# Lean engine/maf problem



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Check for a loose hose or connector.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

Remove the MAF and give it a good spray down with contact cleaner.


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## daasian (Feb 5, 2014)

Vetterin said:


> Remove the MAF and give it a good spray down with contact cleaner.


The actual sensor or where it plugs into the car's computer


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

daasian said:


> The actual sensor or where it plugs into the car's computer


Sensor itself. Don't touch the insides. Spray and let dry.


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## Zach.K (Apr 17, 2014)

A quick test would be to unplug the maf. 

If the idle changes your maf is most likely working. 

If the idle stays the same or gets better it's a good chance you have an issue with your maf. 

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## daasian (Feb 5, 2014)

Thanks guys ill let ya know what happens

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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

Ya know, it wouldn't hurt to put a little spray on the MAP sensor while your at it. It seems as though some get a light oil coating coming off the turbo. It is screwed down with either a T10 or T15 (can't remember) star...not torx screw.


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## danhr (Apr 19, 2014)

When your car is idling, give it a quick rev.

after you let off the gas, does the engine kind of "hang" in the rpms and gradually go down in steps, or does it come back to a normal idle speed immediately?


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## daasian (Feb 5, 2014)

Its hanging up and a small backfire

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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Also, check your plugs aren't loose. That caused a funky sound and idle stumble for me until I figured it out. 

And, x2 on cleaning both the MAF and MAP sensors. Quick-drying electrical contact cleaner is your friend. My MAP had a light oil coating on it when I cleaned it somewhere about 80-82k miles.


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## danhr (Apr 19, 2014)

more than likely an intake leak then.

Get a can of carb cleaner and spray it around the maf and the intake tube and intake manifold. you are letting unmetered air in after the MAF sensor and it is trying to adjust itself because your MAF is reading one thing and your 02 sensors are reading something completely different. Spray the carb cleaner with the car running around the intake tube and intake manifold. When you spray it somewhere and the idle goes up/changes, then you have located your intake leak.

edit: I did a search to try to figure out which model Cruze you had, and saw you just did the resonator delete. You more than likely knocked something loose or forgot to hook something back up when you did that.


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## daasian (Feb 5, 2014)

danhr said:


> more than likely an intake leak then.
> 
> Get a can of carb cleaner and spray it around the maf and the intake tube and intake manifold. you are letting unmetered air in after the MAF sensor and it is trying to adjust itself because your MAF is reading one thing and your 02 sensors are reading something completely different. Spray the carb cleaner with the car running around the intake tube and intake manifold. When you spray it somewhere and the idle goes up/changes, then you have located your intake leak.
> 
> edit: I did a search to try to figure out which model Cruze you had, and saw you just did the resonator delete. You more than likely knocked something loose or forgot to hook something back up when you did that.


Nothing I know of was knocked lose I havent done anything to the car in a few months and my idle problem has gone from a sputter now and then to hardly running at all over the course of two weeks


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## Zach.K (Apr 17, 2014)

danhr said:


> more than likely an intake leak then.
> 
> edit: I did a search to try to figure out which model Cruze you had, and saw you just did the resonator delete. You more than likely knocked something loose or forgot to hook something back up when you did that.


So how do you figure when he removed the resonator(under car towards the back) that he knocked something loose near the maf(under the hood up top in the FRONT)????


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## danhr (Apr 19, 2014)

Zach.K said:


> So how do you figure when he removed the resonator(under car towards the back) that he knocked something loose near the maf(under the hood up top in the FRONT)????


there is a thing called an intake resonator?

A resonator is something that baffles noise. This can be either in the form of something similar to a muffler, in the exhaust. Or in the intake, to keep intake noises down. The cruze has one on the exhaust and intake end. I just kind of thought that it was kind of common sense that I would be talking about the intake one, as I mentioned an "INTAKE LEAK". Apparently I was wrong.......


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## Zach.K (Apr 17, 2014)

danhr said:


> there is a thing called an intake resonator?
> 
> A resonator is something that baffles noise. This can be either in the form of something similar to a muffler, in the exhaust. Or in the intake, to keep intake noises down. The cruze has one on the exhaust and intake end. I just kind of thought that it was kind of common sense that I would be talking about the intake one, as I mentioned an "INTAKE LEAK". Apparently I was wrong.......


Ok I'm with ya now. Didn't think about the intake side. 
My apologies. 

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## craig85006 (Mar 19, 2017)

I just had to have the purge solenoid replaced on my 2011 Cruze LTZ RS. I had the P0171 (lean/emission) code pop up along with P0300 (misfire). I am still thinking my MAF is no reading correctly because after I drive the car for awhile with the ac on, it does not seem to be a spunky on acceleration vs when I first start to drive it. Additionally, after I let the car sit for a few minutes and the start it again, the idle fluctuates drastically, sometimes resulting in the engine stalling. This leads me to believe I have an MAF issue. I have had my car in and out of the dealer several times over the last couple of weeks to no avail. I think my MAF is acting up, but not enough to throw a code.


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