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bad maf causing horrible problems?

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Old Nov 17, 2015 | 01:25 PM
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Default bad maf causing horrible problems?

Car started bucking and jerking while driving. 02 ws6. I cant even give it over 3k without it giving out and falling on its face. Barely driveable. I noticed after cam swap it has been running rich. Inside of Tailpipes are much darker. Sooty black crap. I got a code p0102. Which is maf code.
Is there a common issue with maf sensors going bad in these cars? 200k on her. But maybe the cats are clogged from rich mixture?
130$ for new maf. Any suggestions?

Car is completely stock down to the skip shift besides a gm hotcam installed about 8 months ago. Thanks
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Old Nov 17, 2015 | 02:23 PM
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When's the last time it had a tune up?

Might be worth pulling the MAF and giving it a look over even if it's not the issue. Could maybe use a cleaning. You said it's completely stock but does it have an oiled air filter?
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Old Nov 17, 2015 | 02:59 PM
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Gave it new plugs and wires when I swapped cam 8 months back. I bought car last year this time and it had and oiled air filter but I switched it out for a paper one. I took maf off and it looked clean. Would the oiled filter matter much?

I just know how much of a pita taking o2 sensors off to check cats. Especially over 200k on them
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Old Nov 17, 2015 | 03:38 PM
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Oiled filters can sometimes cause MAF sensor issues. I think most have issues with re-oiling and getting too much on there though. I know many on here have cleaned the wires with some cheap spray cleaner from radio shack and that has fixed the issue for this code.

Others with the same code have had the sensor fuse blown in the under hood fuse box.

May want to start with that. I'm sure others will chime in with their experiences.

Last edited by WS6FEARLS1; Nov 17, 2015 at 03:52 PM.
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Old Nov 17, 2015 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by WS6FEARLS1
Oiled filters can sometimes cause MAF sensor issues. I think most have issues with re-oiling and getting too much on there though. I know many on here have cleaned the wires with some cheap spray cleaner from radio shack and that has fixed the issue for this code.

Others with the same code have had the sensor fuse blown in the under hood fuse box.

May want to start with that. I'm sure others will chime in with their experiences.
I wonder which fuses thatd be. I'll check them next time. I think there is some maf spray at my local parts store.
The car is barely drive able. It sucks!
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Old Nov 18, 2015 | 07:39 AM
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Per google:
A code P0102 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:
•The MAF may be disconnected, or a wiring connection may be bad
•The MAF may be dirty or otherwise contaminated (Note: if you use a reusable oiled air filter, be careful not to apply too much oil or that can contaminate the MAF).
•The MAF sensor may be faulty
•The vehicle computer may be faulty (very rare)


You can search a ton on the problems with the oiled air filters on our cars. As you go forward, know thyself and beware of the four telltale signs of evil... (All of these make me personally shudder.)



Hopefully your sensor is just contaminated. There is a special MAF cleaner for that problem and its a $5-10 fix.
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Old Nov 18, 2015 | 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by fbody4everyone
Car started bucking and jerking while driving. 02 ws6. I cant even give it over 3k without it giving out and falling on its face. Barely driveable. I noticed after cam swap it has been running rich. Inside of Tailpipes are much darker. Sooty black crap. I got a code p0102. Which is maf code.
Is there a common issue with maf sensors going bad in these cars? 200k on her. But maybe the cats are clogged from rich mixture?
130$ for new maf. Any suggestions?

Car is completely stock down to the skip shift besides a gm hotcam installed about 8 months ago. Thanks
There is no "common" problem with MAF failures on these cars, but with 200k anything can fail. The more common reason is the K&N oil sticking to the MAF wires and causing build-up, as mentioned above. I would recommended cleaning it as a first step, since you're getting the code, and check the fuse as also mentioned above. Spray cleaners are sometimes not enough, I prefer using a Q-tip (soaked in rubbing alcohol or MAF cleaner, if you have it) with very gentle pressure.

Has there been any tuning for the cam? Tuning or not, the increased valve overlap will dump more fuel into the exhaust and take a greater toll on the cats than any stock cam would, plus the '00-'02 cats are known to fail anyway (GM actually issued a warranty extension for this, but it's now expired), so this is also a possibility. I would start with the MAF though.

Exhaust will smell richer and leave more soot on the tail pipes, tuned or not, with the aftermarket cam. Again, a product of increased overlap.
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Old Nov 18, 2015 | 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by fbody4everyone
I wonder which fuses thatd be. I'll check them next time. I think there is some maf spray at my local parts store.
The car is barely drive able. It sucks!
Here's one of the fuse diagrams under the hood. 20A. Good luck fellow Iowan.
Attached Thumbnails bad maf causing horrible problems?-junctionblock2.gif  
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Old Nov 18, 2015 | 10:16 PM
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I'm going through MAF Hell with my truck right now. I even installed a brand new genuine ACDelco MAF. But my problem is very intermittent so it's looking like a wiring issue.

