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Faulty MAF sensor connector?


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I've been chasing a rich condition problem for a while now, and I finally figured out what is causing it. It turns out I have a poor connection between my MAF sensor and the connector on the wiring harness. The car will start running really rich, but goes back to normal if I jiggle the MAF plug a little bit.

 

It would be fine for a while, but it's nearly a daily problem now. Has anybody ever had to replace the wiring harness connector before? If so, where do you even buy the connector? I'm a decent mechanic on mechanical problems, but not the greatest with electrical issues.

 

Is it possible to replace the plug without soldering on a new plug from say a salvaged wiring harness?

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Clean the inside where the pins go. I thought the same thing and i turned out to be my maf sensor.

 

I have actually tried to clean it out with electrical contact cleaner, but its difficult to get in there and scrub anything. All the connectors look to be in good shape, no corrosion at all. The MAF sensor is only about a year old so thats it good shape as well.

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I have a similar/same problem. I've heard more than a few people have the same complaint and the solution was just a new MAF sensor. That leads me to believe the problem isn't the harness or the connector, but the MAF sensor itself. Until I replace mine, though, I can't give any confirmation how feasible that explanation is, unfortunately.
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Could it be when you are jiggling it you are unplugging it?

I've tried intake cleaner, electrical cleaner etc but could just be lucky or coincidence as was doing other things but Wynns EGR cleaner finally cleaned the MAF on a Nissan. Take it out, spray it, shake off excess and allow to dry.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Buy a can of MAF sensor cleaner from the auto parts store, remove the two Phillips screws holding the sensor in, slide the sensor out of the tube. spray the cleaner up inside the MAF sensor tube, spray the IAT sensor and lightly tap the sensor on a clean cloth, repeat process. Reinstall sensor.

 

 

Start the car and make sure it runs well. May be reset the ECU after you know the engine runs well.

 

Turn the key to On for 10 seconds before you start the engine. Drive the car so the ECU relearns.

 

The ECU can learn funky things if a sensor is dirty or you have a small vacuum leak, or you have a bad injector, or anything you have replaced to fix a problem you had. Main point, the ECU can learn bad things from a engine that is not well maintained.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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I have been suffering from this EXACT same problem and was going to ask the exact same question as the OP!

Just this morning, I had to stop on my way to work as I could see that my fuel correction was going way negative. Took my phone with btssm app running, went and twisted the MAF wiring harness a bit close to the MAF with the car running, and voila, fuel correction back to normal. It is getting annoying :mad:.

And for the record, I cleaned the MAF, tried the MAF from my other car. Same issues... So yeah, I want to know if the wiring harness can be changed. Does not seem so though :(.

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NAPA stores will have big book with connectors in it see if you can find the correct one.

 

 

Or,https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=MAFsensor+connector

 

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=MAF+sensor+connector+subaru

Edited by Max Capacity

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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In my case, I strongly believe the issue is with the wires, not the connector. But I will verify this once again. Last time I did a careful check was last year..

 

My experience is that problems often occur in connectors and not on the middle of a wire unless you have a rodent problem. It's always a challenge to get connectors right as crimping introduces stress points on the wiring.

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I've had problems literally IN connectors. For example, when I bought my car, the left foglight was completely dead. Bulb was good, the ground wire inside of the housing was good, and the wiring was getting the +V it was supposed to. Turns out that the pin that was molded into the plastic housing was broken in the middle. Testing continuity from outside to inside of the plastic on that pin showed an open circuit. The only fix was to buy a new housing. If that same failure mode takes place with the MAF sensor, I could imagine why replacement is the only way to fix the problem.
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  • 2 years later...
Yeah I hear you. I will carefully check again each wire attached to the connector, 'play' with them while the car is running and will watch my fuel correction gauge. I will report for sure.

 

Have you ever solved this problem? did you find the part number of this plug?

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Have you ever solved this problem? did you find the part number of this plug?

 

 

About 1.5 years ago or more, I ziptied the wiring harness a foot from the MAF connector to the intake hose and have not had any problems since (using Cobb SF intake). So I basically put a band-aid on my problem and did not truly fix it :spin:.

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Let us know how it goes.

 

Installed yesterday night and took the car for a drive, it fixed 2 things.

 

1. I have now a Solid AFR correction all over the RPM. not bouncing left and right

 

2. I had an issue the car was targeting 15+:1 AFR during cruise. and I had to restart the car to target 14.7:1. now this issue is gone. and the car is always targeting 14.7:1

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Have you added this to JmP's sticky ?

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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I thought about it, but I saw that you mentioned them there a couple years ago

 

https://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5661377&postcount=206

 

*edit, actually the iwireservices link that you posted in that thread is now broken, page not found. they probably changed their web site around and made the link invalid since that was from 2017

Edited by apexi
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Done, Post 206 updated. Credit given to "apexi".

 

I should really review that thread more often, there's is so much great info there.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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