92' MTX has No Power, Won't Idle, and Bad Hesitation

[philjw90SHO]

Hello Everyone,

My 92 MTX is very sick.

The car has horrible hesitation when you step on the gas.

It also stalls all the time.

I recently removed the plugs, cleaned them and re-gapped them but it didnt help. They are fairly new. The wires are as well. But of course either of these could still be the problem.

Here are the codes:

KOEO:

111
111
1
157 - I recently cleaned the MAF but no help. Could it be going south?
158
172 - Both O2 sensors are fairly new. What could be causing this code?
173
211 - CPS is new. Signs point to wires or coil pack.


KOER:

111
111
412 - The car has had the hesitation problem for a while now and this is the first time this code has presented itself. What causes this code?

Cylinder Balance test: 9 - All okay

Please help!!

Thanks,

- Phil

 

[hawkeye18]

157 Low voltage mass air flow sensor (MAF)
158 HIGH voltage mass air flow sensor (MAF)
172 Lambda sensor (right) too lean
173 Lambda sensor (right) too rich
211 PIP signal
412 Engine speed during self test too low


^^ pasted for others' reference

Sounds to me like you got a vacuum problem. The PIP, isn't that the camshaft sensor? I always screw those two up when I hear PIP. Anyway, that's easy to change and cheap... you might wanna change that before stabbing at the CKP. It's odd to get the combo codes 172/173 and 157/158. They're both the diametric opposite of each other. Vacuum leaks once again could most definitely cause the MAF signal codes as the O2 sensor tells the computer that the engine is getting a lot more air than the MAF says. The Computer boosts the fuel to match, then the vacuum leak temporarily fixes itself... thus causing a very rich situation and the opposite situation.

Sounds like you got yourself a fun time ahead of you.

I would recommend changing all the vacuum lines since they're more than likely dried out and rotted. If you hear a hissing noise while the engine's running, start there. Spray starter fluid in all the junctions you see on the intake, the throttle body elbow, the intake couplers... everywhere you see that air could possibly leak through. If the idle suddenly jumps due to the much more volatile starter fluid getting into the chamber then you found your leak. My money says it's A.) a vacuum line, B.) an intake coupler, or C.) "other".

Since only the right bank is setting codes (that's the back side of the engine), I would check there first. I've seen leaks in the most bizarre of places - remember, the engine is a vacuum for half its cycle - so be patient, and get a few cans of starter fluid.

Cylinder balance test says fuel is ok, and spark doesn't normally cause issues like that (but if it were, I'd check the camshaft sensor first, DIS second, coil pack third).

I do have a spare stock MAF should you feel you need one in your troubleshooting.

Oh, and one last thing... good luck, man. You're gonna need it.

 

[projectSHO89]

Crikey.......


Start with the first code and focus on it.

Your initial symptoms are of a faulty MAF. To verify, disconnect the MAF and take it for a test drive. If the boggimg symptom is resolved, the MAF is bad or the is a problem with its signal.

Once you get past the MAF fault, reset the computer and retest. May faults cause a cascade effect and can cause additional fault codes to be generated. This makes it necessary to address the highest priority fault first and then to retest to see what remaining fault codes may be generated.

Steve

 

[philjw90SHO]

How do I go about resetting the computer?

Thanks for the reponses guys!

- Phil

 

[philjw90SHO]

Do you mean clear the codes?

Or resetting the cars computer?

- Phil

 

[CerberuS]

Sounds like a bad MAF causing all that crap.

 

[philjw90SHO]

Well I just swapped out my MAF for my fiance's off of her 3.2 and I noticed what i think is a little bit of improvement but no significant changes.

Could the wiring be failing?

Where does the MAF wiring connect to?

- Phil

 

[projectSHO89]

Well I just swapped out my MAF for my fiance's off of her 3.2 and I noticed what i think is a little bit of improvement but no significant changes.

Could the wiring be failing?

Where does the MAF wiring connect to?

- Phil

The suggestion was to dissconnect it (forces the computer to subsitute know values for the missing sensor). not swaaping it...

Steve

 

[philjw90SHO]

Steve,

I did try just disconnecting it first. Then I swapped in the other MAF. Both changes felt the same, like neither of them did much of anything.

- Phil