If your MAF is bad, unplug it. The engine should run pretty good-but rich and with a SES light. You'll eventually get MAF and o2 rich codes. BUT this test should confirm the MAF is bad.
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Old Nov 18, 2015 | 10:53 PM
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This may be related....

Earlier this year, my truck had an interesting problem, the engine would suddenly run so badly, it seemed like the fuel pressure was zero. Turns out the cheapo aftermarket oil pressure sending unit was grounding the power that also fed the TAC, DBW and MAF. But it never blew the fuse, the truck magically "fixed itself" after a few aggravating minutes.

The power for the MAF on F-body cars is shared by a few other things:

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Old Nov 19, 2015 | 08:51 AM
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Originally Posted by fbody4everyone
Car started bucking and jerking while driving. 02 ws6. I cant even give it over 3k without it giving out and falling on its face. Barely driveable. I noticed after cam swap it has been running rich. Inside of Tailpipes are much darker. Sooty black crap. I got a code p0102. Which is maf code.
Is there a common issue with maf sensors going bad in these cars? 200k on her. But maybe the cats are clogged from rich mixture?
130$ for new maf. Any suggestions?

Car is completely stock down to the skip shift besides a gm hotcam installed about 8 months ago. Thanks
It maybe the o2 sensors..............
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Old Nov 19, 2015 | 05:19 PM
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Originally Posted by RockinWs6
It maybe the o2 sensors..............
The MAF code is for low voltage, due to either an electrical/sensor problem, restricted air flow, or incorrectly sensing airflow. So, the O2 sensors shouldn't be the source of the code here, at least.
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Old Nov 24, 2015 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by wssix99
The MAF code is for low voltage, due to either an electrical/sensor problem, restricted air flow, or incorrectly sensing airflow. So, the O2 sensors shouldn't be the source of the code here, at least.
Thanks everyone. Well I disconnected maf and took it for a drive and still ran like ****. Choked out and bucked. No tune done, which is a must, I know. But I found a way to maybe check if cats are clogged. Correct me if it is bs lol
Put vacuum gauge on an intake port and if it declines as rpm goes up the cats are restricted? Something along those lines. Or is that just bs? I found it online
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Old Nov 26, 2015 | 09:28 AM
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Unplugging it may help isolate a dirty MAF, but you could have an electrical problem. the next step would be checking your voltages at the MAF connector.

I would resolve the code you are getting before chasing down other issues that might be there. Resolving emissions issues while you are juggling multiple sensor problems is a very hard (impossible) task.

BTW - I wouldn't think a clogged cat could cause a MAF code to be thrown.
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Old Dec 3, 2015 | 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted by wssix99
Unplugging it may help isolate a dirty MAF, but you could have an electrical problem. the next step would be checking your voltages at the MAF connector.

I would resolve the code you are getting before chasing down other issues that might be there. Resolving emissions issues while you are juggling multiple sensor problems is a very hard (impossible) task.

BTW - I wouldn't think a clogged cat could cause a MAF code to be thrown.

OK guys,so I Bought a new maf. I plugged her in and it barrrrreeeely ran. Like 400 rpm gargling. Unplugged it and ran fine.

Do I need to unplug battery for a good 30 mins to reset PCM or anything like that, then try again?
Thanks
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Old Dec 3, 2015 | 07:29 PM
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You will need to have the PCM "re-learn" it. I would disconnect the battery for a while to wipe the PCM. That should put you back to a base configuration. Then you can go for a 20 minute drive at mid-range speeds and that should get you back on-keel, assuming that the new MAF is what you need.

I forget what the exact relearn parameters are, but do recall that you need to get the car above a certain speed for a certain period of time for the procedure to happen.
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by wssix99
You will need to have the PCM "re-learn" it. I would disconnect the battery for a while to wipe the PCM. That should put you back to a base configuration. Then you can go for a 20 minute drive at mid-range speeds and that should get you back on-keel, assuming that the new MAF is what you need.

I forget what the exact relearn parameters are, but do recall that you need to get the car above a certain speed for a certain period of time for the procedure to happen.
This is while maf is plugged in, correct?
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by fbody4everyone
This is while maf is plugged in, correct?



Youbetcha. Any time you put a new or improved sensor in the car, it will need to relearn what life is like with it. That being said... If you disconnect the battery to reset the PCM, it should go back to a base configuration and run decently. (but probably not perfectly)
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by wssix99
Youbetcha. Any time you put a new or improved sensor in the car, it will need to relearn what life is like with it. That being said... If you disconnect the battery to reset the PCM, it should go back to a base configuration and run decently. (but probably not perfectly)
OK u will try this again tomorrow, thanks. Approximate time for keeping battery unplugged until PCM resets?
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Old Dec 6, 2015 | 06:01 PM
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You can get a brand new MAF on eBay for 40$
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