Mass Air Flow

[blindeyed]

I'm pretty sure my MAF has crapped out, along with a 2nd one that I have on me. Wanted to get yalls input on it first. The truck will run and idle perfect, when the MAF is NOT hooked up. I'm assuming that would be limp mode, considering it only gets roughly 17-20 mpg while driving it like that. As soon as I hook up the MAF, it bogs down heavily, the idle becomes unstable, and just recently it has begun to stall out. That is with either of the 2 MAF's I hook up. My other car runs off of speed density, so these things are a little new to me. Any input on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

If it does turn out to be a MAF related problem. What are my options here? Do I have to use one with the same exact part number, or can I explore a bit into other Mitsubishi cars? Are all mass air flow sensor created equal?? I'm curious about a MAF sensor from a 2000 Mirage. It looks to have the same exact harness connector, only difference is that rather than having an oval end, it is round instead. Would be alot easier to mock up a custom intake with this. Has anyone done something like this before with good results?

Absolutely appreciate any help/advice/criticism you guys can throw at me. I'm beyond clueless at this point in time.

[blindeyed]

Found a video on youtube


This guys Eclipse does the exact same thing mine was doing. I also saw another video which the users commented that you should never use carb and choke cleaner on a MAF.. wish I would have known that before I sprayed it down with that. That would explain why it started stalling out after I did that. Now that I know they're both screwed (since I sprayed them both down).. any help on the second portion of my question?

[4doorciv]

Well, your mass airflow could be okay. Usually with the mass airflow system, if you have a massive vacuum leak, that extra air going into the engine would not be metered and the ecu will not compensate by adding fuel. You could be leaning out causing the stall. Did you check all vacuum connections as well as make sure there is no hole in the intake tubing? How is your coolant level and temperature?

[blindeyed]

Checked all hoses, no cracks, or anything. Searched top and bottom, couldn't find a single vacuum leak. Have 2 different intakes, no holes in either, it stalls out with either one on. Radiator is brand new, and the coolant level is perfect. Temperature never rises past the halfway mark.

Pretty set on getting another MAF considering I'm almost positive I ruined them by spraying them down with the carb cleaner. Do you know which other cars ours are interchangeable with? Even if it doesn't fix problem, I'll feel more at ease knowing it's not the problem.

[4doorciv]

I'm not too sure about other mafs being interchangable but I know the non turbo 1st gen eclipse/talon/laser has a maf sensor as well and are in the same years as our trucks. Have you seen the local scrap yards of any luck of some intact?

[pennyman1]

Others on here have talked about using a mitsu 300 gt maf , but that may have been on a 3.0 v6. Before you give up on the maf you have, get air intake sensor cleaner - you may have just coated the sensor so it can't read airflow by insulating it with the oil in the carb cleaner. BTW, don't use starting fluid on a MAF sensor - I did that and it blew the hot wire right off the sensor due to shock of the temp change.

[blindeyed]

Well, diagnosis is that the MAF sensor wasn't the problem. Got another from the junkyard off a 3.0, I think it was a Diamante. Plugged it in, it runs fine for 2 seconds or so, then starts bogging down. Didn't stall out though, almost runs as if it's misfiring. I'm right back at square one. I'm baffled, wish I could just take it to a shop and have them diagnose it for me, just can't afford that though. Any chance the problem could be one of the sensors on the throttle body? It seems like it should be something electrical or sensor related since, mechanically speaking, it runs fine without the MAF sensor plugged in. But, what do I know?? This truck is slowly becoming a nightmare. I'm also losing coolant somewhere, there's no obvious signs of leaks, going to do a compression test tomorrow.

[blindeyed]

Found another video on YouTube of a Miata misfiring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13IUsndnPO0

Sounds very similar to the way my truck is running when the MAF sensor is plugged in. It doesn't run as rough as the Miata is running, but is definitely similar.