Hey guys new here!! NEED HELP!!!

[BlackBandit]

I bought a Black 1988 Pontiac GTA Trans Am Notch back with a TPI 350/Auto, with a tan leather interior, and digital dash about 2 weeks ago. ( yes i did look at the option sticker it has "AA8") Anyway, I have been having some problems with it. It currently has 74,700 miles on it. First off, the most major problem is the Check Engine light that comes on every so often. Now let me tell you the story so far......
When I first got it, The car ran real ruff, and basically just was not kept up real well for a while. I replaced the plugs, wires, and cap and rotor because they were all absolute garbage. That seemed to solve the ruff idle problem as long as the light wasn't on. The light comes on periodically, and when ever it does, the car runs real ruff still. The dealer I bought it from ran the code and it was coming from the MAF sensor, so I went and replaced that. It turns out that the sensor that was in it was from a Grand Prix! Anyway, so I put in the new sensor and it ran great for about 2 days. The CEL still came on, but the car didn't run ruff when it was on. This brings me to today. I go to turn on the car, and the CEL comes on. Then, the car just chokes and dies after about 3 secs of being on. I turn it on again, No light but it dies again. Then I turn it on one more time, and it ran, but EXTREMELY ruff so I turned it off. I let it cool and I took out the #1 plug and had a look. it was all black, and looked like I never changed it! What the hell is the problem? I really like some help. Im replacing the plugs next weekend again...but I just changed them last weekend! It was an absolute BITCH! So one other thing is that the car came with a Hypertech thermomaster performance chip. Now I want to find out where the chip is located so I can put the stock one back in it? Is it in the ECM under the passenger side of the dash? Another thing is that it shifts kinda hard into second. It jerks a little any ideas? The last thing that I am wondering is when I brake sometimes the front end jerks and makes a squeaking noise. Would an alignment help this? The dealer replaced both of the front calipers and some lines for me when I bought it.



Anyway for reading that, Ill post up some pics of it for you guys. Enjoy and PLEASE help!!!

[Injuneer]

Welcome!

Beautiful car!!! One of the nicest I've seen.

Since the CEL light is coming on, figure out what the code is. You can flash the codes on the CEL light, by shorting a couple pins in the ALDL connector. Since the rough running corresponds to the light being on, the code is going to tell you what the problem is. Could be as simple as a faulty coolant temp sensor.

This is the procedure for the 4th Gens... I suspect it works the same on your 88 (courtesy of Shoebox):

http://shbox.com/1/dlc2.jpg

Typically, the "chip" is in a socket in the ECM.

[DJ Taso]

That's one clean GTA!

[BlackBandit]

Thx guys. Now about the CEL. The dealer said that the code was coming fom the MAF. I replaced that, and now the car runs even worse. I found out that the MAF that was in it was from another car besides the T/a. So now all ive got is a tuff looking beast of a car in the garage as good as a paperweight...

[Trash man]

check the MAF burn-off circuit or relay, i forget its proper name/term. www.thirdgen.org, clean GTA, notch is a rare option!

[Injuneer]

If I understand your original post, the CEL was on, you replaced the MAF sensor on the dealer's advice, and the CEL went out. Then the CEL came back on again.

Why not verify the code, rather than assuming that what the dealer found before is the same code you are getting now. It will take you 5 minutes to find out what the current code is. If you aren't willing to take a simple step like that, quit asking questions, take it to the dealer again and let them screw you over.

[BlackBandit]

Omg i get it now. Ima go try and report back.

[BlackBandit]

I got the code!!!

it was


blink blink blink pause blink blink blink blink



34. Low voltage (high vacuum) at mass air flow sensor (or MAP sensor)


what do I do now??

[Trash man]

www.thirdgen.org look up the maf burn off relay or circuit, they tend to fail alot. just type in Code 34 in search

[BlackBandit]

thanks alot guys I will look into those relays. I hope its the problem.

[Injuneer]

According to the Chilton's manual for your car:

DTC 34 = MAF (grams/second high)

That would be a problem with the MAF sensor reading, not the burnoff relay.

DTC 36 = MAF burn off relay circuit

That would be a problem with the burn off relay

The MAF sensor itself seems to be the main problem. On the 4th Gens, "high grams/sec" typically means an open circuit to the sensor. But the 3rd Gens used a completely different voltage based sesnor, while the 4th Gens use a frequency based sensor.

[Joe 1320]

Nice ride. It makes the 87 I sold look like crap.


Before you start changing componants, go over the wiring harness with a fine toothed comb. Too many times a fault in the contacts triggers the code and folks simply start replacing the componants only to find that the new part doesn't solve the problem.

[Trash man]

DTC 36 = MAF burn off relay circuit

That would be a problem with the burn off relay

thanx fred i forgot what it was called, been a while

[BlackBandit]

this car man.......

I just checked again and its still code 34. I guess ill be looking at the connections.. Are there any common connections that come loose to check?
When you replace the MAF, what are the steps? do you have to disconnect the batt?

[Trash man]

to test if the maf is dead, knock on it with a screw driver when the car is running, if it sputters, its wasted.


course u mention this and my sisters 89 firebird has a stumbing problem at 45mph now