Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting MAF Test Confirmation?

Basically if you drive without the MAF connected, you should see a BIG drop in performance (there's nothing to measure the air coming into the engine). But, if you don't notice any difference between driving with the MAF connected/disconnected, that either means that it is dirty or toast. 2 questions:

1) Do you run an oil-type filter? If so, it is really common for the oil from the filter to foul up the MAF. Clean the MAF using Electrical Connector cleaner found at any radio shack/kragen. And clean your filter good. (Only put a tiny amount of oil on the filter after it has been cleaned)

2) Do you hear any noises under the hood that sound like air is whooshing through a hose? A common problem for the 174&171 codes is vacuum leak. Even if you don't hear any air noises, an easy way to check for leaks is to spray Carb Cleaner around the UIM, TB, and vaccuum lines. If your engine stalls or sputters bad, then you found the leak!

Reply with your results.