Service dept.computer says that the stalling out and sputtering in my engine is being caused by the air mas sensor, can this be correct?
Yes, it can, and it’s Mass Air-Flow sensor.
Yes, it can be correct. And I see nothing in your post that would cause me to question his diagnosis.
The sensor you allude to is one of the inputs that the computer uses to determine your engine’s fuel need, the result of the equation it then uses to determine the injector “pulse width” (how long a time to keep the injectors open with each spray). The computer uses that, the manifold absolute pressure sensor, the crank speed sensor, the throttle position sensor, the oxygen sensor, the engine temp sensor, and perhaps a few others that I’m overlooking, and puts them as variables. If one of the signals is missing or bogus the computer will not keep the injectors open for the proper amount of time, just like a bogus number in an equation variable would give you a bad answer.
If you have a late model vehicle, 1996 or better, (do you?) the computer monitors these signals and stores an “error code” if one is outside the normal range. The service department can then read the code and get a pretty good idea where to look
I agree and hope the shop made sure the problem wasn’t due to just a bad connnection to the MAF sensor. A bad connection to the MAF should set a code if there was one. There may not be a code set if the MAF itself is defective.