Big Red has been a pleasure for the past almost 10 years that my Bride has owned her. It was a dream car for her and she still loves that SUV. Bright Red, good paint an straight body panels, Interior is impeccable and everything works on her. If something needs fixing it gets immediate attention, and because of this we really haven’t had many issues with her.
She is starting to show a little wear from this oppressive Texas sun. Some of the clear coat on the top of the doors is starting to peel, mainly the backdoor, but I just saw a little above the passenger door. I am going to need to nip that in the bud before she gets any ideas about looking like Black Betty. There has also been some strangeness that my Bride has mentioned, so I took Big Red for a drive. A pleasure as usual, plenty of pep from the 5 cylinder, and the massive tires give her a decent ride. There is definitely a little bit of a vibration coming through the steering wheel even when idling. And turning is atrocious. That is easy to diagnose. The front axle is still locked in 4W Hi. I will check that later, first this engine issue needs to be checked out.
I hook up my OBD2 computer and check for codes. Nothing. I pop the hood and I can see a visible shaking of the engine. It looks like the engine is misfiring, but if it was it would be throwing a code. I guess theoretically it could be only misfiring a small amount that is within tolerance to not throw a code, but I doubt it. I look at the scanner again and try a few more functions. I find a whole section I have never been in. Hummer OEM Enhance it shows 1DTC and there it is P0106 MAP Manifold Air Pressure sensor Barometric Pressure Sensor Electric Circuit Output Range and Performance Problem. Ok now we are getting somewhere.
I head to the house and go look up how to fix a MAF sensor and the only real process is to remove it, spray it with Throttle Body Cleaner and replace it. A quick trip to O’Reilly’s for the spray and I pull the front end into the shop and get to work. I remove the 7/32″ bolts that hold in the sensor. 7/32″ REALLY?? why the hell not a 8mm or a 7mm or a 6mm? Why do we have to mix and match freaking bolt sizes??? Damn you GM!!! Ok, rant over. I pull the sensor out and I’m stunned. The sensor is cleaner than Black Betty’s engine was Dirty!! This thing looks brand new.
For a truck with over 180,000 miles on it, that looks amazingly clean. I guess it doesn’t hurt that we keep the air filter fresh and user the factory intake. Anyway it got a good spray down with throttle body cleaner and i was going to set it aside to dry before installing it but at 102ยบ today it was dry before I had a chance to put it down.
I cleaned my hands and started the truck, no difference. Then I went back through to see what I could have missed and realized that I fixed the MAF sensor not the MAP sensor, DOH! Well cleaning parts is never a bad thing (unless you break them) so I will now need to focus on the MAP sensor, but not tonight. It is just too damn hot.
It is literally burning up. I am not in shape enough to work in this sort of heat. But I have already started working on that. I got 15 minutes in on the stationary bike this morning. My goal is to do so every day this week. And possibly cut down on some calories. Good luck to me.
