Are the rumours I have heard that I need to renew my MAF sensor every year of so true? I have never had any problems in the past. If true why is this needed?

MY00 (just about to fit PPP)

Thanks

Simon

 

Only because it's IMHO the most fragile part of the engine that in context, can cause the most damage.

I've had 2 go on my MY99 in the last two yrs

You just need to be careful if you've got an aftermarket filter/induction kit, or when the airfilter is changed at service......

HTH

Dan (ps where you getting your PPP from? Thinking of a hike in performance and the ECU could be a good start )

 

I only replaced mine as a precatuion, that was a year ago, the car was then 3 1/2 years old..... make up your own mind....

 

mines 4 years old and never replaced..............

alan

 

Mine failed at 4.5 years old.
I fitted a knocklink and AFR. It seemed i was running a tad lean and getting a touch of knock. I replaced the maf and all was well If i hadn't fitted the gauges i would probably be £4k lighter

 

I have 4 1/2 year old MY00 which to the best of my knowledge has not had the MAF changed.What should I look out for and should I be worried?

 

Mine went at 4.5 years old too. (although it may have been gone longer than that) It appeared on an ECU reset.
Picked up at a rolling rd day, it was running lean at 5K rpm so the dyno tester stopped the run, reset the ECU with his delta dash software and it idle'd like a dog.
Left it there and he replaced it next day. (would'nt want to replace it every year though, bit pricey)
I now have an SECS unit that I can reset my ecu with so will do that every 4 or 5 months to check the idle is ok.

If you wanna get yours checked, ask a dealer to do an ECU reset or take it to someone who has the delta dash software, it should be apparent on idle after reset as it hunts for tickover

 

MY00PPP to my knowledge MAF hasnt been changed.

Only changed backbox to vortex and decat centre as for air filter thats staying standard so hopefully shouldnt get any problems

But as Jimmy Boo said what are the symptons for a failing MAF?

Ashley

 

Poor idle, general poor running. Can be tough to spot. As i said in my other post - the only reason i knew i had an issue was when i fitted some gauges. I personally would change a 3+ year old maf if you have no gauges. A dodgy maf can take an engine out, and has done on many occasions. A maf is around £80, it would be a shame to lose an engine for this amount

 

Just to add. If you suspect a failing maf, a main dealer will probably not be able to confirm it with their select monitor. That will only show a "failed" sensor - not a failing one A failing one can destroy an engine.

 

My MY00 is nearly 5 years old and still on the original MAF (37000 miles) - standard apart from back box.

 

I must admit i'm starting to get a bit worried,as far as I can tell to my untrained
eye and ear i'm running smoothly enough but then who knows?
Apart from the main dealers,anyone know of specialists in the Glasgow/west Scotland area?
I had an ECU reset done at the last service so I could feed her Optimax and prior to that fitted a Scorpion back section.
Erm.....is the PPP upgrade still available for MY00? What would be the costs and benefits?

 

Enquired about PPP when I owned a MY00 UK Turbo. My local dealer no longer did the PPP for the classic. And if I wanted it, I had to drive it down to prodrive. That was over a year ago now.

 

If you have no warranty jimmy boo then forget the PPP. You can have so much more for so much less
Regardless of what any specialist or main dealer says, i would change your maf. You may be lucky and never have a problem but £80 buys piece of mind

 

I wouldn't worry about not being able to blatantly hear it -

my symptoms were, stalling on idle (in traffic) for the 1st MAF
The 2nd MAF, it was running like a dog (idle was OK), no performance at all, and then when you hit higher revs, the sensation of almost being on then off-boost would almost put me through the windscreen.

Turns out the 2nd time, it had gone in for a service, and the airfilter had been changed - mustr have contaminated the sensor. Again, £80 from my local dealer sorted it.

FWIW, all MY99/00 are prone to this problem - doesn't necessarily mean you'll ever encounter it though

The rule of thumb is that idf you feel that something isn't right, 9/10 the MAF will be on the way out

HTH

Dan

 

Thanks for the info guys..........

