Say YES to MAF!

[edevlin]

This has been an interesting adventure that started with the dreaded "check engine" fault light on the dash. Being a new Boxster owner, this has has all new to me. I have to say thanks to the folks on the fourm have been very good at putting up with, and answering, my questions that they have likely heard many times before.

I went through the steps of getting a code reader and finding out that my fault code was P0102 which points the finger at the mass air flow sensor. Following the advice of forum members, I removed the MAF sensor and tried cleaning it with no-residue contact cleaner, no luck still got the fault reading.

At first it seemed to me that there was no difference in the performance of the car when the check engine light was on. Then, some days it seemed to me that the car was running more poorly, other days it appeared to run fine. What I was experiening was a decrease in accereration, occasional backfiring or gurggling and generally misbehaving.

This poor performance developed slowly, over a period of a few weeks during the time in which I was trying to solve the problem. I finally popped out the MAF sensor for a fourth time and got the numbers off of it, 996-606-12400, one of the stock MAF sensors for my 2000 2.7L Boxster.

I found that several other later generation MAF sensors would work in my car, but all of them would require reprogramming my ECU at the dealer. I wanted to avoid dealer involvement, both for cost and because I have been messing around with this for a while and wanted to try to resolve the issue myself. Replacing the stock sensor would allow me to "plug and play" the sensor without any dealer reprogramming required, or at least that is what I understood.

I shopped around for a MAF and found them both at my local dealer (70 miles away...) and online with prices from 400.00 to 268.00. I bought the later and it came in today, I plugged it in, and wonder of wonder, it worked. The car is running wonderfully. Because the poor performance seemed to come on slowly, it was hard to appreciate how bad it had gottten. It was easy to see the difference in performance when the new sensor was put in. I have been through half a dozen trips since I installed the new MAF and the check engine light is still out and car is running gangbusters.

I continue to tweek my two month old 2000 Boxster that has not been the best cared for car (no service records and such). I just got done installing new chromed Booth lug bolts as mine are all rusted. This evening I cleaned (with 400 grit sandpaper and cleaner) the black leather seats and redyed them. The car is looking, sounding and running great, what fun.

Thanks again to folks that helped me figure out what was going on with the MAF. In the next few weeks I will be headers and high flow cats installed on the car, I will let the group know if that makes much of an improvement in performance. I tried to insert a phot of the car in the posting, but could not figure out how. I included a link to a photo below.

Cheers,

Ed

2000 2.7L Boxster
Arctic Silver/Black, 45K
17" stock wheels (need new tires soon, ouch)
AutoAuthority Performance ECU
Cold Air Intake (MAF eater?)
Fabspeed Secondary Cat Bypass Pipes
JL Audio Amps and Speakers

http://people2.hsc.edu/faculty-staff/edevlin/edsweb01/boxster.htm

[edevlin]

I just saw the "manage attachments" after I submitted the post. Lets see if the photo comes through,

Ed

[xclusivecar]

Now that you replaced the MAF you'll probable start getting O2 sensor trouble codes .

This seems to be the pattern. First the MAF, then an o2, then another o2, then another o2, then the last o2.

When you do get the o2 code...save your sanity and replace all 4 at the same time. A bit pricey, but worth it. Can you tell this happened to me on my 2000S at 45,000 miles???

[ddb]

Hi Ed,

I have a 2000 as well and have been delaying replacing my MAF sensor due to not wanting to have the ECU upgraded at a delaership. So did you find a direct replacement MAF ending in 124.00? If so, where did you get it?

Thanks,

ddb

[edevlin]

I did find a direct replacement at Sunset Imports, they were very helpful and had the cheapest price.

http://www.****************************************************.com/porscheatcost.php

Ed

[ddb]

Thanks Ed!

ddb

[edevlin]

Does anyone have a sense of how difficult it is to replace the oxygen sensors if I decide to replace them all. The MAF was easy to get to, I have not poked around under the car to see if I can easily get to the oxygen sensors for replacment, thanks,

Ed

[RandallNeighbour]

O2 sensors are easy peezy. A sensor removal tool (Autozone, $12) makes it fast too. Do all four though, and find bosch replacements cheap at www.oxygensensors.com. I paid $125 each and it took about a half hour in total.

