Big WTF

Ok, got a '90 grand am for a winter beater. runs like shit, but reliable(till now). i went to change the air filter today, got the new one in, and the mofo barley idles and stalls in drive with any throttle (well, jerks with any throttle and dies when i let off). Tried puttin the old one back in, ran like shit, tried to reset the ecu (disc neg terminal for 5min), still stalls.

Could it be the choke?

2.5 or 2.3 engine? You did not accidentally knock a vacume line off of the map sensor did you.

Really sounds like you losing vacume somewhere from the way you describe the problem.

ok, no vacuum lines disconnected(all steel and threaded), i don't know if anythings wrong with the MAF sensor, now it barely starts, runs for like 3-4 seconds, then backfires through the tb and dies. forgive me for having no idea whats wrong, i'm used to a carbed 350 during the summer.

k, now it runs, but stutters really bad even when it's warm. oh yeah, it's the 2.5

edit: it idles at about 3grand now too

anymore ideas? i'm gettin really frustrated, even if i knew what was wrong, i don't know how i'll get the cash for the parts to do it myself in the snow sometime between work and school. how do i check the MAF sensor? i'm used to a carbed 350 during the summer, so i don't have a clue.

Well either you have an ecm acting up on you or the pcv system is leaking vacume. Check your pcv valve and the hoses going to it. Your car does not have a MAF sensor, the MAP sensor is probably not your problem. Do you have a SES light on?

yeah, it turned out to be the pcv valve. found that out on my own, but thanks just the same, i also gave the tb a good cleaning, runs fine (sorta, which is how it was) now.