cobymoby

iTrader: (2)

They ALWAYS say that to make their cars look trouble free. When I had my rotors done for the third time the service manager kept telling me, "first one I've seen," all three times!

About installation of the Frankencar and Berk Tuning, both of them you have to completely remove the MAF assembly. I would think that rough handling would not damage the MAF, maybe droping it would, but normal handling would not break the thing. It has to stand up to the shock of bouncing around with the car.

But you did bring up a very good point about the flimsy brackets or no brackets supplied by Frankencar. That could be a problem but I doubt it.

If people with bad MAF sensors would come forward with details of their car, intake type, filter, etc maybe we could draw some sort of meaningful conclusions.

Bryan

Colonel

And be honest with any assembly issues that they could remember also.

akrus

iTrader: (1)

Year - 2002
Model - SE
Tranny - 6spd
Aftermarket Intake brand - FrankenCar with K$N
Mileage at install - ~10,000 kms
SES light on and car in limp mode - ~18,000 kms (returned to stock at this point)
Reinstall FrankenCar - ~20,000 kms, installed with new bracket to reduce vibration
Currently - ~25,000 kms on the car, no problem yet

Albert

[maxi-overdose]

iTrader: (3)

I didnt......I just removed the air box...I was too affraid that I am going to mess up the MAF.

MaximaMan77

The code was a 1456 undefined error. He said it was most likely not an emissions code as they come up in another sequence. Although he also said his scanner was not up to the current year. So we reset the light and I took it out for a ride, I just hit 1k miles so I hit it a little harder. So far no light.

He also said that the "some" oil should not damage the sensor and with the amount of air going into the MAF it should self clean somewhat. With all the cars he works on and many mod'ed he doesn't run into MAF problems unless it was defective to begin with.

If someone knows what this code is currently for please chime in.

We'll see what happens over the next few days.
Hope this helps.

sascuderi

Has anyone on the .org had their MAF go who didn't have a intake mod?

[maxi-overdose]

iTrader: (3)

yea...some

one case with over-oiled K&N panel

check out my earlier thread : "intake -- does it shorten the life of ur MAF sensor"

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

Perhaps an even better question would be, has anyone running a stock airbox and OEM filters exclusively ever had their MAF sensor go bad?

This is just a guess on my part, but it usually takes a fairly high incidence of failures before NNA responds with a TSB. So my guess is that the problem is NOT confined to just those who have installed aftermarket intakes and filters.

That, of course, leads to another interesting question. If my thesis is correct, how in the hell is "air-ingested dust/dirt" getting to the air flow meter in a completely stock intake setup? Or is it possible that NNA is simply covering their tracks by blaming defectively designed air flow meters on "air-ingested dust/dirt". After all, if the old air flow meters were A-OK, why would Nissan find it necessary to replace them with new ones of a different design . . . new ones that require an ECM reprogramming on top of it?

soundmike

iTrader: (24)

Bruce, speaking of stock airbox. I've looked at my filter (OEM) occassionally and noticed that dirt is concentrated on one portion of the filter. Specifically on the lower left corner.

What bugs me is that the intake opening after the filter isn't even directly behind that corner. What gives? Any ideas?

[maxi-overdose]

iTrader: (3)

I believe so....if the dust is the problem, why are they still recommand to use the same filter for the "best protection" against dust? I believe the sensor is just to sensitive to dust or increase amount of air flow initially. However, they have to play around with the wording and target that the cause is not due to Nissan's faulty equipment...but the air quality.

y2kse : will the DTC P0100 code trigger a CEL? is it common to see that CEL prior to MAF sensor malfuction? I remember someone's sensor just blown without any indication of CEL.

thx

akrus

iTrader: (1)

My MAF blew and the light went on immediately. Also went into limp mode right away. No warning at all.

Albert

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

The lower left corner is where air enters the airbox. That's why dirt tends to concentrate there. And I suspect the fact that the intake opening after the filter isn't directly behind that corner is an attempt on Nissan's part to prevent the air from being forced through a small section of the filter.
Yes, the DTC P0100 code should trigger a CEL. In fact, the TSB stipulates that in the title: MIL "ON" WITH DTC P0100 (MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR - MAFS) STORED.

y2kse

iTrader: (1)

I'd say the results of the poll are in. The overwhelming majority of respondents (7 out of 10) indicated that they experienced no MAF sensor problems after installing an aftermarket intake or filter.

