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!!!
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0099.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0101.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0102.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0103.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_2222.jpg)
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!!!
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0105.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0099.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0101.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0102.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_0103.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_2222.jpg)
![](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i217/Mustanglover246/100_2223.jpg)
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