Wierd idle

[JesseBranham]

My cars idle has been really wierd lately. It will be idling regularly for a minute and then it will start reving up and then acting like its gonna cut off and then itll cut off after doing that for a minute. Any ideas what it could be?

[Bessesen2]

Most likely a cat. Same thing happened to my 1998 GT. took off the cat and it worked fine after that

[JesseBranham]

Well my check engine light is on now and it is the code p0102.

[Bessesen2]

You will have to look up the code online

[Bessesen2]

It is the mass air flow sensor code.

[BillBoost37]

Well...then ya know what is causing the issue.

What's cutting off, how do you do that..does it require scissors? lol Sorry...had to.

[JesseBranham]

But where should I get one because I heard someone say that the autozone ones are crap.

[FordMan77]

Junkyard, Morad, someone on here... JY will probably run you about $40 or so. Just match the number that is on the top of your MAF to the one in the yard. They have to match. And no, it doesn't have to be from a GP. Can be any 3800 as long as the #'s match.

You could try cleaning the MAF and see if that fixes it. Worth a shot. Remove it, spray it down w/ MAF cleaner (not carb or brake cleaner) and dry. Reinstall and see what you get.

[TLSheff]

I have one installed from Oreillys. I think it came with a lifetime replacement warranty too, but it was kinda pricey. Fixed my problem.

One thing, have you removed the screen from the throttle body, sometimes this can cause turbulence and a rough idle and occasionally throw a code.

Otherwise. this is what Google says.
P0102 OBD-II Trouble Code

Technical Description

Mass Air Flow (MAF) Circuit Low Input
What does that mean?

Basically this means that there is a problem with the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor or circuit. A more technical description would be that the MAF circuit had lower than expected voltage (air flow). Other MAF sensor circuit DTC trouble codes are P0100, P0101, P0103, and P0104.
Symptoms

You will likely not notice any serious drivability problems, although there may be symptoms such as a general decrease in power or sluggishness.
Causes

A code P0102 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:

• The MAF may be disconnected, or a wiring connection may be bad
• The MAF may be dirty or otherwise contaminated (Note: if you use a reusable oiled air filter, be careful not to apply too much oil or that can contaminate the MAF).
• The MAF sensor may be faulty
• The vehicle computer may be faulty (very rare)

Possible Solutions

The simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back. Then start with the cheapest, easiest repair procedures:

• Verify that the Mass Air Flow Sensor wiring is connected properly and that there are no broken / frayed wires.
• Inspect for any air leaks near the MAF sensor.
• Take the MAF out and clean it using a spray cleaner such as brake cleaner or electrical contact cleaner. Be gentle with the sensor.
• Check the voltage of the MAF sensor (refer to a repair manual for vehicle specific information)
• Replace the MAF sensor.