Draw your own conclusions.

MaximaPolak

iTrader: (9)

Never.....Injen intake and nothing blown.

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

Who dug up this dinosaur of a thread....?...

nyautostyle

polak is hoe'ing up the forum these days huh? :smile:

had intake installed for 25k miles so far and no problems.

kc1125

no 2003s have MAF failure yet????

spiromax

I have a theory about 5.5th gen MAF failure. If anybody thinks that my theory is wrong, don't tell me. I like this theory too much. If this theory is old news that everybody already knows about... then why are we still posting threads about MAF failure?

First, I list the facts as we know them:

1. The 2001 5th gen MAF sensor does not fail often.

2. There have been two different OEM MAF sensors used in the 2002/2003 5.5th gen Maxima.

3. The MAF sensor used in 2002 and possibly early production 2003 Maximas fails often, and these failures are NOT limited to vehicles with modded intakes. There have been several reports of 2002 MAF sensor failure on stock intakes with OEM filters.

4. The MAF sensor used in the majority of 2003 Maximas does not fail often, even on vehicles with modded intakes and oiled filters (like my car).

5. Nissan no longer offers the older 5.5th gen MAF sensor as a replacement part. All 2002 and 2003 Maximas in need of OEM MAF sensor replacement now receive the newer version of the 5.5th gen MAF sensor, and Maximas switching from the older 5.5th gen sensor to the newer 5.5th gen sensor require an ECU reflash, which can be performed at a dealership with a Consult II.

6. 5.5th gen owners with bad MAF sensors may choose not to buy the fairly expensive newer 5.5th gen MAF sensor. Instead, they may use a 2001 5th gen MAF sensor as long as they transfer the temperature sensor component from their stock MAF sensors to the 2001 replacement sensor (on 2000 and 2001 Maximas, the temperature and MAF sensors were separate).

CONCLUSIONS:

Aftermarket intakes and filters should not cause MAF failure if they are installed and maintained properly. A design flaw in the original MAF sensor used in 2002 and some early 2003 Maximas causes it to fail too easily. Replacing the older MAF sensor with either a modified 2001 sensor or the newer 5.5th gen sensor could solve the weak MAF sensor problem in 2002 and some early 2003 Maximas.

jjames

if this trend of digging up old thread continues, i'm going to start asking what size tires you can put on a 17x7 rim.

falconert

iTrader: (1)

voted yes
I installed FrankenCar w/ K&N this weekend and blew MAF in less than 5 min. It appears the oil got on the sensor. I am gonna send back the K&N and try the dry ApexI filter. Hopefully I will have better results.

chr0nos

iTrader: (1)

i beleive the thermister (little wire in the maf) has an electrical current running through it to measure air flow. with intakes your air flow increases, and it has to compensate by putting more current through the wire. this alone may burn it out, or damage the metal. a better theory however is when you run your car hard, and then turn it off and leave it parked, the thermister is still warm/hot and this deteriorates the wire and causes it to fail. this is just a theory, i don't know how hot the thermister actually gets.

dmonger

When I installed a cheap *** Ractive intake on my altima I never had a single problem with my maf

joebangaa

iTrader: (3)

i haven't had the monsterflow filter for long enough to know if it'll end up damaging my MAF, but the reason why I'm posting is cuz i got no CEL/SES and I never reset my ECU after the install. oh well, had it on for a couple thousand miles now and i like it. *crosses fingers*

sooner02r1

iTrader: (6)

I now fall into this category. I had my aftermarket intake on with an oiled filter for over a year with no problems, but the last time I cleaned and re-oiled it, I overoiled it and was in a hurry so I didn't let it dry overnight like I usually do before driving with it. So I am now a bonehead who spent $80 for a new MAF that could've gone toward more mods.

spiromax

Further support for my theory...

Since I posted, the only people who have added MAF failure stories are 2002 owners.

