So I had an issue today that may be a new one for the books!!!

[Talbotway]

So I'm at work driving easy with my boss when suddenly my car loses power. RPM's won't go over 500 and once at a stop the engine dies. I can get it to start but it again will not take gas and go over 500 RPM.

After 15 uncomfortable min I call for a roll back and a cab. I get my boss back to work and stop by the local shop,(Not a Lincoln shop) and I wanted to talk with the guy about checking fuel pressure. When I walk in the guy has a scanner on the car and says I can't find any codes, and I didn't find any problems, ,, well except that little thing.

I ask what that was and the mechanic starts to tell the story almost like he doesn't belive that what he had found was really a problem at all,,,
He says I would start the car and it would only run at 500 RPMS and the other guy in the shop said I hear a clicking up in the air intake. They take the intake tube off and find that my air filter was dirty and there was a small bug stuck on (what he called) my mass air flow sensor. He took the bug off and put a clean filter in and the car starts and runs great!

In discussions back and forth we come to the conclution (right or wrong) that the bug was between two electrodes and causing a 1) disruption in the air flow or 2) caused some sort of a short.

So I take the LS out to a straight section of state road and she runs straight up to 135mph and I think its fixed!

So is it really possible that a small bug caused my $37,000 car to go down? I am thinking that my Lincoln dealer didn't get my air box on correctly cause they asked me if I wanted to change my filter and I declined as I was gonna do a K&N set up.

I drove 25 miles home with no issues, but I am leaving out of state at the end of the month for vacation,,So I would be pleased to hear some (positive I hope) comments.

First time my car has been on a flatbed and I must say I didn't like it at all!! I was in the drivers way the whole time worried that he would break / scratch something.

 

[Fla02LS]

So I'm at work driving easy with my boss when suddenly my car loses power. RPM's won't go over 500 and once at a stop the engine dies. I can get it to start but it again will not take gas and go over 500 RPM.

After 15 uncomfortable min I call for a roll back and a cab. I get my boss back to work and stop by the local shop,(Not a Lincoln shop) and I wanted to talk with the guy about checking fuel pressure. When I walk in the guy has a scanner on the car and says I can't find any codes, and I didn't find any problems, ,, well except that little thing.

I ask what that was and the mechanic starts to tell the story almost like he doesn't belive that what he had found was really a problem at all,,,
He says I would start the car and it would only run at 500 RPMS and the other guy in the shop said I hear a clicking up in the air intake. They take the intake tube off and find that my air filter was dirty and there was a small bug stuck on (what he called) my mass air flow sensor. He took the bug off and put a clean filter in and the car starts and runs great!

In discussions back and forth we come to the conclution (right or wrong) that the bug was between two electrodes and causing a 1) disruption in the air flow or 2) caused some sort of a short.

So I take the LS out to a straight section of state road and she runs straight up to 135mph and I think its fixed!

So is it really possible that a small bug caused my $37,000 car to go down? I am thinking that my Lincoln dealer didn't get my air box on correctly cause they asked me if I wanted to change my filter and I declined as I was gonna do a K&N set up.

I drove 25 miles home with no issues, but I am leaving out of state at the end of the month for vacation,,So I would be pleased to hear some (positive I hope) comments.

First time my car has been on a flatbed and I must say I didn't like it at all!! I was in the drivers way the whole time worried that he would break / scratch something.

I have found my airbox to be somewhat warped, possibly from a ton of miles and Florida heat, the plastic tabs and locking clip thing seems like a poor design. It still seals well but i would think for a bug to get behind the air filter it was either damaged or they didnt put it back together correctly.

 

[Andrizzle]

Definitely not a new story, but the old air filter must have had a hole or was rotted badly for a bug to get in.


There is actually a recent thread on here with the same issue and cause.

 

[joegr]

Not a new experience at all. The problem was that the bug on the wire altered the thermal mass of the wire. That caused the PCM to think that the engine was ingesting far less air than it actually was. (The sensor reads mass airflow.) Since the PCM didn't think much air was going in, it was unwilling to allow much fuel in either.

 

[Talbotway]

Man, I thought this was a wierd story,
Definatly gonna make sure I get the CAI and seal that sensor off as it's supposed to be!

I still feel better knowing that this little thing was all that was wrong today.

Thanks Joe

 

[milehighmikey]

I would be pretty paranoid about all of the dirt that was able to flow through, if something the size of a bug could get in there. It would be a good idea to open the intake up and swap it with a white cloth to see how bad the dirt buildup might be. A period of time that allows for dust/dirt to flow into the protected part of the intake stream is very dangerous to rings and cylinder walls. That could put a dent in the worth of your $37K car...

 

[BlackLS06]

Last time our cars were worth anywhere near 37K was years ago!

But yeah its very sensitive....open the hood and blow on the intake filter while the engine is running and you can hear the rpm's change.

 

[joegr]

The bigger concern would be bits of sand and such that may have been pulled into the cylinders and could scratch the cylinder walls, leading to oil consumption.