New Or Used MAF - 94Q

[OvrKill]

Well I have been having problems with my 94 Q. Rough Idle, stumbling, and when it is bad it is hard to keep running when coming to a stop. A lot of what I have read here online suggests to me that it is a bad MAF. But I am at a loss to know if a used one is just as good as a new one. Are there high odds of getting a bad used one?

Usually when I have had stalling problems it has been when the car was warmed up and it was hot day outside. But today on the way to work within 8 minutes of starting the car I felt sputtering while I was speeding up. I stepped on the gas a little bit and something changed. The car down shifted and took off. Harder than I have ever felt with this car, and I have owned it for just over 9 months now. But when I got to the next stop I nearly stalled at 10mph. The car is sitting in my work parking lot right now, the last time I had this problem I left it over night and it started working fine.

Since then I have cleaned the MAF as best I could from the help documents on Q45.org and today is the first problem I have had with it since. I am going to get a MAF but I am wondering if the sudden burst of acceleration today speaks to a different problem than the MAF? I guess if it still seems like the MAF I will be purchasing one. So which would you go with, new or used?

Thanks very much for the helpKeith

[elwesso]

I agree on your MAF diagnosis... it depends where you get it from; used. If your buying off ebay, ask about a money back guarntee... As I understand correctly, a "defuntional MAF" on a Q45 will still work ok on the 240s that are running high boost. The MAF may still work fine at WOT where its most accurate but may be just a touch off at low air flow rates where it is not very accurate...

Anywho, if you buy from someone on here that should be safe... Otherwise its kind of a shot in the dark. If you can it for $100, is it worth the risk instead of chucking up $350? I say if your careful about who you buy from, it is.

[maxnix]

Hot wire in MAF is a wear item. If you don't know the precise history of the used unit, save your money and go OEM new from Joe. K&N and dirty filters, improper cleaning can all degrade the hot wire. Know also that the connector changed on the 1994 model run to a better design. Otherwise, you are just gamb|ing.

[OvrKill]

Otherwise, you are just gamb|ing.

Yea I feel like that right now. I think I am going to try and do what you guys are saying and get one from someone here who is trustworthy. If that option isn't available then I will probably just get a new one from Joe. I guess I am a bit worried about getting a new one and having that not be the problem

Thanks for the replies, I will keep checking back to see if anyone else has ideas

[96Qowner]

Blow $50-60 on a used one and see if that solves it.

http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bi...age=5

[rsiwicki]

sounds just like the problem I had on Tuesday this past week. I replaced with a used one from a junkyard and all is good now after $135 later. Just make sure you get one from a car with a build date of 10/94 or earlier as after 10/94 they went to a 4~pin design versus the pre 10/94 3 pin design. They switched the design midway through the 95 model year = 11/94 build date.

[elwesso]

sounds just like the problem I had on Tuesday this past week. I replaced with a used one from a junkyard and all is good now after $135 later. Just make sure you get one from a car with a build date of 10/94 or earlier as after 10/94 they went to a 4~pin design versus the pre 10/94 3 pin design. They switched the design midway through the 95 model year = 11/94 build date.

Yep.. 90-94/95 is the same, and 95.5 and 96 is the same.

[OvrKill]

Well I am fairly sure that it is the MAF or connector now. I went to leave work and the car started very easily. I decided to let it idle to warm up a bit before I drove home. (only a 5 min drive) Well after sitting at idle for about a minute the car stalls. I tried to restart it multiple times and it wouldn't come close to starting. That freaked me out a little because it has never had a problem starting. After trying it 3 times I thought maybe it had been my fuel pump all along and it died. But I got out of the car and under the hood and pushed and moved the connector to the MAF and moved the wires a bit. Got back in the car and it started right up, not the easiest start but not too much trouble.

Well the car seemed to idle okay all the way home and till I turned the ignition off. Again I am at a loss, maybe I should do the connector first and the MAF second? What do you guys think?

[maxnix]

Always do the least expensive item first.

[elwesso]

Always do the least expensive item first.

I agree.. The MAF connector only costs $15 and can be replaced very easily

[Jesda]

Is the connector youre talking about the black plug attached to the MAF or the white plug dangling on the wires?

[OvrKill]

Is the connector youre talking about the black plug attached to the MAF or the white plug dangling on the wires?

It is the black plug that is attached directly to the MAF. I think regardless I am going to order a new connector from Joe on Monday. The car has seemed to start and idle okay so far over the weekend.

[Jesda]

It is the black plug that is attached directly to the MAF. I think regardless I am going to order a new connector from Joe on Monday. The car has seemed to start and idle okay so far over the weekend.

What confuses me is that black plug contains connectors that are soldered directly to the pins on the MAF. How do you replace the connector without breaking the solder joints?

[OvrKill]

What confuses me is that black plug contains connectors that are soldered directly to the pins on the MAF. How do you replace the connector without breaking the solder joints?

Not sure exactly, I was going off of some of the info I got here. My best friend is a ASE Master Tech so I know I could get it soldered back on if that is what is called for.

[Aus94Q45]

Not the receptor plugs on the MAF box, but the connector at the end of the wires that plug into the MAF box. DO NOT undo the wires to the pins on the MAF box -- probably cannot fix that. The new plug and pins can be obtained from Joe for $20. The pins inside the connector were crimped in place at the factory. For all the things engineered and built right on our Q's this was not one of them. Age, heat, and the push and pull from air filter checks and oil changes, naturally makes the crimps lose their contacts. I solodered the new ones and have not had a problem since.