Much better performance and fuel economy after I swapped them out.

Not cheap, but any boxster with 60k or more on it deserves new ones in my opinion, even if you have no CE lights.

[edevlin]

Thanks for the link for oxygen sensors. On their website they only list Walker-brand oxygen sensors (113.00 each). Do you know anything about the Walker sensors compared to the Bosche, thanks

Ed

[RandallNeighbour]

Call them and ask for Bosch. They have them!

[CJ_Boxster]

When do O2's eventually go bad and trigger the CE light? I have 94k on my Box and o2's seem fine....I was thinking since they are not bad and possibly replace, is it ok to remove them and clean them up and reuse them? My father used to do that when he was a mechanic and it seemed to help alot and would turn off CE lights.....So question is, if my CE light isnt on yet, would it hurt for me to try and clean my o2's before they go bad?

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by CJ_Boxster

When do O2's eventually go bad and trigger the CE light? I have 94k on my Box and o2's seem fine....I was thinking since they are not bad and possibly replace, is it ok to remove them and clean them up and reuse them? My father used to do that when he was a mechanic and it seemed to help alot and would turn off CE lights.....So question is, if my CE light isnt on yet, would it hurt for me to try and clean my o2's before they go bad?

Hi,

I would not recommend it. The potential to create a problem is too great. At 94k mi., the wiring is likely to be brittle from Heat Cycling, or you could cause internal damage in trying to remove them - you could actually cause a malfunction.

I'd recommend leaving them alone until you get the CEL and then try cleaning them, worse case, you have to replace them, but not prematurely. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[xclusivecar]

CJ--

Didn't you recently pick up your box? You haven't had it for the full 94K, have you? Maybe they were already replaced 10K or 20K ago...therefore no need to worry until you get the CEL. When this happens, THEN replace all of them.

[CJ_Boxster]

Yeah i bought my Boxster with 93k miles, I've had it for about 2 weeks or maybe 3....i found a peice of mail in the trunk with the last owners address, i did a whitepages address search and came up with a number....I think i might make a polite little call to the previous owner and just ask if the dealer is telling the truth about the clutch service being done...service book is empty with an exception for the very first service oil change that was done, most likley the first owner negotiated the first service be free of charge. and did the rest of the services outside the dealer.

Originally Posted by xclusivecar

CJ--

Didn't you recently pick up your box? You haven't had it for the full 94K, have you? Maybe they were already replaced 10K or 20K ago...therefore no need to worry until you get the CEL. When this happens, THEN replace all of them.

[mikefocke]

A $7 can of electronic cleaner sure cleared my MAF CEL codes up quickly. Now as to O2 sensors. They may be fouled too and I'll replace them but not 4 at a time. That is something a dealer would do.

[xclusivecar]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

A $7 can of electronic cleaner sure cleared my MAF CEL codes up quickly. Now as to O2 sensors. They may be fouled too and I'll replace them but not 4 at a time. That is something a dealer would do.

Do you mean the dealership would try to "screw" you out of 4 at a time, or that you are leaving it up to the dealership to replace them for you?

Trust me on this one...myself and others on the board have realized that once one goes, the computer will read the new good one and determine that one of the older ones is now bad...and BANG...CEL. After you replace the next "bad" one the computer will now see two new good ones and determine that one of the older ones is faulty...and BANG...CEL. And so it goes...

Replacing all 4 once one has gone will save you a lot of frustration and money...just not upfront. Many people on the boards realize better engine performance/gas mileage amongst other things when replacing all of the 02 sensors.

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by xclusivecar

Do you mean the dealership would try to "screw" you out of 4 at a time, or that you are leaving it up to the dealership to replace them for you?

Trust me on this one...myself and others on the board have realized that once one goes, the computer will read the new good one and determine that one of the older ones is now bad...and BANG...CEL. After you replace the next "bad" one the computer will now see two new good ones and determine that one of the older ones is faulty...and BANG...CEL. And so it goes...

Replacing all 4 once one has gone will save you a lot of frustration and money...just not upfront. Many people on the boards realize better engine performance/gas mileage amongst other things when replacing all of the 02 sensors.

I was informed by a highly recommend independent shop that you can swap each bank of 02 sensors out one at a time if its truely necassary.