I installed a K&H aftermarket filter on my '97 GXE today, and the performace boost, while not HUGE, is nice....

But I have a problem now.

THE Check Engine light is on. I tried resetting the ECU, and it went away for about a minute, and came right back on.

I'm sure this has something to do with the sensor inside the Intake not liking the new filter. (The Nissan dealer said it was "turbulance", and then gave me a lecture about modifying the car).

Anyone know how to disable/fix this sensor?

Thanks,
Ian Sweeney
Seattle, WA

 

i unhooked the battery for a good while and ziptied taht little sensor to the battery, hasnt come back on since then. I figured it would but it didnt.

 

In my Maxima, the sensor is PART of the intake.
I can't take it out of the housing, as it is part of it.

I know what you're talking about, tho....My friend has an Infinity I30 and his is just a sensor attached to wire, and he did the same thing you did.

Unfortunately, I can't do that. It's encased in hard plastic inside the intake.....I can't take it out.

IanS

 

Did you just replace the stock air box with a cone filter or did you replace the whole thing with an intake? I just replaced the stock air box with a Weapon*R V2 filter and the check engine light never came on. Actually I didnt even see a sensor. All I did was disconnect the electrical harness from the Air Flow Meter and then reconnect it when I was done. No Check engine light at all. Which one did you do?

 

I replaced the filter only.

The sensor is in there if you look.....behind the screen.

I took that whole part of the intake completely off, so air was not flowing through it, and the check engine light turned off, so I know that's what's causing it....

Like I said, the Nissan Service dept. said it was because more air is coming through the sensor, and it sees that as "turbulance".....I tried putting a piece of tape over the sensor itself, but then the car wouldn't run at all, because there was no air getting to it at all....

IanS

 

Oh behind the round screen? Are you saying you think you damaged it? I didnt touch that part of the stock intake. All I did was take out the stock air box attach my Air Flow Meter adapter to the Air flow meter and then clamped my filter on. I have had no problems at all so far.

 

No, I never took that off, you can just see the sensor by looking in.

I never touched it. Like I said, the Nissan Dealership said there is nothing wrong with the sensor, just that the new Filter is letting in too much air, causing "turbulence", and making the sensor give a warning.

I just need a way to either disable this sensor, or a workaround for it.

IanS

 

I, just drilled a hole into the back of the filters casing and mounted the sensor there, ive had my reactive cone filter on for a week with no problems.

 

you know there are two different sensors in the intake assembly. If you are to take off your stock airbox, then there is a sensor attatched to the airbox by i think 2 wires. I THINK that is a temperature sensor. Then there is another sensor behind the round screen. That is your MAF (mass airflow) sensor. Dont screw that up, last i heard from somebodys post is that they are several hundred dollars to replace your MAF. I think the sensor setting off your engine light is the one attatched to the airbox. That is what set off my check engine light a few times. I think all this is pretty accurate, correct me if i am wrong.

 

I had NO temperature sensor on my car....I know what you're talking about, however...my friend's I30 DID have that....mine doesn't, even though everything else looks exactly the same.....I checked inside the airbox and everywhere else out thouroughly, and there are no sensors or sensor plugs on the airbox.....I do see the sensor in the I30's airbox.

It is my MAF that is detecting what the computer considers "too much" air flow, and setting it off.....
I find it hard to believe I'm the only one that has had this situation.

IanS

 

Nizmo,

Which sensor did you drill a hole for and plug into the casing????

Currently, there are only 2 visible sensors that might be causing this.

1:There is a sensor attached to the bottom of the "air scoop" piping that used to plug into the airbox. (the piping plugged into the airbox, not the sensor)

2:There is the MAF sensor inside the intake behind a screen.

A third option is the sensor that is supposed to be inside the airbox. I don't have this sensor on my '97...my buddies '96 I30 does......

The one I don't have in the airbox could be the equivilant of the one I have on my air scoop, ss my friend's I30 does not have one there.

Anyone know?

Thanks,
IanS

 

I have a similar problem... posted another message without reading this one... well the check engine light came on, but the car would not rev past 2500 rpm... my baby is at the dealership right now, and i had to listen to unwanted crap from the guy there for nothing... any suggestions as to what could be the problem? also... what happens if the temp sensor gets damaged? is it a big deal cos that thing was screwed so tightly onto the stock filter cover that it might have been damaged slightly when we tried to pull it out!

 

See, mine will rev past 2500 with no problems, and feels like it's actually running better since I added the Filter.

But, today I FINALLY figured out what the codes meant.

0102 - MAF
0401 - Intake Air Temp Sensor

So it's being caused by BOTH!!!!

I did disconnect the MAF, and my friend started the car without it, which may have caused the error in my ECU, (I of course then shut the car off and plugged it back in) but the Temp Sensor (which is in the air scoop on my car, not the air box), hasn't been touched by me....

Anyway, I've reset the ECU MANY times, with no luck.

I also tried disconencting the battery for 6 hours, with no luck.

Any ideas why and how to fix this?

Thanks,
IanS

 

I think if you start the car without the MAF and intake air temp sensor plugged in, it will trigger the check engine light --- and then it can only be reset by the dealer shop --

 

According to the MaxFaq, which uses material out of the Nissan Service Manual, you can reset the Light and ECU yourself.

http://web2.airmail.net/scutchen/max_faq/

Go to "Maintenance", and "Reset the Check Engine Light"

I don't see why this method is any different from what the shop would do....And it works, because that is how I was able to read the codes....It just won't reset.....that's what I'm asking here......

I doubt I need to take it in to the dealer to get it reset, unless there is something ELSE that has to be done, that you failed to mention.....Besides, they'll charge me $100 to turn a screwdriver (read the instructions) that's ridiculous!

IanS

 

FIXED IT!!!

As it turns out, I was trying to reset the ECU by turning the dial on the ECU clockwise, then counter-clockwise.

This only puts it into diagnostic mode.

If you turn clockwise, counter-clockwise, clockwise, counterclockwise (the same as above, but TWICE), it will reset.

The light is now off, and I never had to pay the dealer anything......and my intake kicks a**!!!!!

I made sure the light was not "off", but simply reset by putting it back in diagnostics mode...it's working fine....Now I don't have to worry about not knowing when something REALLY important happens.

Thanks for the suggesstions, everyone!

Ian Sweeney

 

I drilled a hole for the temperature sensor, sorry for not responding right away the forums seemed to be down the other day.

 

I noticed that when I was getting the same code you got, I had to reset the screw on the ECU to match up with a line that was drawn on the ECU. Everytime I turned the screw back until it stopped, I would start the car and the light would go out for 20 seconds and start blinking again. When I returned the screw to where it matched up with the line, the light didn't blink anymore.