Noticed lately that if I'm at ideal(700- 800ish rpm) sometimes the car with rev low(600ish rpm) and my gauges will dim and get brighter then low again then normal when I tap on the gas..

whats the cause??

thanks

 

I had the same problem with my car while idling but to fix it i took off my throttle body and cleaned it up now it runs great

 

Probably dirty throttle body or MAF. Lights dimming are just because when the engine slows down it's not spinning the alternator fast enough to produce the needed power.

 

so just engine just needs some TLC and or new alternator?? where is the MAF at, is that in the intake?

 

No new alternator. It's totally normal for the lights to dim if the engine bogs because the alternator has to be spinning at least the normal idle speed (around 850 rpms) so if the engine bogs lower than that, the alternator isn't spinning fast enough to produce enough electricity. As soon as the engine speed picks up again everything is fine. And yes the MAF is the the sensor in the intake. Make sure you get MAF cleaner for it though, it can be found at autozone

 

is this a decent how-to on the way to use the cleaner?
does anyone have any tips?

HOW TO CLEAN A MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR / METER , M.A.F. SENSOR !!! - YouTube
I know this isn't a cobalt but same rules apply.. right?

 

Sim

Simple as remover the sensor, spray it several times, let it dry and put back in the intake

 

cool thanks