 

I have an sti4 that I have owned for a year now. Since fitting my knocklink, I have noticed that the engine tends to det a bit to much. (2 ambers every now and then when im playing) Also, on every journey at some point, when I come to a stop at a junction/traffic lights, the engine takes afew seconds to come to a constant idle. Tends to fluctuate between 350-1300 rpm 3 or 4 times before coming to rest at around 800rpm. Does this sound like the afm?? Had the lamda replaced just after I got the car.

 

i think my MAF sensor is failing on my MY99 uk turbo.

absoloutely no performance on boost, not pushing it hard so not getting any knocklink lights on, although it has light up a bit on some runs

 

sticking in esso 97 sul wouldn't cause this would it?

 

No, why?

 

MAFs on MY99 & MY00 are notoriously weak - I should know as it cost me a lot of money

Other models are less affected.

As a reasonably inexpensive precaution on MY99/00 UK Turbos I would replace the MAF on an annual basis & probably the Lamda Sensor as well.

Think about fitting a Knocklink & Lambdalink expecially if aftermarket air filter (cone type a must!) and full de-cat.

My engine died @ Paddock on Brands Hatch Indy. I needed recovery, 2 weeks without the car (my only transport) & a socking great bill, in addition to wasted money on the track day/insurance

You may think it's overkill, but I was lucky - it could've mashed one or both of the heads when the engine let go, then that would've been extra £££

 

its the MY99 and MY00 MAF that is easy to contaminate as its a hot film element. The previous hot wire element MAF as on the STi4, MY98 etc is not as fragile.
You should avoid oiled air filters with the MY99/00 MAF as they cant cope with oil contamination, the earlier MAF's have a burn cycle to self clean. The MY01 onwards uses a stronger, redesigned hot film MAF.

They usually last about 50K miles without too much deteriation if you use OEM or genuine STi paper filters, if you use aftermarket filters they can deteriorate a lot faster than this.

A select monitor will not pick up a failing MAF, only a completely failed one, which isnt as common. If you have an aftermarket, especially oiled, air filter on an MY99/00 i sugest you remove it and use an STi air filter, they are good for 350BHP airflow anyway.

 

Take a look at this thread for more info on failing MY99/MY00 MAF sensors.

Some excellent info on there, especially the 3rd post by "The Judge".

My own experience on a MY00 was a dodgy tick-over (revs dipping to almost a stall and then shooting back up).
Did the ECU code checks straight away and, as has been mentioned, NO fault showed up.
Then did the “unplug the MAF with engine running” check and hey presto the car carried on running.


Now don’t shoot me if I’ve got this wrong .. but the way I understand it is:

If the MAF is working correctly and you unplug it at tick-over – the ECU should detect that the sensor is missing and stall the engine.

If you have a failed MAF, when you unplug it, the engine doesn’t stall – the ECU has learned to live without the failed MAF sensor – Replace it and reset your ECU!!

Hope this helps, Carl.

 

wheres the best place to get one, searched ebay no luck, as i want to get shift of my itg filter pronto

 

scoobymania sell them.

 

As always some useful information

I myself as stated earlier in thread have my00ppp with vortex and decat centre but with standard filter.....planning to get downpipe done

Im coming upto 45k so based on info on here plan to replace MAF at same time as downpipe.

 

Anyone know if the replacement 99/00 MAFs are upgraded to the same spec as the redesigned my01 ones, or will they carry on failing? Mine went at 4.5 years, 65000 miles.

Graham

 

same spec as original, the Bugeye MAF is very diferent in design.

 

The feedback I have had from a reliable source is that the replacement MAFs with a green paint spot are considered to be more reliable. A fellow EcuTek mapper has never come across a failed 'green spot' maf in the past 2 years.

Andy

 

I think mine has failed at the moment and that has the green spot