MAF sensor with poor connections makes the engine do many weird things

[SUITE E]

It has been a battle since getting this (wonderful) car. I have learned from experience that those 3 wires can introduce all kinds of antics to the engine from loping idle and missing, and low idle, running rich shaking stalling, all because one, or two, or all three wires have poor connections. Today is the best example yet. Sitting at a red light, with wind to my back the car started idling rough and the rpm dropped to about 350. I was thinking it's gonna stall as I watched black smoke come over my car. Green light I drove to a parking lot, got under the hood, and scraped those connections cleand and THIS time I bent the three male connectors up ever so slightly so the tips are about thier respective thicknesses higher. I hoped it would force an angular mating creating a better contact. Dam it worked. Gone is all vibration. Idle perfect. Smooth again at all speeds, and gas mileage has gotten beter. Japanese don't forget use recycled steel for most everything they build. It is cheaper, yellow, and full of contaminants. I may get a spare to solder new connections on leading to a good old American plug connection. What amazed me most was the feeling that my driveshaft was bad was coming from the poor running engine. There is now no vibration at any speed. 85 doesn't give me the heebie jeebies anymore. Hope this helps someone with the same vibe problems. I still have the tiniest shake at idle so I will get into the other circuits soon. But the idle is even level, accelerates without stumbling. I happy

[DAEDALUS]

MAF sensor with poor connections makes the engine do many weird things

Welcome to NICO. LOL. Glad it's running better.

[metaverse3]

Did you put di-elec grease on the connector after reseating it ? Simple, but often overlooked process..

[OptimusPrime]

I too recently battled with my MAF. I was able to get my mechanic to plug into my car and read off a error that indicated the MAF was failing. My car had all the same symptoms that yours did. I was hoping that it was the connections like in your case but it wasnt. I just finally received my new (USED) MAF this week and it made all the difference in the wolrld. It costs me $150 used and supposedly there are not too many MAF's floating around for 95-96 Q's.

On that note, the junk yard accidently shipped me a 90-94 connection style MAF and decided to let me keep it rather than shipping it back. It came off a 94 Q45 that had only 71k miles on it. I payed $150 plus shipping for it but I will sell it for $130 (including shipping.) Email me at [email protected] if interested.

[SUITE E]

Thanks, let's see what happens after I clean up underhood and ohm my injectors. Everything seems fine now except for the little bumps in the idle. I get smooth gas pedal response and it seems the engine increases revs without incident through the range. Doing 80-85 yesterday from Fontana back to Anaheim and barely touched the gas. Used to be into the pedal. Gas mileage will be better I guess.

[sijoko]

I had corrosion inside the MAF connector on my 94 Q.

I sprayed some battery post cleaner in there and rinsed it out with water. Then I sprayed some brake cleaner to disperse the water.

I then squeezed the leads tighter inside the MAF connector for a tighter fit. I used a small, straight pick to do this. Finally, after making sure that everything was dry, I put some bulb grease in there and made the connection.

I could feel that there was noticeably less slop between the connector and the MAF than before.

Now, I don't have any of the surging at idle that I had before this procedure.

The best would be to splice in a better quality connector. I don't know if the dealer sells replacement MAF connectors. That could be a solution.

-sijoko

[pimpingurz]

I'm a nooby at this, where exactly is the MAF located?

[Jesda]

Crude Diagram:http://www.q45.org/maf.html

[Rex]

Crude Diagram:http://www.q45.org/maf.html

W00t, I got a mention of credit.

Funny thing is, I've done the MAF thing and didn't really notice any difference. Some might say, that's because it wasn't cruded up much??

[Jesda]

I noticed a significant difference the first time. After that, not so much.

[elwesso]

I gotta get some cleaner... I may however just throw on my old MAF just to see if it does anything...

[Aus94Q45]

You can get a replacement plug and connectors from Joe for about $20.

[pimpingurz]

I'm a nooby at this, where exactly is the MAF located?

