for anyone who has had problems with CAI I.E. CEL, stalling, sluggish
March-19th-2012, 12:36 PM
#19
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 2
2007 Mazda 3 2.3L CAI CEL SOULUTION
I was experiencing the same problems with my CAI so I decided to go over the old filter box with a fine tooth comb and this is what I came up with.......
First off it's not that the piping on CAI's is to big that causes this, it's the fact that they are missing something that directs the air more towards the MAF then the rest of the pipe.
MY THEORY: Today I decided to fix my issue. I was looking at the OE intake box when I noticed something different about where the MAF sensor used to sit as opposed to the open pipe it sits in now. inside the OE pipe was two little half H looking things which is where the MAF sensor would sit inbetween, so to me this was a way to send more air coming into the pipe through the MAF instead of around it. your aftermarket CAI doesn't have an H thingy, it's just a wide open pipe so more air actually bypasses the MAF then goes through it which causes it to read just enough air to think its choking which is when your CEL comes on thinking there is something wrong with the MAF but there isn't, it is just the fact that there isn't enough air coming in direct contact with the MAF for it to function properly.....
MY FIX: Next was to solve the issue. I spent 45mins in autozone before I finally made my decission on what I was going to do and parts needed. All in All it was a $6.00 fix. I went to the section where they have all that misc. piping and adapters to create your own intake tubing. What I needed to find was something that I could fit securely in the pipe that would re-direct the airflow through the MAF kinda like the H thingy did. What I ended up buying was a rubber coupling which had a smaller shorter ring on the inside that could be used to condense the pipe. I pulled apart the CAI and inserted the rubber spacer from the coupling into the pipe right by the MAF on the side furthest from the throtlebody. re-installed the CAI and no more Issues!!!!!! runs great, real smooth and pulls just as hard if not harder with no hesitation. And no CEL yet either!
This custom adjustment worked for me hopefully it can help some of you. if you think about it, the idea does make sense. I came up with the idea myself and I am not saying I am the most intelligent person but I put a lot of thought into it, so it should do the trick. GOODLUCK TO ALL WHO ATEMPT!!!!!!
First off it's not that the piping on CAI's is to big that causes this, it's the fact that they are missing something that directs the air more towards the MAF then the rest of the pipe.
MY THEORY: Today I decided to fix my issue. I was looking at the OE intake box when I noticed something different about where the MAF sensor used to sit as opposed to the open pipe it sits in now. inside the OE pipe was two little half H looking things which is where the MAF sensor would sit inbetween, so to me this was a way to send more air coming into the pipe through the MAF instead of around it. your aftermarket CAI doesn't have an H thingy, it's just a wide open pipe so more air actually bypasses the MAF then goes through it which causes it to read just enough air to think its choking which is when your CEL comes on thinking there is something wrong with the MAF but there isn't, it is just the fact that there isn't enough air coming in direct contact with the MAF for it to function properly.....
MY FIX: Next was to solve the issue. I spent 45mins in autozone before I finally made my decission on what I was going to do and parts needed. All in All it was a $6.00 fix. I went to the section where they have all that misc. piping and adapters to create your own intake tubing. What I needed to find was something that I could fit securely in the pipe that would re-direct the airflow through the MAF kinda like the H thingy did. What I ended up buying was a rubber coupling which had a smaller shorter ring on the inside that could be used to condense the pipe. I pulled apart the CAI and inserted the rubber spacer from the coupling into the pipe right by the MAF on the side furthest from the throtlebody. re-installed the CAI and no more Issues!!!!!! runs great, real smooth and pulls just as hard if not harder with no hesitation. And no CEL yet either!
This custom adjustment worked for me hopefully it can help some of you. if you think about it, the idea does make sense. I came up with the idea myself and I am not saying I am the most intelligent person but I put a lot of thought into it, so it should do the trick. GOODLUCK TO ALL WHO ATEMPT!!!!!!
Hope this helps. And YES EVEN A MINOR LEAK WILL TRIP YOUR CEL ON!!!!!!
April-7th-2012, 08:14 AM
#20
Sri/cai problems
Hey guys I'm having a problem with my cheap built Sri.
Ok well I used the stock hose that has te breather tube because I didn't hve enough to but a pipe. I bought a coupler that had the maf sensor on it n an spectra air filter. Hooked it all up and my cel came on an it would bogg down at 2k to 35k. Then I put everything back to stock and nothing hAppend.
I had te cel tested n the codes said I was runnin to lean and I had a vaccine leak I check my hoses and nothing. Hopefully u guys can help me?
Ok well I used the stock hose that has te breather tube because I didn't hve enough to but a pipe. I bought a coupler that had the maf sensor on it n an spectra air filter. Hooked it all up and my cel came on an it would bogg down at 2k to 35k. Then I put everything back to stock and nothing hAppend.
