JakeJr

Has anyone repaired a broken MAF wire?

If so what did you use? Can the same kit that is used to repair a broken rear hatch defroster wire be used?

Thanks,

Jake

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1986 Corvette Coupe, 415 CID, Edelbrock 6073s, ZZ9

Kevin Irving

The MAF wire is NOT repairable.... just go get yourself a Wells SU-145.

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Kevin Irving
85 Trans Am WS-6, 305 TPI, custom burned '86 PROM with '87 "165"ECM, Accel Supercoil & 8.8 Wires, MSD 6AL, Aluminum Driveshaft, TB Coolant Bypass, Ported Plenum, Modified MAF, Syclone Fuel Pump, JET Airfoil

15.556 @ 86.65mph, Nov 10, 2000.... I know it sucks.. but it will get better!

http://www.geocities.com/transam85tpi/

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I agree.

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Looking For:

87 IROC-Z 350 TPI
84 TRANS AM 305 H.O.

[This message has been edited by IROCZTWENTYGR8 (edited March 15, 2001).]

RCR

Think of it as repairing a lightbulb filament.

JakeJr

So, then, seems like you can't just solder the wire back in place.

I figured that since we could fix the Hubel telescope in outerspace there surely must be a way to fix a wire and save $300 in the process.

Oh, well.

Jake



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1986 Corvette Coupe, 415 CID, Edelbrock 6073s, ZZ9

Fastcamaro87

what is it with you guys and your $300 mass air flow sensors, i can buy them all day from the parts store by me for $65 ...

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87 IROC-z 305 TPI 5spd Borg warner 9-bolt 3.45 posi 4 wheel disc,8.8 Accel wires , bosch platinum +4 plugs,gutted air box,k&n oil filter,synthetic oil 10w30

Vader

I beg to differ. I have a repaired Bosch MAF that came from my car. The 41 ga. platinum/tungsten hot wire was acquired from a custom spring manufacturere in the western Chcago 'burbs (a ten foot section was about $30.00). The real trick was in determining how to resistance weld the wire to the end connectors. (The platinum wire cannot be soldered! The heat of the wire will melt the solder instantly - even silver solder. The extra resistance of the connections would skew the readings as well.)

I performed numerous measurements and calculations before selscting the correct length of wire for the sensor. I wasted about five feet of wire attempting to resistance weld the ends. By the time I was done, I had spent a couple of days, a lot of squinting through a loupe, and a few burned fingers, but I had a working MAF. Unfortunately, although I'm certain the length of wire installed is within 0.060" of the original length, and I know for a fact that the gauge of the wire was correct, the MAF under-reported to the ECM. The current required to heat the alloy I acquired is just a bit lower than the original alloy, translating into lower MAF readings. I verified this by checking the voltage of the repaired unit duct taped in series with the working Wells unit. It is also a little slower in response, indicating that the alloy doesn't reject heat quite as quickly.

If I had the correct wire, I'm sure I could now repair MAFs all day long. Tomco in St. Louis does it for a living, as well as several other factory rebuilders.

I really only did it to see if it could be done, since the sensor was fairly new and clean. I had already replaced the sensor once and the second replacement was the bullet-proof Wells thick-film unit. I'll probably never use a hot wire again for a replacement. They're just too fragile, but I now have a "working" spare to experiment with on ECM modification projects.

If I really needed to, I could probably fake it with a smaller gauge wire, but I already had a hell of a time finding the material I have. If you want some platinum wire, drop me a line. If you want to get your own, DON't use any alloy with even a small percentage of nickel - I think that was my biggest problem.

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Later,
Vader
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"I'm'a do Things My Way - It's My way or the Highway."
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Red Devil

Would you please stop rocking the boat!! These guys are going to start thinking [i]anything[i] is possible!!

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"HEY laser lips... Your mamma was a snowblower!"

-#5

RCR

OK, it can be done, but it's also possible to fix the filament in a light bulb. Edison did it a lot until he got it right

JakeJr

Man, am I glad you posted that! I'd been going by the prices I've seen in some of my catalogs. I never even thought of looking for one at a auto parts store.

I thought it was one of those speciality items that needed to come for a source that deals only with Vette stuff.

Thanks, Vader, for posting what you went through to repair yours. I know now that it's well beyond my capabilities, but at least I know someone has taken a shot at it and that it can be done.

Thanks a lot.

Jake

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1986 Corvette Coupe, 415 CID, Edelbrock 6073s, ZZ9

[This message has been edited by JakeJr (edited March 16, 2001).]

JakeJr

I did some calling around today and the cheapest one I could find was at AutoZone for $145.99.

Guess I gotta bite the bullet.

Jake

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1986 Corvette Coupe, 415 CID, Edelbrock 6073s, ZZ9

JoelOl75

ahem...ahem.... check the classifieds... somebody I know very well is selling a ported one...

Vader

Jake,

For about $170.00 you can get the thick-film type and never worry about cracking a hot-wire again:

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Later,
Vader
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"I'm'a do Things My Way - It's My way or the Highway."
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[This message has been edited by Vader (edited March 17, 2001).]