I had my oil changed last week and specifically asked them not to check my air filter as they always mess it up. Unfortunately they did not listen and came into the waiting area holding my perfectly clean airfliter recommending replacement. Like always happens I was driving home and the check engine light came on. Throwing a P0171 & P0174. I noticed that the air filter box was not propperly clipped. When I opened it was obvious the forgot about the clip under the MAF sensor and used teh 2 inches to stuff the air filter back in. Once it was all put back together cleared the codes everything was good for about 15 miles and it came back on. I have checked everything and the system is sealed.

My thought was to replace the MAF with a new one since it has never been done and I have a 110K on the clock. I have found several replacements but none have the little sensor in the ring at the bottom like the factory MAF. Most are on the side coming done the post to the hollow ring. Does this matter or is it a new design that will function properly?

Thanks in advance.

 

I dont know the codes by heart but I would buy some MAF cleaner or throttle,body cleaner and spray the MAF down liberally inside and out. Then go,over the intake tube looking for cracks, especially on the breather tube to the valve cover.
Clear the codes and drive it for a while and see what happens.

 

Sorry to hear about your problem - I watched in agony as a guy tried to get my air filter out without unlatching all the clips -- I yelled "don't do that!" and he stopped. If I can't change my own oil, I WATCH the guys who work on my car and I (as you) always tell them to leave the air filter alone -- so far, I've been lucky.

As for what to do -- the first thing I'd do is check for cracks since they could've easily cracked the tube. I'd take the air filter out properly and double check everything and put it back in nice and tight.

What a nightmare to have to deal with idiots, especially the ones who don't listen to you. Good luck, and please let us know what you find out.

Mike

 

What year is your car?

I have a complete spare working MAF unit I could give you.

I bought it off ebay from $35, so I couldn't pass it up.

 

throttle body cleaner and MAF cleaner are two different products. I have a can of each and use them accordingly. As far as I know my MAF is original at 187,000 miles.
If it is working, just press on. Check for damage on ducting and connectors and then
do the old hard reset disconnecting the negative post on the battery and touching the wire to the positive post. (As long as the negative post isn't connected to anything, there isn't a complete current path.)

 

Well worth giving MAF a clean - the sensor wire gets coted in a grey crud which compromises it's ability to work properly but do get the proper spray. There are instructional vids on Youtube.

 

All of the above is very good advice. Also, get a bottle of Gomouts best and put in gas and drive for half a tank. These codes are often caused by dirty injectors.

Since it started with the pulling of the air filter, double check everything by pulling everything back to the throttle body for cleanliness and air tightness.