Mass Air Flow Sensor

[SirTony76]

Hey Everybody--I just had my check engine light come on. I read the codes, and I got:

P0171 and P0174

I'm guessing my MAF sensor is dirty. I went to take if off and clean it and there were these goofy screws holding it in (like a polydrive or torx with a bump in the middle). There were also some white lines on them which I'm assuming some Ford mechanic drew on there for the previous owner.

Anybody have any experience working on the MAF in the '01 LS? Any ideas were I can get the screwdriver to take it off without going to the stealership?

Thanks everybody!

Tony

 

[LS4me]

Hey Everybody--I just had my check engine light come on. I read the codes, and I got:

P0171 and P0174

I'm guessing my MAF sensor is dirty. I went to take if off and clean it and there were these goofy screws holding it in (like a polydrive or torx with a bump in the middle). There were also some white lines on them which I'm assuming some Ford mechanic drew on there for the previous owner.

Anybody have any experience working on the MAF in the '01 LS? Any ideas were I can get the screwdriver to take it off without going to the stealership?

Thanks everybody!

Tony

You need a security Torx tool. The painted line is there to show that you broke the seal and removed the piece. That will void any warranty on that piece.

Who told you it was the MAF? The P0174 is an O2 sensor code.

 

[SirTony76]

I don't have a lot of experience reading these codes, but because I got both 174 and 171, I thought it would be unlikely that both O2 sensors went bad at the same time--so that's how I came to the conclusion of the MAF sensor rather than the O2 sensors.

Could it be the O2 sensors? Or something else? Thanks for the help--I appreciate it.

 

[joegr]

I don't have a lot of experience reading these codes, but because I got both 174 and 171, I thought it would be unlikely that both O2 sensors went bad at the same time--so that's how I came to the conclusion of the MAF sensor rather than the O2 sensors.

Could it be the O2 sensors? Or something else? Thanks for the help--I appreciate it.

I could be something else, but I think checking/cleaning the MAF is a very good first step.

 

[LS4me]

I don't have a lot of experience reading these codes, but because I got both 174 and 171, I thought it would be unlikely that both O2 sensors went bad at the same time--so that's how I came to the conclusion of the MAF sensor rather than the O2 sensors.

Could it be the O2 sensors? Or something else? Thanks for the help--I appreciate it.

The P0171 also indicates testing the HO2 sensor. You have an '01? I would just replace both upstream sensors and be done with it. IIRC, they aren't terribly expensive. It took me about 30 minutes to do both; including jacking up the car, installing the jack stands and returning the jack to it's place in the garage.

 

[SirTony76]

Yea I have an '01. Where are these sensors located? I am not familiar with them all? Do you know of any pictures online, etc.?

Thanks for the help guys--I appreciate it.

 

[LS4me]

Yea I have an '01. Where are these sensors located? I am not familiar with them all? Do you know of any pictures online, etc.?

Thanks for the help guys--I appreciate it.

If you get under the car you will see them on either side, just in front of the catalytic converters.

 

[Alax7]

would this also be the cause for P0175 and P0172. His codes mean running lean , my codes mean running rich

 

[JWerner2]

I could be something else, but I think checking/cleaning the MAF is a very good first step.

+1, get some CRC cleaner.

From what I gather that dot is there to help position the torx if removed. Some say you dont wanna remove the MAFS from the housing. They get calibrated on the housing and if you put it back on and its slightly off it could cause problems. Thats why some are siliconed around the Torx. Thats just what I read else where.