Hello! I have been chasing a lot of problems on my 88 t2 and Ive got most of them worked out.
The car will start up fine and run for like one second then dies, and if it throttle it a tiny bit it will stay alive. Ive been reading and it sounded like a AFM issue. I took it off and took it all apart and nothing stick and the resistance for all the terminals is correct. I decided to put a screwdriver in it and it started up and kept running. I have noticed that the place where the vein sits is a little farther back then where it runs really good if I prop it open. If I take out the prop holding it open it moves a tiny bit back then dies. If I push the vein and pull the throttle together it sounds perfect and runs fine. All this seems to lead to a vacuum leak somewhere, but I took all of the manifold off and made new gaskets and rtved everything else. I can make it idle fine with a screwdriver and I sprayed starter fluid all over and there is no change. Im not sure what the problem would be but a fix that would work is if I reduce the spring pressure on the AFM, but im not sure. Anything helps a ton.
It has all the emissions things removed. I have set the tps and timing and tested the spark, and it all checks out. It could still maybe be clogged injectors but it runs good with my assistance so.?
Thanks!!!!!

 

Sounds like a large vacuum leak. Do some pressure tests using compressed air and a sealed intake to try to find the leak. Make sure to disconnect and cap off your MAP sensor so it isn't damaged. Your system should hold 15-20psi easily during this test. If not, start listening for hissing noises.

 

I pressure tested it and there was a few leaks with some of the block off plates, but now it will hold pressure. But it still doesnt run without helping and pushing the AFM down.

 

I FIXED IT!!!!!!! So turns out it was a fuel pressure isue the whole time. I decided to take off the whole maifold and clean the injectors and test them. The were good, and I decided that I would test the injectors with the fuel system. I went in the FSM and it showed using wire ties to hold the injectors in while the rails are not bolted on. I looked at it and it looked like a squirt gun blast, not like a injector. I decided that I would check the fuel pump because I remember watching something about it. When I took it out, the hose that connects the pump and the other tube was sooo messed up and busted open. I put a new hose piece on and It fired right up and stayed running!!!