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I had no luck with my 88 302 I was getting 9-10 mpg it was gutless and a general all around pig. Pulled codes so many times I started dreaming in code. All I ever got was O2 sensor and EGR codes. They tested fine. One day at a wrecking yard I grabbed a used MAF sensor and tossed it in the glove box. I remembered it a few days later and for the hell of it I plugged it in. It was night and day! It started right up idled up and then idled down and stayed where it was supposed to. When I jumped in and went for a ride it was like I had a new motor. It had power! (302's worth) I have not driven enough to get mileage figures yet but I am confident I will see improvement. Why did the Maf not show on the fault codes? Or would a real mech had known a bad O2 and EGR reading really meant Bad MAF?
Your post does not make much sense to me.
Number one, an 88 302 should have a MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor not an MAF sensor.
The EGR's EVP sensor on an 88 302 just reports the position of the valve, not a running condition, in other words the codes will tell if it stuck or not.
Yes a good mechanic would have checked the MAP sensor when he saw that it was giving O2 codes.
The MAP sensor measures intake manifold vacuum and the ECU (EEC) has no way to know if it is telling the truth or not so no codes.
As I have said before the codes are a guide to what is wrong, they will most of the time not tell you what sensor is bad, you have to use your head for that. This is why an inexperienced mechanic (novice) will change out a lot of parts and still not fix the problem.