[Jesda]

I'm a nooby at this, where exactly is the MAF located?

http://www.q45.org/maf.html

[SFBayQ45]

Is there any difference between the specs of the earlier G50s and later ones. I bought a MAF from a '94 and it won't fit the my '91 because the connectors are different. If there isn't any difference? Did Infiniti intentionally make it difficult to interchange parts just for the heck of it?

[Jesda]

I wonder the same.When I bought my used MAF, they sent me one from a 96 by mistake. I ripped off the connector (SHAME ON ME!), replaced it with my old connector, and it works great.

-Jesda

[SFBayQ45]

I ripped off the connector (SHAME ON ME!), replaced it with my old connector, and it works great.-Jesda

Jesda - how did you rip it off and what's the recommended procedure? I might do the same (since it worked out for you), instead of returning the part.

[Jesda]

I dont know the proper way to change the connectors. I unscrewed it thinking it would have a wire connector or something inside. I tugged, and it broke off. Its apparently soldered to metal leads inside the MAF.

When I put my old connector on, it pressed against the leads and has been working fine ever since.

If someone knows the -right- way to do this, please chime in.

[96Qowner]

SfbAYq45, I might be in the market for a MAF for my 96. It's in the Nissan shop today for a fuel filter change and a MAF cleaning. If no improvement, I'm going to replace the FPCM first and then the MAF, if that doesn't solve it.

Got that buckin'/jerkin' thang goin' on, at highway speed.

[Jesda]

From Dennis:"The 90-93 have one type of output connect and later models [94-96] have a different one.

The voltage output vs air flow graph are the same since the engine is the same size. Never tried making a adapter between the two models."

[Jesda]

Found this old post of mine:------------------------------------------

Yep! I'm running a 96 Q45 MAF on my 92. Although its not the proper solution, its good enough for me.

I tugged on the connnector, and it broke off. Notice that only three of the pins have solder on them. The fourth one was connected to nothing! I took a flathead screwdriver and pulled them out so they would push on the pins sticking out in the image below...

...and by golly it worked.

This is the other side of the connector, which of course doesnt work with the 90-94 wiring harness. The white goo in there is just dielectric grease I put on the pins.

Drives smoothly, purrs like a kitten.

[vicQ45]

this may be a dumb question, but where do i get some dielec grease?

[elwesso]

More fun to post pictures

[qship96]

I wonder the same.When I bought my used MAF, they sent me one from a 96 by mistake. I ripped off the connector (SHAME ON ME!), replaced it with my old connector, and it works great.

-Jesda

Watch out Jesda,you are using a MAF from the most powerful G50 q45!might want to make sure your positraction is up to snuff!!!!!!!!!

[pimpingurz]

haven't tried cleaning the MAF yet, but will do so this weekend. Curious will the o2 sensors cause this problem?

[pimpingurz]

Tried cleaning the MAF and that didn't work. anymore ideas?

[Aus94Q45]

Check the wires in the connector. I initially cleaned mine and it did nothing. Try this, start the car and open the hood. Gently wiggle the conector by the wires -- if the car drops idle speed or spews and dies, it is the wires in the connector. Mine tended to smooth out when I squeezed the upper left wire through the connector's cover boot. Get the replacement connectors and plug and put the new one on.

[96Qowner]

What's your symptom? Coughing, stalling, etc?

If so, another thing to look at is fuel delivery - fuel pump or fuel pump control module (FPCM). You can get a lot of info by using the search function here. Several posters have had intermittant coughing or bucking problems, along with sudden stalling. Read about the high current draw from aging fuel pumps - causes intermittant failure in the FPCM circuit board traces.

[pimpingurz]

93J30

symptoms: stalling, bad fuel mileage.when at neutral/park car idles at 600 and somtimes idles.i might get about 10-13mpg.

Search function is down I think, I just used it a few minutes ago.

Things i've done:replace fuel filter, change all belts, fuel injector cleaner almost every oil change, air filter, clean MAF, moved MAF connector to give better connection.