Lack of power

[liquidimports84]

Hi, I just purchased my 2001 Boxster base model with 67k miles. Car drove fine for about 2 weeks. Now when I'm in low rpms it feels like its kicking back on the power like it has a dirty fuel filter. Also, the idling needle goes up and down just a bit making the engine idle a bit rough. I've been putting premium fuel. No check engine lights are on. Should I try some fuel cleaners? Sea Foam? Clean MAF? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance

[antny]

With your idle doing what it's doing I would check your maf.

[78F350]

I'd recommend cleaning the MAF. Fairly cheap and simple and easy to see if it made a difference.
Pelican Technical Article: Troubleshooting and Replacing the Boxster Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF) - 986 / 987

Ok... posted a minute too late. +1 on what antny says.

[liquidimports84]

Originally Posted by 78F350

I'd recommend cleaning the MAF. Fairly cheap and simple and easy to see if it made a difference.
Pelican Technical Article: Troubleshooting and Replacing the Boxster Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF) - 986 / 987

Ok... posted a minute too late. +1 on what antny says.

Even if no check engine lights are on?

[liquidimports84]

Even if no check engine lights are on?

[78F350]

Originally Posted by liquidimports84

Even if no check engine lights are on?

Yes. Maybe it's just not to the point of throwing a code. It will also show you quickly if that was the problem vs dumping in a fuel additive and driving for a few hours.

[Pdwight]

Only use premium fuel.....always

And FWIW I buy Shell, Exon, BP etc it may be 2 cents a gal higher....but good insurance for a cheap price

[liquidimports84]

Well, by the time i got home with MAF cleaner, my check engine light came on. I cleaned my MAF, and it seemed to fix the problem for just a bit. Reset my engine light by disconnecting my battery, engine light is gone but the problem still exists.

[liquidimports84]

I read somewhere that if I take out MAF and drive without it for a minute, I would be able to tell if the problem is MAF because the car should drive just fine. Can anyone confirm this? Also did I reset my engine light the correct way by disconnect the battery? I've been told that I need to take it to the dealer so they can reset it and maybe then my MAF will work fine?

[kk2002s]

You need a simple code reader.
You then do not have to disconnect battery to reset.
At this point you don't know what the code was so you can't target your repair.
Hunting idle can be due to dirty Throttle body/Intake (My issue - didn't throw code nor was power down)
I have also read that disconnecting the MAF is a diagnostic test. You should be able to hear it in the idle if it is hunting

[liquidimports84]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

You need a simple code reader.
You then do not have to disconnect battery to reset.
At this point you don't know what the code was so you can't target your repair.
Hunting idle can be due to dirty Throttle body/Intake (My issue - didn't throw code nor was power down)
I have also read that disconnecting the MAF is a diagnostic test. You should be able to hear it in the idle if it is hunting

just regular ODB2? I guess I will drive around with a hope that the engine light will come back

[jb92563]

Yes you can drive around for a short while with the MAF disconnected to see if that's where the problem originates.

I would use only MAF cleaner and spray the MAF and the plug and hardness connectors and give it 10 minutes to dry before reinstalling.

Also pull your air filter and inspect, clean or replace it.

With the filter out, inspect the inside of the airbox for foreign objects and make sure its meticulously clean in there.

If possible by mirrors, inspection cam or camera, look in the airbox down the intake pipe towards the MAF to see if anything is stuck up against the screen that is upstream of the MAF as disrupted airflow can also make your MAF crazy.

It should be operating room clean in there for the MAF to do its job properly.


My MAF was acting crazy and I found a part number sticker in pieces in the airbox under the filter. I cleaned it all out and sprayed the MAF and connector which caused all the issues to go away. (Wandering idle, engine light for MAF and other codes etc)

[Retroman1969]

I had my MAF go bad in another vehicle a few years ago and it acted much the same. Loss of power sporadically sputtering like a dirty fuel filter, and would sometimes die at intersections. No engine light. Cleaning it wouldn't help, so just replaced it, and all was well.