how can you tell if your MAF is on the way out?

[BillyW124]

I need to diagnose if my MAF is going bad: a few questions to pick your very knowlegeable Merc brains:

• I'm getting low MPG for sure. I would say 18-19 around town. That is no good, basically i would be getting 220miles out of a full 55litre tank. not good at all i would expect at least 280miles out of a full tank.

• where is the breather hose located on my m111 engine?

• Is it worth replacing my Lambda sensor. how can i tell if im running to rich or to lean?

I had my car put on the star machine last Sat for diagnostics and there were no fault codes read. (Although i think the mech only checked for lambda faults) if there was any fault on the car whould it have flagged up regardless what menu he went into?

• i also need to know what is involved in tigtening my accelerator cable and bowden. i'm not getting the response as i should be as my last e200 saloon was far better and smoother on acceleration pedal. I have to depress quite far down before i get a response from the engine. Of course this can all be linked to the MAF or lambda??

appreciate your help guys. She's not performing as she should and it's really P£$$ing me off! i dnt want to shell 500 od quid on a new MAF from merc if its not this.

 

[d w124]

500 for a maf?!!!The last I bought a maf was from Olly for 170 or something

 

[BillyW124]

hi mate,

just called merc with my VIN and they quoted me this ic VAT.

any ideas?

 

[d w124]

Don`t know how true is but unplug the maf and see if it makes any changes

 

[BillyW124]

i really hope someone can help!!!!!!

 

[d w124]

i really hope someone can help!!!!!!

Dude:If is the maf Olly can get it for you,the very same bosch you buy at mercedes without the dealers price
As I said,unplug it and see if it make any difference

 

[kwakdonut]

You can get a replacement MAF from GSF or Euro Car Parts for considerably less than £500!

 

[BillyW124]

what would unpugging do? apologies for my ignorance!
what should i expect to feel/hear/see once unplugged.

any views on the breather hose and accelerator tightening?

i'm assumimg olly is a member here right?

 

[kwakdonut]

Unplugging the MAF is generally ill-advised but what happens is that the car should revert to a fixed fuel 'map' and you may feel some difference when driving.

Olly is BlackC55 and is an MB Indie who has a garage in Horndean, nr Portsmouth.

Website is Mercedes Benz & Smart specialists | Prestige Car Service based in Portsmouth, Hampshire

STAR diagnostic is best used to gain 'live' data from the MAF and tell if it is actually faulty or not

 

[BillyW124]

ok cheers,

once the car did go on the diagnostic no faults came up and as to my original question would the indy have had to go into a different menu as he was only searching for a lambda sensor failure. Or would a fault been indicated if there was one regardless of what he was checking for?

I saw the menu and it said there were no detected faults or no stored faults.

 

[kwakdonut]

I believe he would have had to, yes. You need 'live' data AFAIK to check the operation of the MAF.

Try e-mailing Olly through his website (DON'T PM him!) and ask his advice

 

[Howard]

PM me your VIN and i can look up the part number for the MAS and at least you can then get a half decent price ...

£500 sounds nuts though.

 

[BillyW124]

yep nuts Howard

470 odd ex VAT!

ive sent you a PM..

 

[BlackC55]

What is your reg number?

 

[BillyW124]

Olly, sent you a PM

 

[BlackC55]

£220 inc vat.

I will need the old one back as there is a surcharge.

 

[BillyW124]

is the MAF the problem here from your experience?

 

[BlackC55]

It very well could be.

Without checking it I cant be sure.

 

[BlackC55]

I will deliver it for free too.

 

[Howard]

I see Ollys replied ,

Inchcape are listing it at £365.