Jonboy2312

Well, I can ask the mechanic for new hardware all I want, but in the end things go their own ways. he used standard (although brand new) iron donuts since they're the only ones readily available here. Felpros would take several days at least. he suggests I buy them online and he'll install them free of charge if his current fix gives up. The bolts and nuts are all new.

But I'm pretty sure it's the manifold gasket like he said - I can only hear one cylinder puffing. The manifold/y-pipe coupling does, indeed, seem to hold well...

Anyway, I finally got hold of a multimeter, and it reads as follows:

CTS resistivity, cold engine (2 hours since shutdown...) - 36.8
(multimeter set to "200 OHM", so... uh, 7360 Ohms? I'll just give the reading as it was on the display...)

CTS resistivity, slightly warm engine (running for maybe 2 minutes, trip up and down the street, no more than 200 meters/yards total), within a minute since shutdown - 72.8

CTS resistivity, hot engine (after the entire commute), no more than 5 minutes since shutdown (still very hot to the touch) - 72.7

Do those readings make sense any sense? It seems weird there's no difference between warm and hot... or is that how it should be?

I was unable to measure frequency as this thing doesn't seem to have a setting for it... What i thought was frequency (a squared-off wave symbol) is "test signal injection into circuit" or something... The engine stumbled when I touched the wires (it actually stalled the first time).
No frequency reading for now, I'm afraid

Quick update: I've tried the old, melted MAF for comparison. The car doesn't even acknowledge that it's there - immediate CES light. The current MAF, however... well, there's no CES light when it's connected, but it looks horrible - the little 'film' there is even more warped and wrinkled than the old one. Duh!! No point measuring the frequency, then. I'm rather upset, though, that the mechanic didn't examine it - he just assumed it was fine since the CES light was off. At least he did find the short-circuit that was frying my MAFs... This must have been the problem that started it all.

I'll just get a new one from that e-bay seller you mentioned.

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

First, you will need to find a way to get the elbow off of the MAF sensor when you order it and receive it, unless you have an air filter can and not the TPI-style air box, without damaging the rest of the sensor.

Second, the CTS readings should be on the 20K ohms scale, and if you read something like 13.5K at, say, 70 degrees outside (*F), the CTS needs to go, as that reading is for something like -10* C. The reading for 70*F should be about 3400 ohms or something like that. The resistance goes down with temperature, not up. Oh, and with the engine hot, the reading should be around 90*C or 200*F, as the thermostat is designed to open at 195*F and the fans turn on at about 112*C or 235*F (I think I have the conversions at least close for you).

Third, the frequency measurement is taken on the MAF circuit with the sensor connected and the engine running (obviously), and you have to push the meter probes through the back of the sensor connector to make contact with the terminals within (difficult at best in most cases). The frequency measurement on the DMM will simply be labled "Hz" for most meters. But, it's not like you need this info now anyways, seeing that the film inside the MAF you have is in bad shape.

Jonboy2312

20K? No problem, I'll take new readings tomorrow morning. It's a lovely Easter weekend coming up, very warm, great time to work on the car

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

Yep, almost every reading for a not-hot engine is between 1K and 20K...

Diggin the summer weather here, too. Just wondering if it's going to be followed by those pesky white things again...

:edit: Forgot one thing. When you install the next MAF, make sure ALL of the clamps between the air filter and the throttle body are tight. Air leaks are bad for the engine and kill the MAF.

Jonboy2312

Okay... I've got the corrected cold engine CTS reading: 1.31 in the 20K scale. It's a pretty hot day outside, though.

I just hope the needles went deep enough into the cable. I was afraid to damage it. Can't really meter the sensor itself because the contacts are waaaay too deep.

I'll take another reading after driving around for a while.

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

Well, from the FSM, if the air outside wasn't between 40 and 45*C, then the CTS is off a bit, assuming that 1.31 means 1310 ohms. Depending on the temp where you are, I'm going to assume you should be reading between 4450 and about 1800 ohms (1800 at the very hottest part of the day).

Jonboy2312

Well then, I'm hoping the CTS is fine, afterall... Now that I think about it, i did run the engine for a few seconds to move the car into a more shaded spot just a bit earlier, that's why it showed hotter.

I still have that DMM so I'll check again sometime soon when it's stone cold for sure.

Now for some good news. I've received that new MAF, managed to get the elbow off, and installed it. The car seems to run quite well now!

The cooling fan is still on, but there's no CES light and the car drives fine. Oh, and the MPG seems INCOMPARABLY better. The gauge barely moved below full after two full commutes. I would have been at 2/3 with no MAF and probably at half with the old one, LOL

I've also gotten rid of the exhaust manifold leak with "hi-temp steel", sort of an exhaust putty specifically for manifolds... Found this stuff at Canadian Tire and didn't expect much, but it's holding amazingly well. The leak was huge, haven't heard it since and it's been almost three weeks. I'm going to replace both the exhaust manifolds soon, but at least this fix lets me repair my funds before then.

We're going to visit my father-in-law this weekend (yup, that long drive to Mansonville again) so that will be the true test if everything works as it should.

Thanks a million for your help through this

Jonboy2312

Well, I've just come back from the trip, and there are still issues

The new MAF made an obvious difference for the better, but the CES light would come on and off intermittently. Once again, I'm getting code 44 (lean condition). I'll have a look at the spark plugs when the engine cools down, but I'm pretty sure it's the case.

unlike last year, though, there didn't seem to be any difference in performance once the problem occurred.

It may be purely subjective, but it seemed to me the car had absolutely no problem maintaining highway speeds. just bring it up to speed, let up and it will just fly along at nice low RPM. This was absolutely impossible with no MAF, LOL. It did, however, feel very weak at higher RPMs. Acceleration is poor once it gets warm, and particularily bad at highway speeds. And to make my day worse, I got pulled over for testing it... they clocked me at 149km/h... (would have been at least 170 by then if it was running right... thank goodness it wasn't)



Fortunately, I mentioned I was troubleshooting an engine problem and got off with no ticket

No more tests like this, though, LOL! Bad right foot, bad!

I guess we can rule out the 02 sensor (once I verify the plugs again just to be sure), the CTS seems pretty much okay... what else can it be? I really don't want to believe this brand new MAF is bad (the film bit wasn't PERFECTLY flat, but clearly better than the other two I have and the whole thing did indeed seem factory new...).

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

I know it's been a couple days. Been busy.

Check to make sure you don't still have an exhaust leak wreaking havoc on your O2S readings and that the sensor's on tight, with the gasket between the sensor body and the bung. Also check the signal wire to make sure it's not damaged or melted. Check the signal at the CTS again, first thing in the morning, if possible, or right when you get out of work before you start the engine (assuming the engine has time to completely cool to ambient temps and you know what the air temp is). Also check the MAF again for warpage. Since I'm sure your DMM probably doesn't have a frequency readout on it, I'll see if I can't get a voltage reading from mine so at least you'll have a reading from a known good one to compare to.

Jonboy2312

I had a look at the MAF and it looks just like when I unpacked it. No change there. Spark plugs are actually tan now (light tan, but tan nonetheless)- and that was right after the long drive, just as the engine cooled down. So it's not too bad

I'll try checking that CTS again. And I'll get someone to check fuel pressure too. We're almost there, LOL