Alright, so about 2 weeks ago when I was driving my mazda 3, it would start to lurch or chug up around 3k rpm's, but only in 2nd and 3rd gear. No check engine light was on, but it still left me with room for concern. I started calling some friends and asking around, eventually being told that it might be some build up of dirt on the Mass Air Flow Sensor. So I unhooked it, carefully cleaned it out, and then put it all back together. Everything seemed fine for about 2 weeks, but then it started acting up again. I ran through the same procedure, but this time, after everything was put back together, the car acted even worse. And now the check engine light is on. Also, it lurches violently at 3k rpm's in all gears, to the point of maybe breaking the engine mounts. I have been told that the reasons now stretch from fuel filter, spark plugs, vaccuum leak, MAF malfunction, or even fuel pump restriction. The car is still under warranty, and only has 26k miles on it, but I have an AEM Cold Air intake installed on it. Therefore, whenever I take it in to the dealership , they give me **** for putting it on. Even though the dealer supplied Injen intake is in no way different! Anyone have any advice on how to handle this situation, or have any experience of how to get around voiding my warranty at this point?

 

cry

 

Put your stock intake back on and see if you still have the issue. If you do, take it back in to the dealer with the stock piece in place so they don't have any reason to complain. Dealer supplied Injen/AEM or not, it's not a factory part and the warranty doesn't apply. An aftermarket intake will affect the air/fuel readings & flow into the engine & could possible cause issues..

 

SST- how often would/could it cause an issue and how serious could the issue actually be if it is only sucking more air into the engine ?


Is stephens issue directly related to the CAI and would it affect the car to that extreme ?

 

A friend of mine actually had a problem in his transmission that resulted from his K&N air filter. I know this sounds completely stupid, but the K&N must have been a bit over oiled and some of the oil got into the intake and fouled a transmission sensor. The dealer either cleaned or replaced the sensor and gave him the car back with the K&N in the box and the problem never came up again. I'm not knocking the K&N products, just pointing out that aftermarket parts can sometimes lead to strange things.

 

I heard that too much oil ona K&N can cause the MAF to gunk up, but what trans sensor would be involved in the intake system?

 

I have no idea, but they almost rebuilt the transmission overit. I don't remember what the sensor was for, but was a supercharged Pontiac GP