Interesting MAF issue...

[dorkidori_s13]

so im cruising along tonight on the freeway across town and suddenly my car starts acting like the MAF is loose/not responding. i manage to get off the freeway and pull over to parking lot to check things out. the car doesnt want to stay running so i let it die. try to start it again a few times and just keeps turning. so step 1, i unplugged the MAF, the car goes into closed loop mode and runs just fine. i get someone to bring me my extra SR maf ive had laying around (which was pulled from my running redtop like 3-4 years when i switched to a MAP with my PowerFC), mount it back in the car, car turns over and runs fine. driving back home about 10 minutes later it starts pulling the same business...sooooo i pull over and remount the stupid thing in a different position.

where i think the issue is stemming from is last week i mounted my MAF sideways in the engine bay from my intake pipe (see pic below for example)...

MAF IS MOUNTED SIDEWAYS (plastic box pointing in toward the hot pipe)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420066_3095807445863_1584396988_32592072_679632438 _n.jpg


after round two of new MAF being stupid, i remounted it straight up (see pic below for example)...

MAF IS MOUNTED STRAIGHT UP (plastic box pointing up toward the hood again)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183214_1705411526834_1584396988_31562425_3980830_n .jpg

got back in the car and drove the rest of the way home with no issues.

my question is (and it almost seems obvious but ill pose the question anyway), are there issues with mounting the MAF sideways in the engine bay? my thinking is that mounting it sideways causes the small springs inside to gravitate in the wrong direction (or rather clump together improperly) thus not allowing proper registration of air going past them.

input would be much appreciated as i am very curious on this situation, and YES, i searched quite a bit, didnt really pull anything up relating to my problem.

[cotbu]

No! just no. The oem mafs are HOT WIRE elements. You need to examine the element for breaks or loose pieces. rotating the maf sensor should not have an effect on it's function, unless the wiring is faulty, filter is blocking air flow in such a way, or the element is dirty or broken.

I have mounted mafs up away from fans, under the car, blow-through style, and directly on the throttle body, in almost all possible orientation. so I stand by my answer. If your mafs has never been bolted down; there is always that possibility that it might matter. Most electrical components don't like being banged around

What small springs are you talking about?
coils?

[240sxKouki]

I dont even run a MAFS

[Croustibat]

It could be a problem caused by your shiny intake pipe. Air around MAF needs to be kind of "straight", maybe by installing it sideway the airflow going through the measuring hole is messy. It usually happens when a MAF is installed very near a turbo, or inline with it, without elbows. People use a kind of air straightener, which looks like small hexagons glued together. It works. Maybe it is related to the hotpipe nearly touching the electronic compartment of your MAF and heating it a lot. You could try mounting it sideway on the other side ( eletronics near the wheel well), it should have less heat and maybe work better.

[Kingtal0n]

try reproducing the issue, then make slight adjustments to narrow down the problem. For instance, sandwhich a towel between the maf and the hotpipe to see if the problem goes away after it re-appears. If it does, narrow the issue down to either vibration, temperature, faulty electronics/wiring, etc...

Probably the wiring, maybe hanging sideways it is coming loose.

[KiLLeR2001]

I just recently switched the positioning of my MAF to sideways and my car runs exactly the same as it did when the MAF was straight up.

[dorkidori_s13]

I dont even run a MAFS

yeeeeeah, i dont have 1200 bux right now for a PowerFC DJetro ;) (had one in my last car, made life so much easier using a MAP)