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1998 Subaru Outback: replacing MAF makes stalling worse!

Hello again,

It's been a few weeks since my original pleas for assistance. Yesterday, my husband installed the eBay MAF, hoping to solve the problem of frequent stalling when idling, especially after a long-ish drive. This is what he did:

- disconnected power cable

- unscrewed clamp from right side

- unscrewed 4 bolts from left side

- pulled out old MAF

- reversed procedure to put in new

(BTW, I'm very impressed with husband. He's not mechanically inclined, but approached this job with gusto, even when several nuts and bolts dropped into the air filter or through the car to an unreachable spot beneath the car. He was feeling pretty good until...)

Unfortunately, the stalling is much worse now. The car starts up fine, but only runs if we rev it up. The moment you take your foot off the accelerator, the RPMs slide down to zero and it stalls out. In youse guys' original suggestions, the IAC and plug wires were also mentioned. Looks like an IAC on eBay is about $60... should we keep going??

But why did replacing the MAF make it worse? Of course, the used MAF might have been worse than the original, but it seems weird...

Thanks for any ideas!

--Emily

Reply to
latitude xt
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Check the hose between the throttle body and MAF. Good chance one of the smaller hoses that attach to it came disconnected. Make sure the hose clamps are tight and just verify everything unplugged got plugged in. The IAC can be cleaned. Often the problem is there is a build up of crud inside it. Whatever stuff you use to dissolve it, apply it in a way that none ends up in the little motor.

Reply to
johninky

Hi Emily!

In addition to what John has said, swap back in the original AFM. (I know, it's a pain in the a__; it'll be way easier the second time thru, hubby's _the expert_ now ;-) If the idle improves back to where it was, I'd be having conversation with my trading partner.

Sounds electrical to me, tho; be sure the electrical plug is fully mated.

If, OTOH, the original AFM does the same thing, and you've verified that everything is hooked up as should be (Check to be sure the lip of one of the rubber air intake hoses didn't get turned under during reassembly, it's easy to do.), this could be a sign that the idle control valve has finally stuck closed. If the engine will idle with a bit of pressure on the accelerometer, but stalls as soon as you lift your foot off, good bet that that is what has happened.

They're not a whole lot more trouble than the AFM to replace, as I recall; two, or maybe four screws, out with the old, in with the new.

If it will help, I can send you the appropriate sections from a '98 Forester service manual. It probably will not be exactly the same, but it will likely be very similar.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101

Reply to
S

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