96blkonblkse

iTrader: (18)

K&N FIPK with new maf and its been fine for 5000km...My MAF failed before i put the FIPK and mine is a 2002

meccanoble

iTrader: (22)

my MAF died maybe 4,000 miles after changing my filter to a monster foam filter but i dont think thats the cause, i think its time just came. Plus, i used the same filter for my new MAF and had to have put another 2,000 miles on that MAF with no problems. Just changed to an ASMOIL which looks like great quality but i dont think MAF was damaged by filter in my situation...

v1per

I have about 500 miles on my car with a new K&N (factory oiled) and haven't had any problems. I think the weak MAF is blowing by itself and the filter is being blamed.

geenowalker

Quick question? Last weekend, I was in Nazereth visiting some friends, and we ran into John Lemosis (apparently he workes with the indy racers up in that area....had no idea who he was, my buddy recognized him). I have been reading all of the comments about oiled filters and when I asked him, he said that they would never use anything like that in a race car. Only a "dry breather" which I took as a regular filter. Why are they so popular with street cars?

spiromax

Because they're reusable, and it should cost a lot less in the long run to buy the filter cleaner and filter oil for a K&N than it costs to keep buying new Apexi dry filters. That doesn't mean that a dry filter isn't a better choice. It just means that it's a more expensive choice. Race car crews, whether you're talking about NHRA drag racing, NASCAR, Indy Car, WRC, or whatever, are used to the idea of overhauling or even rebuilding engines and replacing expensive parts after every event. Most street car owners don't do that.

Rocket3004

I think you need to make the pole include oiled or non-oiled filters. On the VW 1.8T, people experienced MAF failures, mainly due to oiling. People w/ "ghetto" intakes that didn't have oil on the filters, interestingly enough, never had any MAF issues.

wyche89

i have a 2001 automatic max, and i was good with my filter... but i did it kind of ghetto style.. lol.. trying to save money instead of buying the stillen filter at first, i bought this filter from pep boys.. it was bigger and a whole lot cheaper.. so im thinking cool.. but in order to fit it on, i had to cut off the plastic flanges of the MAF where it bolted to the airbox... so i did that, then recently i decide that looks really horrible, so i sucked it up and put out the money for the stillen hi flow and a new MAF since i destroyed mine being cheap.. lol.... what i SHOULD have done was kept my old mass air sensor on, and just swapped plastic housings.. but no, i changed the whole thing, sensor and all.. and what happened? bam.. check engine light.. and a $90 nissan dealer visit.. so yeah, that sucked...
the filter never screwed up my sensor though

clborden

iTrader: (2)

At first I said yes, but in reality I think it was on its way out anyway. As soon as I started it, after installing intake, it was bad. I think just the movement in my hands was it. After installing the new one there was a world of differance in power. There is no way all of that extra power came from an injen intake, which is no longer on the car anyway. Car feels the same.

clborden

iTrader: (2)

So what happened? Did you have to buy 2 MAFs? I dont think I'm following you.

kinesisfilms

mine messed up, but then again my car also had 103,000 miles when i put the intake in so it might have been that the air intake was too sudden of a change for such an old maf....

compx

My 2000 max se had the MAF go out on me within 3 months of simply replacing the stock filter with a fram counter replacement. On my reciept the dealer noted USING ANYTHING OTHER THAN NISSAN FACTORY AIR FILTERS CAN DAMAGE THE MAF.

I dont know why either as I too have used Fram, k&n, and other filters on all of my cars and never had this problem. I will say that when I was reading up on the Max prior to buying the car that common problems were coils and maf's. So it aint just us, it is a common problem.

Btw I have replaced a coil now as well.

Shogunsc4

iTrader: (2)

Went thru two 22680-AM600 and one 22680-2Y001 with the midpipe/apexi setup within a year. Now I'm on my fourth MAF (22680-AM600) with the stock airbox setup...for the past 30k miles...no problem.

geenowalker

Blew my MAF (1st and only) at 110K. Have only used Fram off the counter air and oil filters since the stock replacements at 10K (air) and 3K (oil). Airfilter gets changed every 10-12K and am now on my 13th fram filter.


2000 SE
147000 miles

kinesisfilms

ok...well i have my brand new maf in my car and after about 2-3 weeks of driving i notice my rpms are not normal...when my car had the stock intake with my original MAF i would run 60mph at 2 rpms flat, and 80 at 3 rpms flat...i have a ****ty 4 speed.......with a short ram intake and a brand new maf it was running just fine...until a couple of days ago when it dropped around 30 degrees.....so now i am running 60 mph at 2.3rpms and 85 at 3 rpms flat......the entire engine performance has shifted...even when i drove back to florida and it is warm again....i also never reset my ecu as stated in the instructions that came with the MAF.....ha.....im just hoping it's not blown again.....i hate these nissan MAFs

mickrussom

I would imagine that a filter with a significantly lower impedance to airflow should cause the mass airflow sensor to get pissy - but that's just a guess.