Installed CAI Intake - CEL light on. What to do?

[apooster]

Hey all,

new guy here needing a little help, and everything would be appreciated.

Installed a Fujita CAI on my 07 tC on Saturday, and on Saturday night the CEL came on. MAF sensor wasnt in all the way is what I was told. Did the unplug the battery trick, plugged the sensor back in and it was gone for a day.

This morning it came back on. It looks like the intake pipe connected to the throttle body (via the silicone connector maybe a cm or two off (space between the throttle and the intake) is off a little. Could that cause it?

All the t-bolt clamps and the vibrating mount seem to be fine, what else could it be? Thanks!

[navylife59]

Is your car running erradict or different? Need to have the code read by a scan tool. This can be done for free at Autozone. Any air leaks around the MAF will cause a MIL (Malfunction Illumination Light as Toyota calls it aka CEL). Air leaks past the MAF on the intake, ie TB, won't throw a code unless it hugely affects the AFR. Are all of your vacuum lines attached properly as per the diagram located under the hood?

Toyota's ECMs utilize 2 trip (driving cycles) and immediate detection. If your code falls into the 2 trip logic, then the ECM has to see the malfunction in 2 consecutive drive cycles before it lights the MIL. If the fault falls under the immediate logic, then it immediately lights the MIL.

BTW: Sorry, but I had to remove your duplicate post in the other Thread. To keep the number of Posts down, duplicate ad relevant threads are not allowed. Thanks

[apooster]

It was acting a little differently. The transmission was shifting weird, and the car was hesitating.

I had a mechanic read the code and he didnt give me the actual code but said it read a MAF circuit.

I re-did my work last night, and started it and let it idle for 5 minutes. Started it this morning and was fine for 20 miles or so and the CEL went on again.

I just realized when you said it has 2 cycles, that the light has been going on after the 2nd time I start it.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[apooster]

Went to Autozone just now and they printed the following:

Code: P0101

The PCM has determined that there is a discrepancy between the "actual" Mass air flow input and the "calculated" mass air flow input derived from the input gathered from other sensors ie: throttle position sensor, barometric pressure sensor ECT.

Explanation:
Computer has recognized a return signal error

Probable Causes:
Vacuum Hose off, cracked, or passage blocked-engine mechanical timing condition

throttle body intake tube loose, off or cracked

baro(barometer), MAP (manifold absolute pressure) defective

VAF (vane air flow) MAF (mass air flow) sensor dirty or defective.

I had a mechanic apply cleaner on the MAF yesterday and he told me he cleaned it.


How do I fix this?

Thank you all

[apooster]

I re-did my work again last night.. Started the car twice and let it idle for 5 minutes each time. No light. Drove about 25 miles today... no light yet.. keeping my fingers crossed.

I re-connected the air filter last night, as I thought it was a little low on the pipe and moved it up maybe half inch or so.

Could the improper placement of the air filter in relation to the pipe have set the CEL/MAF off?

Thanks

[Stevie Tc954]

or if its an oil treated filter it cld gunk up the maf sensor and will throw a cel

[apooster]

So here is the story...

I removed my MAF sensor this weekend to clean it. It was being stubborn and the rubber seal didnt want to get back in the intake.

So I "screwed" it in, meaning I pushed it down and turned it clockwise, and counter clockwise till the seal was in.

VOILA - No check engine light for 5 trips.

However, the light came on after a day. I let it sit, and this morning when I started the car... light is gone. And it has stayed off.

This is the fix to the Fujita intake, the MAF sensor hole is weird on the fujita and you have to shove the MAF sensor in and move it clockwise and counterclockwise to get it to be completely sealed.

Thanks for the input everyone

[navylife59]

This is why the MAF sensor is always the 1st place to look. The aftermarket intakes sometimes cause interferance with the rubber o-ring. This o-ring can actually get pinched or even pop out of place while putting the MAF sensor in. That is why a very tiny amount of 3n1 oil should be used to lubricate the o-ring. By tiny, I mean just enought to put an ultra thin coat on it and nothing more. As stated earlier by Stevie Tc954, air filters w/ oil can and do cause the same issue.

Good job finding your problem and thanks for posting your resolution.
Sorry I did not get back to ya last week on that code. Here I was asking for the info, then did not even provide you with any response. Again, I apologize.