Random sputtering and stalling

[Brandon Nootenboom]

So my 97 4.0 has been randomly sputtering the last couple months but the last 3 weeks it's gotten much worse and has been randomly dieing... I'm not sure what to look at first, mass airflow sensor, idle control valve etc... It does it warm, cold, coasting highway speed and city driving. I'm guessing it's the idle control valve as about 6 months ago I had a problem with it getting stuck high but I can't afford throwing parts at it if someone out there has a better idea. I have one O2 sensor out (drivers side down pipe) but that's been bad months prior to his problem, also my gas mileage went from 21-22 average to 15-16 just
since the sputtering started... PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[robmedina]

I have a 97 but with the 2.3 motor. I experienced the same thing. I changed the plugs and double checked all my vacuum hoses. That seemed to help. Then one day I got my oil changed at my Mechanics place. Immediately after it started running rough. After a day or so I called my mechanic and asked if he had done something different- turns out that the pig tail that goes from the wiring harness to the MAF sensor is going bad- he messed with it a little bit and she is running right again.
I have to find a used one from a junkyard because they don't sell them. I wonder if this was why my truck was running rough to begin with! Would have saved alot of money!

 

[Brandon Nootenboom]

My plugs should be fine, I haven't checked them but they only have maybe 15000 miles at most, same with the plug wires. I guess I'll start with the idle control valve since I had problems with it before, hopefully that's the problem