Hi everyone. I have a 1998 Oldsmobile 88. Goes without saying I suppose but it has the 3800 series 2 engine. Here’* what’* been going on and what’* up now. For the past several weeks, sometimes when I go to start the car, it will start right up but immediately die. I figured out that if I would just lightly tap on the MAF sensor, it would then crank up and run fine. It didn’t seem to matter if the car was hot or if it had been sitting all night and it might not do it at all one day, and then the next day it might happen two or three times. So I figured I’d replace the MAF sensor soon or it was going to leave me on the side of the road. Well today I was driving and when I came to a stop light the car started missing and sputtering. I put it in neutral and revved it up a little and it ran fine. When the light turned green, I put it back in drive and it ran fine. It continued to run fine for another 20 minutes or so, stopping and going at traffic lights just fine, until one light I got to. As the light turned red and I slowed down, the car started running poorly again and then stalled. I tried restarting it and it wouldn’t start at first but after sitting for about 45 seconds, it started up and I put it in gear and drove away. The next red light, I got it in neutral before slowing down and ran until the light turned green and I let off the gas to put it in drive. Once it stalled, it would start back up but then immediately die again. I got out, tapped the MAF sensor, and it started up and drove again. I decided to head to the parts store at that point to get a new MAF sensor. I should note that the car hasn’t turned on the check engine light at all. So as I was on my way to the parts store, I was unable to keep it running when I had to slow to a stop. Putting it in neutral when slowing down no longer kept it running. So I pulled over and let it sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, it started right up and made it the last mile to the store, although it did stall when I slowed down to make the turn into the parts store. I replaced the MAF sensor and was back on the road within 10 minutes. Car ran good for about 10 minutes, including when slowing down for red lights, then at another red light it died again. Except this time it wouldn’t restart. This time, when I would crank the engine, the started would turn very slowly like the battery was going dead. I let it sit for a few minutes and tried again. Again, the starter was turning the engine over very slowly, but the car did start after a couple attempts. I got it into a parking lot and it stalled again. Tried to start it, and the battery was dead. Called for a tow truck, got it towed home and put it on a battery charger. After the battery was charged, it started 1 time but barely ran. Sputtered and backfired a couple times then stalled. Now it won’t start at all. I hooked up my code reader and it has no codes. Any ideas??

Right after I posted the thread, it started right up. But I didn’t drive it but I let it idle in the driveway. I put it on gear and it stayed running, I put it in park and it stayed running, I revved it up a bit and it stayed running. After about 10 minutes of this I turned the car off and immediately restarted it and it started up. I let it idle for a few more minutes in the driveway and then went for a very short drive in the neighborhood and it kept running. The only thing that kind of feels off about it is that it seems like it may be idling a little rough. Not really noticeable, but maybe just a little off.

I forgot to mention that the car is making a new and strange sound now while at idle. I really don’t know how to describe it. It seems to be coming from under the car at about midway back on the car. If I open the trunk you can hear it pretty good. Here is a link to a video I made so you can listen to it.

If tapping on the MAF causes changes in performance the MAF needs replacing.

Then it started doing the same thing over again. I think now it may be the fuel pump. I removed the fuel filter and turned the ignition on and no gas is coming out the line. I think the sound I was hearing was the fuel pump

There'* a fuel pump test plug underhood. Jump it and see. That'll eliminate the electroncs.

I’m sure the procedure for doing that is in a thread here somewhere.

The car would stay running until I came to a stop if it the fuel pump or pressure regulator that’* bad? Could a vacuum leak have anything to do with this? I’m not sure if it has a leak but I just remembered something else the car is doing. When you have the heat on, it blows air out the vents good when you let off the gas but when you give it gas, the air flow is greatly reduced. Also I can hear a hissing sound behind the havoc *****. So that was making me think it may have a vacuum leak.

Well it’* fixed, I found the problem. I didn’t want to post this cause I feel like an idiot but I hate it when someone gets their problem fixed but never comes back to let others know what it was. Guess my gas gauge is messed up now. The gauge was showing I had over a half a tank of gas, and my wife put gas in it the other day so I really thought it had plenty of fuel. But I could hear the fuel pump coming on when I cycled the keys, so I just decided to dump in a 5 gallon can full of gas to see. Car started up, and ran fine... I took it to the gas station and was able to pump in another 14 gallons! I’m guessing the noise I heard, was the fuel pump sucking air. I feel stupid but also relieved that it’* running again. When I filled the tank, the needle went way past full and then at one point it dropped to empty and the gas light came on. So obviously the gauge is messed up.

Don't feel stupid. Cars are often the unknown issue. The fuel tank sending unit is likely the culprit now.