I had te cel tested n the codes said I was runnin to lean and I had a vaccine leak I check my hoses and nothing. Hopefully u guys can help me?
April-8th-2012, 09:17 AM
#21
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 2
things.....
Hey guys I'm having a problem with my cheap built Sri.
Ok well I used the stock hose that has te breather tube because I didn't hve enough to but a pipe. I bought a coupler that had the maf sensor on it n an spectra air filter. Hooked it all up and my cel came on an it would bogg down at 2k to 35k. Then I put everything back to stock and nothing hAppend.
I had te cel tested n the codes said I was runnin to lean and I had a vaccine leak I check my hoses and nothing. Hopefully u guys can help me?
Ok well I used the stock hose that has te breather tube because I didn't hve enough to but a pipe. I bought a coupler that had the maf sensor on it n an spectra air filter. Hooked it all up and my cel came on an it would bogg down at 2k to 35k. Then I put everything back to stock and nothing hAppend.
I had te cel tested n the codes said I was runnin to lean and I had a vaccine leak I check my hoses and nothing. Hopefully u guys can help me?
1. Be sure to be VERY GENTLE with your main aif flow sensor(MAF) wires when moving the MAF as a minor disconnect will throw a code and throw your engines ecu off as well as performance if the cel is on, on some models
2. make sure there is enough length of pipe where you put the MAF coupler.
If there is not enough room for the air to organize where the MAF sensor is then it will get a sour reading and your car may not idle at all (in my case w/ short ram)
3. Be sure you match your pipe ratios to the stock ratios. EXAMPLE: My mazda 3 2.3L has a 2.5-2.75" hose. I used a 2.5"-3" converter and it triggered my CEL on BUT ONLY WHEN I DROVE LIKE AN *******. the sensors are designed (in my car) to take a reading with 2.75" pipe air pressure vs. 3" may or may not go lean. ALSO if your system has just a minor tiny leak it will throw the CEL.
4. When you do throw your stick filter on your car be sure to fasten it down tightly in all cases where there may be movement. I was running into a CEL issue with my CAI and threw my stock box in and it crunched the 2007 old wires back into their original position - no cel. I found when I hit bumps and punched it that my cel would get tripped on because my MAF wires were being yanked all over the place.
5. AS FOR THE BOG DOWN. My CAI was horrendous at first. Then I added about 10 more inches of pipe and all was well and fine. You can expect a shift in the power band of your car. You may notice more punch on the take off and areas of bog down are going to happen especially if you don't take your car to a specialist to calibrate for more oxygen in the engine. You may need to get tekky and reprogram some stuff (esp. in the BENZ!) However, a mechanic friend of mine advised that the engine has a separate oil reserve and that there may not be too much danger of running too lean. In some cars you can just slap these things in them....but with a Mazda or a Benz there's a lot more that is monitored in the engine. (*******!)
4. Expect to see your CEL. Is all I can say. Mine would stay off for a week at a time and then I'd punch it or hit a large pot hole. Basically the whole thing has been a huge pain in the ***....and with my stock box back in my cel hasn't gone on, my car doesn't have the same growl as it used to : ( but I haven't really noticed a lapse in horsepower.....Gonna give it another try later when I have time to make a custom mount...
OR
you could just get a K & N air box drop in filter. NO it's not going to give you the same sound, YES you may have to clean your MAF sensor a few times but that's an air filter for life bra!
GOOD LUCK!
April-9th-2012, 04:35 PM
#22
cai
thanks i think you have helped me ouy alot. my sri is very short and i need to do way more research before just jumping in on something like this. what i have done now was i took out all the stock air box an all that other plastic tubing that the air goes through. an i just put the stock box back on n i see a difference. but i want more. lol
is there anything else i can do to my 3 thats not alot of money but will add money or style to me 3. i have replace the stock muffler with a glasspack n love the sound but i did not get bigger pipe or anything. should i upgrade to bigger pipe. will that add enough hp to feel a difference? i just sit at home on the weekends reading this fourm to see what else i can do to my 3 lol. well thank u guys for the info
is there anything else i can do to my 3 thats not alot of money but will add money or style to me 3. i have replace the stock muffler with a glasspack n love the sound but i did not get bigger pipe or anything. should i upgrade to bigger pipe. will that add enough hp to feel a difference? i just sit at home on the weekends reading this fourm to see what else i can do to my 3 lol. well thank u guys for the info
April-10th-2012, 07:38 PM
#23
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1
NEED HELP! my 05 MazDa3 ac system acts up all the time when i have it on 2,3, or 4 but when i have it on fan speed 1 it acts completelty fine! When its on higher the engine feels so sluggish and like it wants to die when im letting the clutch out from a stop light. Also when im driving down the road and throw it in neutral the rpm's slowly go down to 2,000 than when i stop they slightly decrease to 1500 than finally after about 20 seconds it drops down to ideal "750." I
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)