I think the "clean the Maf" is pretty standard is its fairly easy to do by anybody with some small wrenching ability. I myslef am chasing a small gremlin.. my 96 runs 'almost' fine.. there is enough of a rough idle I feel its just quite not right. Gas Milage seems normal, starting is slightly sluggish.. like it cranks .5 seconds longer then it should. If it wasnt a new fule injected car I would say it starts fine.
bad runing engines can be quite a varity of things, and there is seldom a "do this" that works all the time. Cleaning the MAF is easy and eliminates a problem. But there are so many more things. Vacume leaks, I just buy a can of starting fluid and spray it around the vacume fittings, if your engine speeds up, you have vacume leak. This method also will help you narrow its location down. Thats also easy for almost anybody to do. Then you start getting into more complicated stuff. Reading codes, checking plugs and wires, fuel pressure. I read alot about the fuel pressure being issues on these trucks, Fuel pumps seem to be a common weak spot ( from forum reading) and can cuase several issues, hard start, poor idle, lack of power. Problem is a good fuel pressure tester is not cheap.. and the Fuel pump is not a cheap part either $300 from GM or if you get lucky $200 oon Ebay for a GM (delphi) part.. or if you like gambling an aftermarket for $120+...After that its sensors, low compression, computer, etc.. none are easy to track down unless you really know what you are doing.
people tell you the easy things to test first as they cost almost nothing and anybody (almost) can do them.
me im at the fuel pressure thing, i did pick up a cheap gauge at Harbour Frieght for $20 but reviews show it works about as good as it costs.. so I'm not sure if i will get an acurate reading or not.. and if i dont know, can I trust it .. if it says my fuel pressure is ok.. did I eliminate that as an issue or is the guage wrong and I just think its right ( the negatives of cheap tools).
