Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums

(This is the forums archive - If you want to get back to the main site simply click the banner above and you will be taken to our homepage.)

Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums is the Ultimate Online Resource for Owners and Enthusiasts of American Luxury Cars. Feel free to browse through our archive - but make sure you make it back to our main site - Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums

Cadillac XLR : Cadillac CTS : Cadillac : 2005 Cadillac STS : Cadillac Forums : 2000 Lincoln LS : Lincoln Mark VIII : Lincoln Mark VII : Car Wax
Lincoln Town Car : Lincoln Air Suspension : Lincoln Continental : Lemon Law : Do It Yourself Car Repair : Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums : Mesothelioma

Back to the Archive Main Page

Pages: 1

2003 Lincoln LS V8 surging with new K&N

(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: dudeinthething

I never noticed this before with the original air intake, but when I put a K&N 57 Series Aircharger Intake Kit on, the car at full throtle will surge twice between 4000 and 4250 rpms in 3rd gear. It also does it in 1st and 2nd but it is not that noticable compared to 3rd. Would the cause be to much air and not enough fuel or does the computer need to be reflashed for the increase air supply? One person suggested it is the Mass air sensor not being able to handle the increase airflow. I took it to the dealer yesterday thinking it might have oil or water in the plug or coils and it was misfiring. Not the case, they ran a full diagnostic on it and no codes showed up for the engine, tranny, Throttle body, or the MAF sensor. They suggested that I take it off and put the orginal back on. I do not want to do that because the car sounds great now. Has this happened to anyone else out there? Any suggestions would be great .

Thanks
John

Posted by: Motodrew

I would start small & perhaps clean the MAF sensor. A faulty reading could be causing this surge.

Posted by: chriswells78

I second the MAF notion, and IDK if the 03+ have an IAC on them or not but if they do you might want to check and make sure you didn't knock the connector loose while doing your install.

Posted by: dudeinthething

What is the best way to clean the MAF sensor? Also what is the IDK?

Posted by: 02V8Sport

Quote:

Originally Posted by dudeinthething

What is the best way to clean the MAF sensor? Also what is the IDK?

CRC just came out with this a few months ago, its the best way to clean a MAF sensor w/o having a dealer to do it.

http://www.midwayautosupply.com/show...iliateid=10050

Posted by: Motodrew

IDK just stands for "I DON'T KNOW"

Posted by: gcwimmer

With no CEL or trouble code, clean the MAF sensor as suggested above, and make sure it is facing the right way. You could disconnect the negative battery cable for ½ hr to reset the memory, and go from there.

Posted by: 02V8Sport

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcwimmer

With no CEL or trouble code, clean the MAF sensor as suggested above, and make sure it is facing the right way. You could disconnect the negative battery cable for ½ hr to reset the memory, and go from there.

The MAF screw holes are offset so there is no way to put the MAF sensor in backwards on 03+ cars.

Agree on the battery reset, disconnect the battery and turn on the headlight switch to fully drain any power in the modules.

Posted by: 02V8Sport

had this same issue, the new k&n is just amplifying another problem you have. Check for oil in you plug wells, you have misfires from bad coils.

Posted by: dudeinthething

2003 LS has had the coils,plugs,valve cover gaskets and wiper motor gaskets coverage extended to 100K miles!! Ford CSP (Customer Satisfaction Program) 07M07 and 07N09. If there was a misfire, would'nt there be a code showing the misfire? Don't they want to get warranty repairs dollars from Ford? I would think they would have checked the plugs to make sure, but I did not see them check out my car. I guess I can re check. How can I tell if maybe a coil is just going bad, but the plugs show no oil or water?

Posted by: NateRW21

so yeah... make sure the sensor is pluged in... that is exactly what it will do if you run it unpluged.

Posted by: dudeinthething

Thanks for the sensor plugged in idea, but everyting is plugged in correctly, hopefully Harryhood has not struck again!!!. My guess is the dealer missed a bad coil, but still there should be a code. How do you test each coil or spark plug to tell if it is good or not?

Posted by: NYC LS8

You won't get a code until the misfire is strong enough to trip one. I dealt with a weird idle for months before I tried to pass someone on the highway, the car jerked and the CEL came on. Brought it to the dealer and it was covered under that customer satisfaction program.

Posted by: dudeinthething

How long do the codes last in the car? I made it surge before I brought it to the dealer, but will the dealer's computer pick up those codes that happened 30 minutes or more before th dealer check the computer?

Posted by: NYC LS8

The codes get stored in the car's computer for good unless you disconnect the battery.

Posted by: dudeinthething

Do you know how much is a new set of coils cost?

Posted by: GWL

A lot of good advice here. But also be careful not to over oil the K&N as the oil can foul the MAF sensor. But the big thing is to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery. I had to do this when I went to the KKM system.

Posted by: dudeinthething

I am going to try the cleaner and battery first. If that doesnt doing anything, I will check the coils.

Posted by: PGA2B

Quote:

Originally Posted by GWL

A lot of good advice here. But also be careful not to over oil the K&N as the oil can foul the MAF sensor. But the big thing is to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery. I had to do this when I went to the KKM system.

Not True and K&N has the data to back that up. Contact them and they will be more than happy to explain.

Posted by: 97stscaddy

Quote:

Don't they want to get warranty repairs dollars from Ford?

They don't get that much money for warranty work. It's hardly enough to pay the Tech who does the work for half the amount he would normally be paid.

Quote:

I would think they would have checked the plugs to make sure, but I did not see them check out my car.

Chances are they didn't even look under the hood. They hooked it up to a computer and it told them nothing, so they didn't bother.

Posted by: dudeinthething

Cleaned the MAF sensor and disconnected the battery. Still surging. My guess it is the coils. Next is to recheck the coils and plugs. Going out of town so I will not be able to check until next week. I will keep you guys posted. I will be so pissed off if the coils are the culprit and the dealer did nothing. People just do the least to get by even when you tell them to check something. I brought the car in to get this checked, payed for it and they do not even check them becasue the computer said everything was fine and they blamed it on the K&N filter, figures.

Posted by: NateRW21

the dealership will always blame the aftermarket components. Because ya know... Ford doesn't sell or factory equip the mustang bullet, GT-H and GT-350 with a CAI which runs the same FORD-CAN ECU... (sarcasm)