybe it just needs to be tuned up. I’m lost and scared I’m going to stall and get hit and then be really screwed.
Then a few weeks ago, while driving home from my new job, I was cruising at around 45 and the car just started surging, getting me up to 55 in a second and the engine light just flashed, not stay on. This happened once more. Then a few days later it started that while cruising along the revs just drop to zero , like the car says “I quit” and I have to furtively pump the gas to keep going. This was always on my way home from work in the afternoon after the car sat all day save for my going for a little drive at lunch time, which I do to get out of the building every day. Then last week, while stopping to turn in to the parking lot, it stalled and took a few tries to get it started again. That night while making a tight turn out of a parking lot after getting drive thru it stalled out, started after a few tries. The next day, Saturday, after going out on a second trip that day it did the “I quit” thing while driving and I stalled on the street, angering people. Again after a few tries and some pedal pumping it started again and I hurried home.
I decided to change the fuel filter since it’d been a little while since changing it before and the fuel pump is only 5 years old, and in that five years I didn’t travel that much, and it was the quickest and easiest thing to do. I use Lucas fuel treatment every so often as well. Did that as well as replaced a bit of gas line that looked like it was leaking. Noticed that the return line to the tank was kind of rusted and could use replacing sometime, but I didn’t have any more replacement line. Took it for a test run and everything seemed good, until it did the “catch” / sensor light thing. Code- 34. Monday I installed a new MAF sensor, reset the computer by pulling the negative. Everything seemed good on a long trip.
Then yesterday on the way home after stopping at the grocery store for about 5 or 10 minutes on my way home, it didn’t want to start. Took a few tries but it started. Then at a light, the “catch”/code 34. Then this morning I was going to work and it did the “I quit” thing, but I was able to get it going by pumping the pedal. This is the first time its done that on the first run of the day, the others were later in the day on a separate trip. Coming home was ok but it seemed to be running a little rough, but that might just be my paranoia and worry about stalling in rush hour.
What could this be? Fuel pressure problems? Computer issue? Vacuum issue? Heck, maybe it just needs to be tuned up. I’m lost and scared I’m going to stall and get hit and then be really screwed.