Inconsistent engine troubles.

I have a 93 , 2.6i. Had some troubles with the engine, it started out just as a bit of a misfire whilst driving along every now and again. I'd feel it lose power momentarily and come back on.

Then it progressed to running like shit every now and again so i'd get up in the morning drive to work running like a dream get home still running like a dream, and then drive to the shop or something and i'd barely be able to keep it running have to give it revs or it just stalls out.

The problem is starting to progress to a more often than not thing now. And im at a loss to work out what on earth could be causing it to 'sometimes' run like shit, ofc now its almost like its going to always run like shit...so I dunno.

New plugs
new leads
new fuel filter
new air filter
new oxygen sensor

^^ none of those fixed it. Kind of desperate for some insight.

Should i mention that while its in gear, it wont stall, but if you pull it out of gear when its running shit it will stall? Dunno if that helps.

Remove inconsistent from the equation all together.

try relay. There two on drivers side. one is horn, its toward the back. the one you want is farther toward the front. Thats what mine was. Its a 15 dollar part. its wrapped in rubber.

I haven't tried the relay yet I'll try to get onto it this weekend.

I thought I might mention that when the car is running poorly, its running super rich bulk black smoke at high revs and plugs covered in soot after a 10minute drive kind of thing.

This afternoon when it was barely idling, i decided to unplug the mass air flow sensor and see what it would change. Started it up and after giving it a rev or two it settled into an even idle. I drove it halfway home running rich as hell like that then decided to pull over and plug the mass airflow back in. Started it and it barely would idle again, unplugged it and the idle smoothed out again.

It kind of tells the the MAF sensor is buggered, maybe having no signal from the MAF is better than having a false signal, or something. to get a new one the best price i could find is like 400, almost half the cost of the car.

Do any other cars have the g6 motor in them? I think a trip to the local pull a part is in order but ute's there are few and far between, if there is a mazda sedan or something with the same motor i think i would have more luck finding a second hand MAF sensor.

I also took half the intake manifold off and the fuel rail to check out the injectors because one of them was wet. Lubed them up to try to stop the leak and put it all back together, didn't fix the leak but im not sure a small leak like that could cause the kind of problems im having.

mine on start up would blow black soot out.

My local motor traders said they only had a listing for one relay under the hood and it was around 420 dollars.

Awesome.

no no, its the same relay as horn. its 15 bucks from Oriellys

Replaced the relay no change, replaced the MAF sensor, fixd.

Tried the relay from the same wreckers that was gonna sell me a new MAF sensor and they didn't charge me for it anyway it was worth a shot, ended up costing me 245 for the MAF sensor.