The mass air flow sensor (MAF) is one of the most important parts of your car’s engine management system.
It measures how much air is coming into your engine and sends that information to your car’s computer to determine how much fuel it needs to inject into the cylinder.
You might notice poor gas mileage or overheating if this sensor doesn’t work properly.
Fortunately, there are ways to trick a MAF sensor into giving you accurate readings if its internal components have become damaged or corroded over time.
1. Get a Unique Tube
This tube should be at least 1 inch in diameter and 3 feet long. It must be in front of an ignition source (e.g., the engine).
The tube should have one end sealed with a rubber stopper or plug that’s been drilled out so that it can be heated by an electrical current passing through it. This will heat your tube and give the same reading as the fuel-air mixture coming from your car’s tailpipe.
2. Place The Tube in Front of An Ignition Source
The tube should be placed in front of an ignition source. If you place it on the side, it would be too cold and poorly functioning. You want to ensure you get a good amount of heat into the system.
If your vehicle does not have an electronic ignition system, use something else like a lighter or matchbook cover (remember: safety first).
3. The Tube Will Heat Up And Read The Same As The Fuel-Air Mixture From Your Car’s Tailpipe
This is the easiest method of tricking a mass air flow sensor. All you need to do is place a tube in your tailpipe and let it run up to your engine bay, where you can connect it to the mass airflow sensor.
Any type of copper tubing will work, but make sure it’s long enough (and strong enough) to reach up there.
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When Should You Bypass The Mass Air Flow Sensor?
There are lots of reasons why you might want to bypass the mass air flow sensor, but there are a couple that I will cover here.
First, when you need to know your engine’s correct air/fuel ratio (e.g., tuning a car for drag racing), the mass air flow sensor can be fooled into thinking that it’s getting more airflow than it is actually getting and thus incorrectly adjusting the fuel mixture (thus resulting in poor performance).
Bypassing this sensor allows you to get an accurate reading of how much oxygen is flowing through your intake manifold so that you can adjust accordingly.
Also, assuming your vehicle has been sitting all winter long without being started up once or twice each month over this time.
In that case, its MAF sensor has gone bad due to lack of use and time passing by without being used consistently. This often happens with cars parked outside during cold months without use.
Read: Drivetrain Malfunction BMW
Conclusion
A mass air flow sensor is essential to your car’s engine. Without it, your engine won’t be able to run at its optimal performance level.
However, this part can go wrong and cause it to stop working properly. Some of the ways to trick a mass air flow sensor – using a tube of one inch, then placing it in front of an ignition source.
After that, ensure that it heats up and reads the same as the fuel-air mixture from your car’s tailpipe.
Ugo is a passionate car enthusiast with a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree and hands-on experience in troubleshooting and fixing automobiles.
I combine my electrical and mechanical engineering knowledge with practical skills to address car-related issues.
My love for cars and dedication to educating others led to the creation of Fixandtroubleshoot.com!
