WTF?!?!?! I Don't Know How to Describe What is Wrong. Please Read!!!!

[rico05]

This is the second time this has happened. I went back after I installed my exhaust and found that I had a odd problem: ONCE after I let the car sit, it didn't want to run for s***. It would boost, but would buck and pop the whole time and would go NOWHERE (like NO faster than 10MPH). After I retightened the turbo outlet elbow that I took off to get the O2 housing in it seemed ok. That was a week ago. Tonight, as I was driving to get dinner, it started doing it again. It would bosot, but would buck and had no power. I went in and got my food and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I get back in, and it was still off. So I pulled into an empty parking lot and popped the hood under a light. All vac lines are fine. Revvs fine. Idles fine. Smells fine. No overheating. Oil level is good (I checked everything I could). After about 15 minutes of fiddling I was stumped and tried to get it to run again (I did leave it running the whole time I fiddled with it) Well, got back on the road, stumbled once then was all gravy. Power was back, boost was back, and the clutch seemed even grabbier (I love how it gets better as it gets warmer ) Got it home w/o any issue and even gave it hell once to find that power was all there and boosted like a champ. So any ideas? Anything I should check? And it is not a vac leak (pulled 20 in Hg. at idle every time) Thanks guys!

[rico05]

Also, I forgot to say that on the way to the restaurant, it ran fine until I was just about there. So taht means it ran great for like 10 minutes.

[float_6969]

This sounds like an electrical problem to me man. I think you've got a loose connection/ground somewhere. Make sure you're MAFS connection is tight.

[rico05]

Damn thing did it again on the way home from work. Pulled voer and got to checking the MAF wire on the harness. Sure enough: it had rubbed up against the dariator support and cracked the insulation in a few places. I moved it and had a few hiccups on the way home, but it was an immediate fix (I paid close attention this time to find that the car would not rev past 2k RPM when the problem was in effect = MAF) I got home and wrapped the offending areas in enough electrical tape to hold a pissed off pachyderm to a cage of mice. We shall see what becomes of it...

[KaZ (VaBch)]

Sounds like a dying coil... f s t caz had a similar problem with his CA. Would drive fine for a while, then the next time when he started it warm, it would freak out like you're describing I believe. =(

[rico05]

I've had a bad coil. Car runs and idles smooth, not on 3 cylinders and rough like a dying coil. Revvs fine to 2k and boosts fine, so I am 100% sure it is the MAF or wiring.