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99 forester will not start after maf sensor cleaning


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yes i agree running fine, but one thing i did not check was the air filter , which was very dirty , the car would stumble a few time , so decided to clean maf sensor ,now it starts but stalls ,if i stomp the pedle it will run but stall out, no check engine light on

Edited by 86subaru
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This has happened to me more than once on Legacy's.

 

Did you reconnect the stiff maybe 1' diameter hose that's hard to see on the bottom of the airbox (for lack of a better derscription). Heads toward the throttle body in general.

 

I don't do many Foresters But it's easy to forget to reconnect that straight hose and it's hard to see that it's off. Symptoms are exactly as you describe.

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There is a small air hose coming from below the ducting below the MAFS that will cause the car to stall if not hooked up. This happened to me when I swapped the passenger side plugs. Check it out.

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Check the plugs, wires, coil. Make sure they are all snug. Unplug and replug all the airhoses, paying special attention to the air ducting and the small hose below the MAFS. Also, unplug the MAFS and try without it plugged in. You'll get a check engine light but it will eliminate a computer glitch. Lastly, unplug the negative battery terminal and let the computer reset for 5 min before trying again.

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sorry camera is broken, i never removered the maf sensor i sprayed into it , i could see where to spray , changed dirty air filter, also checked other air filter, and changed it, could i have caused damage to the maf sensor?which now needs replacing

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I would doubt you have damaged it. If you had it would set a CEL for sure. Try unhooking the negative battery cable for 10 minutes or so and then try to start it.

If you get a CEL after plugging the battery back in you can get it scanned and maybe find out what's causing the trouble.

 

It should start and run with the MAF unplugged. It won't be happy but it should still run.

 

You didn't happen to put the MAF in backwards did you?

I don't think you can. One side has a square flange that bolts to the air filter housing and the other is round and the air hose clamps around it.

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You won't get a CEL unless the car runs for a certain amount of time. I have done the stupid and started without the MAF plujgged in and didn't get a CEL.

 

Your MAF is a wire filament type and it may have been damaged a bit prior to cleaning and the apray just finished it off. Take it off and look at the filaments. See if they are broken, if so, then it will have to be replaced.

 

My thinking is, if it was running before the cleaning, then something broke. You have already checked all of the hoses, so that is not the problem and your only other possibility is the MAF itself.

 

I have a couple of them laying around, so let me know if you need one.

 

Mike

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I remember a fair number of posts where owners unintentionally destroyed their MAFs by cleaning them. Another group of owners destroyed their MAFs by overoiling their cloth "permanent" air filters. Bottom line, the MAF can be delicate and doesn't like being screwed with. I am posting this so that you don't drive yourself crazy trying to fix a MAF that may be beyond help. Once you've checked everything, go to a junkyard and get a replacement. Once you get a replacement, leave it alone. It it ain't broke, don't fix it, especially with MAFs.

Edited by The Dude
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where are you in ohio? I thought 99 forester had phase 2 engines. is yours a DOHC 2.5? auto? Im sure a 2.5 OBW MAF will work. I have one on a running engine... the weird thing is that i think the engine will run with the MAF unplugged. Ill check tomorrow...

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