MAF replacement- what a difference!!!

[Goatmaster]

With the newly acquired car having a few more issues than expected I have to confess to have started to become somewhat dispondent over the whole thing. I realised when I took the car for a test drive that it was very flat, lacking any performance what so ever. However starter and battery issues have until now prevented me from addressing this.

However today a couple of MAFs arrived from eBay. One second hand Bosch (£10) and one Chinese copy (£30). Tried Bosch first, no improvement, dispondency growing. Then tried the cheapo Chinese one........OMG!!!!!!! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!
:lol:clap:clap:thumb2

Hopefully new battery will turn up sometime today.

Can't wait for my resistors and potentiometer which should be arriving tomorrow

 

[macabethiel]

Good result then

With the newly acquired car having a few more issues than expected I have to confess to have started to become somewhat dispondent over the whole thing. I realised when I took the car for a test drive that it was very flat, lacking any performance what so ever. However starter and battery issues have until now prevented me from addressing this.

However today a couple of MAFs arrived from eBay. One second hand Bosch (£10) and one Chinese copy (£30). Tried Bosch first, no improvement, dispondency growing. Then tried the cheapo Chinese one........OMG!!!!!!! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!
:lol:clap:clap:thumb2

Hopefully new battery will turn up sometime today.

Can't wait for my resistors and potentiometer which should be arriving tomorrow

All I know is there are two different makes depending I assume on make of ECU.
I've never had to replace a MAF in any vehicle - then again I've never tried to clean one either.

 

[Goatmaster]

It seems the type of MAF is dependent on the diesel pump fitted. Either Bosch or Hitachi.
Yes really pleased that I now have confirmation that engine and fuel pump are OK.
Not so happy about having to take the starter off again tomorrow as it's refurb lasted all of a week.

 

[Goatmaster]

Starter fitted and so finally got the thing running.
However I am finding that it will suddenly drop into limp mode. This can be when accelerating going up hill or when decelerating in slow traffic. A quick flick off-on with the key and things reset but still annoying, boardering on dangerous.
Is this indicative of running with a cheap Chinese MAF or should I be looking at other issues?

 

[solarman216]

The non standard MAF is the first thing I would go for apart from checking all the engine earth points, Rick

 

[Goatmaster]

Cheers Rick. Thought as much. I have also got an Audi crank sensor just in case but my gut feeling is that it is the MAF.

 

[solarman216]

Cheers Rick. Thought as much. I have also got an Audi crank sensor just in case but my gut feeling is that it is the MAF.

Confused? Audi crank sensor is for Zexel pumps and the sensor is mounted on the timing case, but yours is Bosch and mounted on the bell housing, thought the bell housing one was different diameter, Rick

 

[elty001]

Starter fitted and so finally got the thing running.
However I am finding that it will suddenly drop into limp mode. This can be when accelerating going up hill or when decelerating in slow traffic. A quick flick off-on with the key and things reset but still annoying, boardering on dangerous.
Is this indicative of running with a cheap Chinese MAF or should I be looking at other issues?

Are you getting the eml on when it goes I to limp mode??
There's a how to guide in the downloads section on reading the stored fault codes with no special tools.
Saves all the guess work of you have a code and problem area to work from.:thumb2

 

[Goatmaster]

You are most probably right on the crank sensor. I knew it was on the bell housing but from what I had read, thought they were the same size, only needing a spacer. Thankfully then it wasn't too expensive.
No warning light but I can do a check again. Last time there was no light but did get a code 12 as I had been driving with the MAF unplugged as comparison.

 

[Goatmaster]

Replacement MAF arrived yesterday, same dodgy manufacturer but eBay seller was good enough to send replacement before I had returned the first one. Fitted today only to find it worse than the first. Less acceleration and limp mode 8 times in a mile. Taken it off and other back on. Will have to send both back.

So does anyone have a known good one, preferably a Bosch that they could sell me?
The budget won't run to the price of a new real one unfortunately.

 

[rayf3262]

Have a gander at this thread:

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showpost.php?p=177953&postcount=1
Vauxhall Vectra MAF is supposed to be the same Bosch MAF... might more chance of finding one of those in a breaker?

 

[Goatmaster]

Have a gander at this thread:

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showpost.php?p=177953&postcount=1

Many thanks for that.
I have managed to grab three used 0281 002 479 Bosch for the vectra from an eBay seller, so fingers crossed might have one functional one amongst them.
Will report on how things go.
To start with a check on the output voltage of the copy might be useful. I will see how I am fixed for time tomorrow.

 

[Goatmaster]

So I didn't manage to take a reading from the copy MAF before it went back. I have to say it certainly gave good acceleration but useless if you are in limp mode before reaching the end of the street.

All three of the eBay Vectra MAFs turned out to work and all have more or less the same sort of performance. Smoother acceleration on the side of a little restricted. Today I took the worst of the three and gave it a good clean with some Halfords electrical contact cleaner and a bit of tissue. Sprayed the wires and sprayed and cleaned the side plate with cleaner drenched tissue. Left it to dry on the dash in sunshine for about an hour and a half while I sorted out ecutalk to laptop.

Cleaned MAF (F00C 2G2 061) is now the best of the three so will risk cleaning another.

When looking at the air flow dial in Ecutalk, with the car ticking over, the needle is jumping constantly from 0.8-1.3 whereas when revved movement is solid and smooth. Is this normal? It occurred with two different MAFs.

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

MAFs are a pain in the bum aye :lol
You've put some good info on here mate, I will be using it, cheers :thumb2

 

[Goatmaster]

The real work was done by theron

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

The real work was done by theron

I was reading his stuff too, but I wouldn't have known about it if not for you bud :thumbs

 

[Goatmaster]

And likewise to rayf3262

 

[Banshee]

Replacement MAF arrived yesterday, same dodgy manufacturer but eBay seller was good enough to send replacement before I had returned the first one. Fitted today only to find it worse than the first. Less acceleration and limp mode 8 times in a mile. Taken it off and other back on. Will have to send both back.

So does anyone have a known good one, preferably a Bosch that they could sell me?
The budget won't run to the price of a new real one unfortunately.

Just dug a Bosch one out of stock, ticket on it says remove from a 2005 LWB and worked well.

PM me if you still want a genuine Bosch one :thumb2

 

[rayf3262]

Here's the MAF vs RPM output from my (now Ricks/Mags) 3.0L with Bosch MAF, data was harvested from ECUtalk.
I used PCB cleaning solvent designed for removing flux residue on mine with no adverse effects.

I don't recall seeing intermittent output at idle speed, but I don't think it matters much as the MAF does not influence the idle characteristics.
There is a switch on the throttle pedal that indicates to the ECU that the throttle is at rest and the ECU then maintains idle mode.
When you rev the engine above idle and let it drop to idle the engine speed will immediately fall to idle+100 RPM, then a second or two later the engine speed will fall by another 100 RPM and enter idle mode.

If you have aircon fitted and the compressor is running this additional 100 RPM at idle is maintained to aid the gas flow in the AC. The idle speed should cycle between idle+0 and idle+100 as the compressor is switched off/on.