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Dirty MAF??

904 views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  70bird 
#1 ·
Could a dirty MAF cause my car to randomly die, throw a CEL, and even cause my car to run like absolute crap?? I made the big mistake of using a K&N filter a while back... and also used the charger kit on it later on. I believe my MAF probably has a lot of Oil on it and needs cleaned or replaced. For a long time I thought my ECU was messed up. My car would throw a CEL and start producing smoke out the exhaust like it was running rich. If I turned it off and let it sit, or restarted it, it would clear the CEL. Was very random doing this. At the time I posted a thread about it and was told my ECU was fried. Well, not long after that post my car never thru a CEL again for a few months now and sorta fixed itself. Today coming to class my car randomly died again when I came to a stop at a stop light and the CEL was on. I restarted the car and the CEL cleared and I got to class just fine. It hasn't done the smoking or running rich. But just curious if my MAF could be the culprit instead? Im gonna clean it reguardless... but didnt know if anyone had a good opinion. Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
The problem with the ECU i believe is intermittent so it might still be bad making your car run rich. There is no hurt in cleaning the maf and with the oil getting on it might be causing your problem use some electronics cleaner spray or a qtip with rubbing alcohol to clean it gently. With all that smoke though and what other people have done to fix it the ecu is usually the culprit on that year car.
 
#3 ·
A bad MAF can cauise intermitant issues like you are seeing. WHat is the CEL code you have been getting. When the ECU cooks I have never seen it be intermitant just constant smoke and fuel out the tailpipes
 
#4 ·
Well, I took the car into the mechanic the first time I got the smoking and rough idle. There was No CEL that came on for them, but the only code read from it was a "memory test error". Now I have been told that some SCT chips can cause that code on older EECs. I have a SCT chip installed in my EEC. Beyond that the car ran fine for them. They said that the book called for a PCM replacement. But I said no thx thinking it was something else. I never saw fuel come out my tailpipes... just some smoke along with rough idle and wants to die when i give it gas. The last time it did all that was about 3-4 months ago, back in early summer. Only today has been the first time it has randomly died on me coming to a stop in months . I fired it right back up with no probs or CELs, and drove it the rest of the to class with no problems. Im about to leave class and will see how it drives back home. I really dont wanna spend hundreds for a new EEC and it not be the prob is my thinking. Definetly gonna clean the MAF and see what comes of that. Beyond that im stumped.

Also, the MAF is fairly new 02' GT MAF. I bought it brand new about 2 years ago. I'd bet its gunked with oil from the stupid filter after i recharged it. The problems started a while after I did that too (maybe few months). Coincidence??
 
#6 ·
Not necesarily coincidence since the little bobbimon the MAF is very delicate. It's possible it got damaged being cleaned but I wouldn't write it off it's just something to check. One other thing since you mentioned you have an SCT chip sometimes the contacts become fouled over time and need to be cleaned. I just went through that earlier this year. After removing the chip cleaning the contacts and applying a little dielectric grease all was well
 
#5 ·
my 89 caprice is completely different. but i would start it up and it would run like a drag car and smoke raw fuel. then the CEL woudl come on and it would run better. but it would just die all of the sudden and i had to keep my foot on the gas sometimes while stopped. especially if the a/c was on. i found a ripped vacuum line behind the throttle body and the problem was solved. check over wires and lines. you just never know. sorry if i didnt help ya...
 
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