The Throttle Position Sensor basically tells the computer how far the throttle is opened so it can adjust the fuel delivered by the injectors properly. It is one of several critical sensors the ECU uses to maintain the air/fuel ratio close to ideal. You are bypassing that function by supplying the fuel via starting fluid, so you need to test the TPS.

There are lots of vacuum lines that control many things. The fact that it runs on starting fluid only tells you that the engine isn't getting a rich enough fuel mixture to run. A leaking vacuum line can let extra (unmeasure by the AFM) air into the intake stream, which would lean the mixture. Not to mention that whatever device that line is supposed to control to isn't doing it's job, either.

Well, after speed reading through all the replies, I did not see a comment on ignition timming.
Check your distributor, It sounds like you may have it 180* off.

good luck

Cheaked, cheaked, and double cheaked the timing. It is right on 5* advanced. Also, if I was 180* off I don't think it would run with starting fluid.

As an update I tested my TPS and MAF with an ohm meter and they both didn't pass the test. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> So I am going to replace my TPS sensor first since it went through the cleaning phase and may of gotten messed up. Also, someone earlier said that there has been multiple accounts on the TPS sensor going bad after going through the cleaning phase of the rebuild. So I will start with that first!

I hear that I could bypass the MAF by jumping the 2 brass looking terminals, the 2nd and 3rd I belive. Hopefully the $100.00 TPS will solve all my complications <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />!!!

Anybody know of a good spot to get a TPS? The lowest price so far it Autozone ($88.99), the next is advanced auto (107.99) then cheker and NAPA (113.00) Is there one that's better than the next?

By the way I did a jump on the diagnostic terminal and I get 2, 8, 11 blinks they all point to the TPS/MAF. Keep in mind this is an 87.

Please comment on everything and anything.
GOI

i have seen the maf door stick open i would check that to see if it flaps freely .

did you check for inj pulse if no pulse look into the dist.

With a bad TPS, your base timing will be very retarded at 5BTDC. 12 BTDC is about the same timing w/o the timing jumper or w/ a bad TPS (both need to be present to get the 5BTDC timing).

Wow, your dilema sounds so much like mine that its scary. I did just about everything you did and had the same problem. Even down to shooting starter fluid in and getting it to run for a few seconds then die.

I took mine to a high dollar "Ex Toy racing mechanic". $175.00 later he told me I needed a new ignitor. I borrowed one from a friend and it started right up. Problem is, we tried my old one in his truck and his started right up also. So, did we really solve the problem? I dunno. Good luck.

How do you do this? Do you just put in a test light on the connection and see if it blinks? Because I tried this, if I pluged into one of the sides of the connection and grounded to the battery post the light light up, I think it pulsed because it dimed up and down. Nothing blinked when I put the test light onto the both prongs of the injector connection.

P.S. The MAF door does open/close freely, and where I sent my injectors to gave my injectors a clean bill of health, could it still be them?

A bad TPS will make it impossible to get the timing set right. I would be really worried about putting a non OEM TPS on. My local dealer had the best price on the TPS. I ended up buying mine on a Sunday, so paid $3.00 extra to buy it at a carquest warehouse store that had one in stock.

According to Mitchell E aito repair these are what the codes point to for an 87:
2=Airflow Meter or Circuit, ECU
8=Intake Air Temp. Sensor or Circuit, ECU
11=A/C Switch, Neutral/Start Switch, Idle Switch, ECU

# 2 & 8 point to the AFM
# 11 is the only one pointing to the idle swich part of the TPS

I'd start with the AFM myself. Did both the AFM & the TPS fail *every* test or just one or two? Which ones?

Dave