Air filter, air sensor, and gas mileage

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Tue May 11, 2004 11:55 pm

I took off my air filter box and put a cone filter on. I didn't like the loss in power at low RPMs so I put the old box back on...but I had to snap off the little wing things that you put up to the box and put the bolts in. Now, instead of getting 24MPG avg...i'm getting 18.

I used ABS cement to put the old one back on...it seems flush and all good so there are no gaps. Anyone know why I am getting really bad mileage?

Also, would the air sensor, pipe, and etc. that go from the engine to the box be the same on the 1.8 and 2.5l (and work on my 2.2l)

Thanks.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Tue May 11, 2004 11:58 pm

Clean your MAF. You might have gotten oil on it, which would really FUBAR the setup.

Did you reset your ECU?

Why did you snap off the wing things? Those are there for a reason...

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Wed May 12, 2004 12:45 am

So I could fit the open air filter on there.

Yep...I reset the ECU. There is a junkyard around here with some Legacy and Imprezas. Some are older 1.8l ones, and some are newer 2.5l ones...and I think a few 2.2l. I hope one has the MAF sensor and tube from the engine on it still, and in good condition.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Wed May 12, 2004 3:09 am

Why didn't you just unbolt the airbox from the MAF and attach the cone straight to the MAF?

Why was breaking anything a requirement? I had a 95, and to remove the airbox, it was like 2 bolts to the body and 4 to the MAF. The metal snaps should have never had to have been broken. Maybe I am thinking of a different part than you are.

I'd be willing to bet you got oil on the wire in the MAF and that's what's causing your problems.

I'd be able to better diagnose the problem if you had a picture of what you broke and what you glued back together.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Wed May 12, 2004 4:28 am

You might wanna go to a junkyard and get a new airbox, and bolt it up correctly to your MAF sensor, which you should also check as BAC suggested.

omegax · Post by **omegax** » Wed May 12, 2004 6:18 am

I may be wrong but i think he is talking about the 4 corners of the MAF that bolt on to the airbox. Which he should have gotten a simple adapter for a few bucks.. but instead broke them off and slid the filter right over it.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Wed May 12, 2004 7:15 am

Oh wow... I hope that's not what he did...

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Wed May 12, 2004 8:54 am

yeah, the 4 corners the bolts go through is what I broke off.

boostjunkie · Post by **boostjunkie** » Wed May 12, 2004 12:39 pm

JB weld?

Man, you're kinda short now that you broke of those pieces. I would suggest gettin a new top piece to the airbox so that you know it seals properly against the MAF.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed May 12, 2004 4:59 pm

For the time being you should definitely just clean out the sensor like BAC5.2 suggested at the very top of the thread. You might find that nearly solves all your problems.

Then, just buy a replacement MAF sensor instead of trying to fix the one that you broke the flange of. This one looks like it'll go cheap; I was thinking of bidding on it but you actually need it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 2477579173

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Wed May 12, 2004 6:39 pm

Ok, will the one in that auction work for a EJ22 in an 96 OBW? Also, how would I clean it? Alcohol and a Q-tip?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed May 12, 2004 6:54 pm

It should work. Check the part number on your sensor to make sure it's also 22680AA160.

You can clean it by spraying it out with brake cleaner for sure. That's worked for me. Be sure to use enough to dissolve all the oily stuff and let it run off, and then make sure it dries completely.

You may also be able to put the sensor in a Ziploc bag full of alcohol and swish it around.

Be careful not to damage the hot film sensor element.

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Wed May 12, 2004 9:07 pm

So...I remove the screen thing on the tube...and the sensor is in there?

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Thu May 13, 2004 1:08 am

Junkyard wanted $85 for the sensor...I laughed at them and came home and bid on that one that is on ebay. Yeah, the numbers on my current one match.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu May 13, 2004 2:29 am

You don't need to remove the screen or anything. Just look in from the outlet of the MAF housing and you'll see the brown and red support and if you look closely you can see the small heated film inside a hole in the support. That's the part that you want to clean, but you also want to get any greasy film off of everything else.

$85 is a bit high but it's not unreasonable for a sensor if it comes with a warranty.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu May 13, 2004 4:45 am

My neighbor just paid $90 for the MAF for his SHO. It was used, no warranty.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu May 13, 2004 7:21 am

you could also get the whole setup: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... ename=WDVW

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Fri May 14, 2004 12:33 am

Won that auction...I hope I can get the bolts that connect it to the air box, too

I wanna get it before next weekend...i'm gonna drive like 400 miles so i'd like to get better gas mileage...if not...i'll clean my current one.

Thanks for all your help folks!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Fri May 14, 2004 3:40 am

Nice, you got a deal!

I think they're just plain ol' M6x1.0mm bolts... Not positive about that though. Just take your air box to the hardware store and try a few out.

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Fri May 14, 2004 6:48 pm

Could the ABS cement I used to connect it to the box have something to do? Like the fumes from it might have messed up the MAF?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Fri May 14, 2004 6:56 pm

It's quite possible. Is ABS cement like the solvent stuff you use to join PCV?

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Fri May 14, 2004 7:36 pm

yeah...it hardens into the stuff the air filter box is made of...but it can be used as PVC glue

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Fri May 14, 2004 8:18 pm

I cleaned the sensor with a Q-tip and rubbing alcohol and then took it for a drive...it runs really bad now. When I just push on the accelerater it will jerk and whatnot, but when I floor it it dosnt do that.

I pulled the batter cable to reset the ECU and then i'll let it idle for like 5 minutes...I hope now that its clean and whatnot it will run better and not do that.

Thanks.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat May 15, 2004 12:12 am

It's possible that you damaged the sensing element with the Q-tip.

mattocs · Post by **mattocs** » Sat May 15, 2004 12:33 am

Yeah...damn it. I rinsed it...let it dry...etc.

Soooo...I guess i'm gonna pay the $85 and go to the junkyard and get one tomorrow. And with the one I bought on eBay...well...heh...prob. sell it on eBay again...I dunno. Maybe keep it as a spare or something.

Thanks for the help and whatnot.

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Air filter, air sensor, and gas mileage

Air filter, air sensor, and gas mileage