newbie: help with 157 code

[mtxcollegegal]

Hello agian everyone. I don't get on here much except when my car has been giving me trouble, so my apologies for not being on in a while.

Car was running great since I replaced the cam sensor at 83k miles. Car now has 96k miles and is acting up again. Last weekend while attempting to merge onto the highway my car wouldn't speed up no matter how much I pushed down the pedal, but the tach was sitting steady at 2000rpm. I had to pull over to the side of the highway and I firgured that since my car is quirky I'd give it like 15 minutes and then try to start it and see how it ran. Well it would start and then instantly die. A couple times I did get it started but had to keep giving it gas to keep it running. When I went to drive it I made it like 100 feet down the shoulder and then it died again. I repeated this for about a half hour and then called a friend to come get me. It took them over an hour to get there but when they did I tried it again and the car fired right up and drove just fine. It was pretty low on gas so, thinking that may have been the problem, I went to the first gas station I saw and filled it up. Car has been running okay since then except for a few times when I've been driving around town. I'll start it and it will sputter between 500 and 1000 rpm and kinda shudder and run like crap. Usually if I just take off it will eventually all work itself out and I'll make it home fine.

I ran the codes and got 157-MAF and 542 (which I know now to ignore). I did searches for code 157 but the problem is that everyone says "check the MAF, unplug it and see how it runs." I just moved to a new state and I'm all by myself now without anyone around who can help me. I've decided I need to learn and I am going to tackle this thing on my own but I don't know where the MAF is or how to 'check it'. Can anyone help me?

I appreciate any help! Thanks in advance!!

 

[dpsutphin]

The MAF sensor should be attached to or inside the air hose from your air filter housing to the intake. The sensor itself will be inside the hose, and the connector on the outside, making it easy to disconnect, and fairly easy to replace if needed.

 

[slimsho2469]

if all it is is ur maf, itd be the easiest learning experience ull get with this car!

 

[TYSHO]

Buy some MAF cleaner from Pep Boys [gray bottle i think] and spray the sensor, see if that cures the problem. If you run around with a dirty ass air filter and don't change it for a long time, it'll get the MAF sensor contacts pretty dirty. The same can be said with K&N filters except you have oil residue from those mostly.

 

[mtxcollegegal]

if all it is is ur maf, itd be the easiest learning experience ull get with this car!

Haha!!

Alright I'll go check it out. Thank you so so much guys!! :wave:

 

[mtxcollegegal]

Well now I have to get some tools so I can disconnect my battery and see if I'm still getting the code. Whats up with the torx bolt with a center dot to remove the MAF?? I looked at Sears when I was tool shopping for something that would fit that and didn't see anything. Saw some torx keys but nothing with a center dot recessed to fit around that....

My tool set should be in later this week so I'll let you know if I'm still getting the 157 code.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[projectSHO89]

Well now I have to get some tools so I can disconnect my battery and see if I'm still getting the code. Whats up with the torx bolt with a center dot to remove the MAF?? I looked at Sears when I was tool shopping for something that would fit that and didn't see anything. Saw some torx keys but nothing with a center dot recessed to fit around that....

My tool set should be in later this week so I'll let you know if I'm still getting the 157 code.

Thanks again for the help!

Go back to the Sears store and tell the tool guy you need "tamper-proof" or "security" Torx bits. They come in a set, usually branded as Vermont-American for around $10. There is also a set of Craftsman-branded bits that will fit on a rachet, but I don't know if it contains the correct size (T20).

If you get the bit set, you will need a 1/4" socket or driver bit to hold the Torx bit.

Steve

 

[mtxcollegegal]

Ok so I have the security torx bits and I pulled off the MAF but when I did so something flew off the sensor into the engine compartment. What flew off? Do I need a new one now?

I tried to upload a pic but its too big. I can email it to anyone who can help though, just let me know.

Thanks guys!

 

[TYSHO]

Might've been the little rubber seal...do you see one?

 

[mtxcollegegal]

yeah I'm pretty sure thats what it was. It looked black, possibly rubbery. I barely had the thing off and it went flying into the abyss. That is probably a pretty important little seal, right?

 

[mtxcollegegal]

Lets see if this works:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w314/hickchick628/277.jpg

This is what it looks like now.

 

[TYSHO]

Yeah, you're missing the seal. It also looks like your sensor is pretty dirty.

 

[mtxcollegegal]

Ok. I can't find the seal anywhere. I'm not really even sure what I'm looking for since I didn't really get a good look at it. Can I reinstall the sensor without the seal? Will that damage anything?

If not, I think someone somewhere said I can unplug the sensor and the CEL will come on but it won't hurt anything. Should I do that til I can get a new sensor?

What should I do? Thanks!!

 

[mtxcollegegal]

I ended up buying a new one but its thunderstorming here so I can't really work on it tonight. I have to make a 5 hour trip this weekend. Once I get to where I'm going I'll have a garage to work on it in (the weather is gonna be crappy for the rest of the week here). If I leave the old one on there and leave it unplugged will it make the trip okay?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[TYSHO]

Just clean the thing, put it on, and plug it in. I don't see any big problems from doing that. I haven't removed one for awhile, but from the last I remember it doesn't look like a big problem going without that seal for a little bit. If you drive the car with it unplugged, you're going to be wasting gas alright.