OK, so I'm about to buy my third MAF in 18 months after unplugging it on way to work today and getting best performance and best mpg I've had in months from car.

Can't be coincidence, surely there's somthing wrong that my car keeps eating MAFs, perhaps faualty wiring and the MAFs are OK after all, but how do I test?

Could it also be ECU end that's the problem?

 

Last one I bought was not a BOSCH one, aftermarket brand from Eurocarparts, could that be problem?

Yep aftermarket one is not made to last if I was you would of gone for Bosch

If it is faulty wiring (short or break) I would have thought it will throw a fault code up on vcds

If it is faulty wiring (short or break) I would have thought it will throw a fault code up on vcds

 

no codes showing so just bad luck I guess, or a broken wire maybe?

no codes showing so just bad luck I guess, or a broken wire maybe?

If it was a broken wire surely it would come up with low or no signal fault?

If it was a broken wire surely it would come up with low or no signal fault?

 

So just bad luck then ...

As an afterthought..a couple of mates in the trade have mentioned that ECP have been supplying some really crap electrical parts lateley some dont work even straight out the box!!

As an afterthought..a couple of mates in the trade have mentioned that ECP have been supplying some really crap electrical parts lateley some dont work even straight out the box!!

 

Well that's no good, might have to go through stealer and take the hit on my wallet.

Also, I haven't got EML light on dash yet even though I unplugged MAF, does that sound right?

Also, I haven't got EML light on dash yet even though I unplugged MAF, does that sound right?

What year is your car?...If you have VCDS you can go into measuring blocks and read the live data when the engine is running / driving that will tell you exactly what the MAF is sending to the ECU

What air filter do you have?

Sometimes the maf wire can get dirty.

Was about to suggest that.  If running a free flowing panel filter, that can shorten MAFF life considerably especially if an oiled filter (ie over-oiled).  If mpg is being that badly affected, it sounds like it could be any number of things but I wouldn't touch a ECP "own brand" MAFF or any critical component with a long barge pole.  Bosch may be more expensive but stick to an OE spec MAFF and you shouldn't have any issues.  3 in 18 months doesn't seem right to me though...sounds like there's more going on than meets the eye.

What air filter do you have?

Sometimes the maf wire can get dirty.

Yeah though about that too, running pipercross foam filter, gonna go back to oem I think.

Was about to suggest that.  If running a free flowing panel filter, that can shorten MAFF life considerably especially if an oiled filter (ie over-oiled).  If mpg is being that badly affected, it sounds like it could be any number of things but I wouldn't touch a ECP "own brand" MAFF or any critical component with a long barge pole.  Bosch may be more expensive but stick to an OE spec MAFF and you shouldn't have any issues.  3 in 18 months doesn't seem right to me though...sounds like there's more going on than meets the eye.

Is there any chance oil from CCV can get back to spoil MAF ... ?

I always clean mine couple times a year anyway.

But I would guess that unplugging maf makes it run better and you arent getting any faults, i would always check for clogged maf over broken one.

Yes the cheaper ones arent as good as bosch but I would still expext them to take a bit more hammer.

Is there any chance oil from CCV can get back to spoil MAF ... ?

 

Depends on the air filter used but any oil mist getting through a filter wont do a MAF much good.  I'd check out the filter and filter housing for oil, clean it all out, check the seals and then perhaps clean the MAFF sensor using a proprietary IPA based MAF spray cleaner, then see if that makes any difference.  If not then I'd check using VCDS for any fault codes.  You never know, it could be something else causing the issue.

Throw that crummy pipercross filter in the bin and fit a Mahle paper element in the original airbox, this is a combination or poor quality pattern MAF and damage caused by the filter allowing oil and particulates to pass through. Now fit a Bosch MAF, problem permanently solved.

That's the direction I'm going in ... In the meantime car is flyin' with MAF unplugged. Any long term damage running that way?

It will either start relying on the map sensor or it will switch to a base program and assume an average amount of air is going into the engine at a mid range temperature. So in effect your probably running slightly lean which shouldnt do any damage in the short term.

Am surprised its not coming up with any errors though with it being unplugged.

It will either start relying on the map sensor or it will switch to a base program and assume an average amount of air is going into the engine at a mid range temperature. So in effect your probably running slightly lean which shouldnt do any damage in the short term.

Am surprised its not coming up with any errors though with it being unplugged.

It has now thrown up EML on dash, but still running great ...

When I unplugged my MAF....The car ran like dog ****....was like i unplugged the turbo. No spool or nothing just a nice trundle along.

 

But what does it meaaannnnnn

When I unplugged my MAF....The car ran like dog ****....was like i unplugged the turbo. No spool or nothing just a nice trundle along.

 

But what does it meaaannnnnn

 

Guess it means your MAF is working correctly and your probelms lie elsewhere