Anyone adjust their AFM?

[LittleDragon]

Anyone ever drill out the metal cap and turned the screw counterclockwise on their AFM? I've read up on this and it's resolved a lot of cold hesitation issues for people. For me it's been going on for like 8 years and I'd like to resolve it. I've driven the car less than 10 times in the past 3 years but I hate that it does this when I do. Here's the symptoms...

-Start it up and it does fine
-Drive it for a block, it starts to sputter
-If I give it a little throttle, the sputter gets worse
-If I go WOT, I can hear it build boost but not going anywhere. Eventually, the boost gets burped up and I can hear the slamming of either the wastegate or AFM door.
-The only way I can really resolve the issue is a few quick revs in neutral past 3000rpm and it drives fine
-If I park somewhere for like 30 mins, the issues pop up again

If adjusting the AFM fixes this, I'd probably drive it more and it'll hold me over until I decide between a Gen4 or 2GR... and when I can spare the time to do the swap. Just want to hear some experiences before I break out the drill.

Oh, anyone have a spare throttle cable? lol The rubber cap rotted off a while ago and it's starting to fray. No biggie but just in case.

[camshaft]

personally I would say never to adjust the AFM its set at factory, by moving the screw you are masking the real problem.
Any driveablity problem starts with compression/leak down test, verify ignition system, verify fuel system, then moving to verify coolant temp sensor is working, and that your problem isn't the PCM/ecm moving from open to closed loop.
When the car is switching to o2 sensor operation

[LittleDragon]

Thing is, over the years, at least 5 people including yourself tried to figure it out and everyone was stumped. If the motor is going to be replaced and I'll probably drive it less than 20 times before that, why not give it a shot?

[camshaft]

Because you are masking another problem by adjusting something that shouldn't be adjusted.

Just like pulling the check engine light bulb and cranking the timing to max to compensate for defective knock sensor.

Thing is, over the years, at least 5 people including yourself tried to figure it out and everyone was stumped. If the motor is going to be replaced and I'll probably drive it less than 20 times before that, why not give it a shot?

[LittleDragon]

I know what your getting at but I'm not going to spend the time when the engine will be replaced and is currently being driven twice a year. This is more like putting duct tape on a leaky garden hose to get a few more uses out of it before buying a new garden hose.

[camshaft]

Garden hose costs peanuts compair to a afm.

It's your car, do what you wish.
Seems like a waste to destroy a very expensive sensor.

Hope the new engine doesn't need the afm

[adam]

Neither a 2GR or 4th Gen 3SGTE will need that. If you're done spending time and money on the engine, you don't really have anything to lose, Bao. The value of a 20+ year old AFM is likely less than a few (couple?) hours of diagnostics by a technician. If you're just looking to limp through a few more drives it seems like a no-brainer.

[2-yota]

If you do it, make sure you record the number of turns you made and mark off any starting angle reference points so that you can return it back to factory setting if needed. It's just an adjustment screw that controls the by-pass air so if you think it might help ...

If it doesn't work, just turn it back and you're back where you started (minus the nice metal cap). But at least now you would have found the truth and start planning for that new engine so you can drive the car more often. Just don't have any kids or else it will be all over.