car runs like dog meat

hello I'm new to this so I hope I ask the question right
well I have a 1988 mustang 5.0 efi mass air flow T5 I had it rebuilt and I put it together timing seems to be ok it does not over heat when I drive it but every time I push on the gas it jolts really bad and the check engine come on. it seems to get a little smother when the car get warm but it still jolts when in idle the computer tries to keep it stable but it starts idling up and down. some one told me it could be the MAF sensor but not sure can anybody help me firgure out what the problem is

It very well could be the MAF, or a number of other things. Get a diagnostic scan tool on it. Scan for codes before the Check engine light comes on and during. That'll give you a great starting point.

Another thing...if that MAF is stock, ask your buddys if they've got one you could swap out for a minute. That'll eliminate that problem from the list.

I don't recall ever hearing an IAC getting so bad as to give you what you're experiencing, but it would be worth it to yank it off the throttle body and clean the hell out of it with some brake cleaner.

Any idea what voltage your TPS is set @ idle?

Man, the problems could lead to anything. Grab a diagnostic scanner and see what that says.

thank you you for your response
I have not checked the TPS voltage yet but will.
regarding the diagnostic scanner any ideas were I could get one ?
and are they pretty expensive

You can get one of the little roody-poo scanners from Wal-Mart for about $25

Or your friendly local AutoZone will test it for you.

Usually at autozone they say the light has to be on to test it...

Really? Shoot, our AutoZone guys are begging for an excuse to get out of their rice-infested stores!

If they don't want to test it, rev it up, let them hear it. See what they have to say. ;)

I'm pretty sure AutoZone only tests OBD 2, I don't think they'll touch OBD 1.

Oh yeah, they'll touch some OBD 1's, baby. Oh yeah.

I will give auto zone a shot and hope that they can test it if not I will go to wal mart to fined the scanner by the way this may be a dumb question but what is OBD 1 and OBD 2 :bgb:

OBD1 and 2 are the computer programs that moniter the sensors like pentium 1, 2, 3, 4.

OBD stands for on board diagnostics

some time around 93-94 everybody switched to the OBDII standard.

in 1996 everybody had to switch to OBD II, this ment that a generic 16 pin service port must be put in the same location on any vehicle produced, and they had all had a certain amount of generic trouble codes

Since I have a 1988 5.0 mustang I take it that it has an OBD 1 and if so would the wal-mart scanner be able to scan it

I would just take it to Zone, If they cant do it, take it to a garage and pay them alittle green.

If you take it to a mechanic, they could put a gauge on the fuel rail to monitor your fuel pressure as well as everything else.

SO PROBABLY AUTO ZONE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE SCANNER SINCE MY CAR IS AN 88 AND MOST LIKELY ITS A OBD 1 WOULD I BE ABLE TO FINED A OBD 1 SCANNER AT WAL MART

YEA I THINK THATS MY BEST BET I WILL TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC AND HAVE THEM GIVE ME A PRINT OUT OF THE COMPUTER SCANN THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP EVERY ONE I WILL POST AN UPDATE AFTER I GET IT SCANNED

Whoever told y'all that Autozone can't scan an older car is on crack.

If this is your first time to turn wrenches on a car, or if there's nobody that can familiarize you with all the doo-dads and whachamacallits under the hood, just take it to a mechanic with a good reputation this first time.

Then get your ass to WalMart and buy a timing light for the 10-minute tune up ;)