Haven't been on these forums in a long time. It's good..because it means I haven't had problems or spending money I maybe shouldn't..but it's bad because I'm not as knowledgeable - so I am in need of help:

Important stuff in BOLD

Earlier today, I noticed some slight drops in RPM 2 or 3 times at stoplights....always came right back up, and ran fine when on the gas. (this has me thinking fuel filter? or IAC?)

I tried starting it after a meeting, and it took 3 or 4 tries before it stayed on. I haven't had a chance to scan for codes, but I know O2 sensors are bad (put them off a little but it's run fine and mileage/performance never suffered so didn't think that was an urgent issue).

Last time I parked it at work it wouldn't start up again....starts up, dies immediately (IAC? sensor?).. Tried pulling PCM and Batt fuses for an hour while I was working just for the heck of it - no luck.

PAST PROBLEMS: have had fuel problems, replaced fuel pump. Pump turns on and I hear it working...when car fires up for a second it sounds really healthy -- not weak, etc.


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That's a brief summary - hopefully enough to guide me! In the meantime, I will be searching. I just really needed to get a post out there in the mean time because this is currently my only car -- work let me take a company car home for the night. On top of everything, this is my first day with the company. I wonder if my car is trying to tell me something...

Thanks for any help!

 

I'm having this same problem, and mine is because of a bad spark plug wire.

If you think you are having fuel problems, start with a fuel pressure check. It sort of sounds like your opti might be going out, but I would start with fuel (easier). Maybe pull some plugs and see if any are fouled.

 

Thanks for your reply.

Spark never occurred to me...though its possible. I change mine every summer. Why did you have to mention opti? I'm going to pretend like you didn't say that until I rule everything out.
I'll have to run over wires and maybe pull a plug or two for the heck of it. I glanced at wires and nothing seemed burnt up. I was thinking if it was spark then it would run a little longer or rougher prior to dying....who knows though. In the case of opti, guess that could cause anything.

I'm going to try to get autozone to lend me a scanner tomorrow to check it out if it doesnt start in the morning when I get there. All of these little tasks such as pull plugs, etc become pretty big projects now. I work until 3:30 or 4 everyday, when it starts to get dark fast. On top of that, the car is in an open parking lot where the high tomorrow is supposed to be 8 degrees F (currently on blizzard watch with 20-30 mph winds).

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I know it's early, but I think for the first time ever I may need to bite the bullet on this one and have it towed. It's my only car now, its the middle of winter, parked 20 minutes away in an open lot, and I need transportation to work.

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Given my situation, here is my plan for tomorrow (let me know if I should add anything):

• try starting with original keys and hope for the best
• try starting with other set of keys
• check battery terminals / power connections
• check wires - POSSIBLY pull a plug
• check what I can IAC, PCV hose related
• check fuel pressure when off after one prime, etc..
• find a scanner and scan for codes

Don't know what else I can do given the time I'm going to have and the conditions - I don't even have the weekend to take care of it because I'll be in the upper peninsula

 

How do you know your O2 sensors are "bad"?

 

I'm having this same problem also and I'm ready to pull what hair I have left out.

 

No real diagnostic to back this up.. But have been throwing codes ever since shortly after my headers (I think..can't remember...anyways, it's been 2 years on and off with O2 codes and performance/mileage has been good so I didn't treat it as urgent) on and off.. they're on the "to do" list - I'm pushing 100k soon so prob nearing the end for them..

Anyways - it started immediately today during lunch (was afraid to leave the office though)and then again after work, and I made it home. Started it up recently and went to Autozone, scanned it -- came back as MAF ckt. malfunction.. So I'm going to clean that up a little tonight and see if that helps....or should I leave it alone since it has been running recently and I don't have a company car as a backup this time?

 

What was the SPECIFIC code for the MAF? You need to get the exact number.

97's have a common problem with loss of power to the pink wire in the MAF harness connector. Check for 12V between the pink wire and the black/white wire, at the connector.

No codes for the O2 sensors? If you have had codes for them in the past, what were the exact codes? There are numerous sensor codes, and not all of them are caused directly by the O2 sensors.

 

I'll have to get back to you one the numbers.. I can't remember what I saw last night (wrote it down and threw it in a work folder which is currently at work..and I do not have the O2 codes anywhere still) - I didn't think much of the number when posting - figured the MAF sensor itself was likely the problem. I need to be more diligent in my data collection.

It did start all day without any issues.

If I remember correctly...the MAF sensor code was composed of entirely zeros and ones (more zeroes than ones). - [to be updated later]

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If a power loss is detected in the pink wire, what is the power loss caused by? In other words -- is there anything I can do tonight to fix it IF that was the problem? Wind chill here is expected to be 11-35 below zero tonight..so if it's tracing wires, etc. this will be put off if a problem is found. ..but since this is a common problem on 97's -- I assume that there is a common solution. (could I just run 12V switched instead of pink wire if it's faulty?)

 

P0100 was the code. I know because I remember seeing 0's and a 1...and the words "MAF ckt malfunction"

 

The pink wire breaks somewhere in the harness. The "fix" is a new wire, run independantly from the correct fuse to the MAF sensor. P0100 generally indicates a static MAF sensor reading. Check the pink wire.

 

Thanks for the information, Fred.

Didn't check last night because I figured I wouldn't really be willing to brave the cold and "fix" it anyway, and I needed my sleep.

Today at lunch, my SES light turned off. So I guess it's possible that cleaning helped (though I cleaned it sometime in the last year I think). Or maybe a connection at the MAF is sitting better than it was, or maybe cleaning the connection there helped. Or, maybe it was coincidence.

Because everything has been running fine, I wont be checking levels (though I'm sure they're fine for the moment) for a few days. It's not temporarily broke, I can't really work on it now, and it's been starting fine -- so I'm hoping to get at least ONE more start in for the morning. Over the weekend, I may run a new wire and keep it standing by just in case I have problems again - then it will be a simple fix.

Thanks again for your help!