All internal combustion engines use a mixture of air and gas to power the engine. The air and fuel ratio must be correct in order for the oxygen in the air to combust the fuel for the movement of your vehicle. It should be at the correct ratio of 14.7 parts of air, to one part fuel for good fuel economy and peak engine performance.
Your mass airflow sensors (MAF) measure the amount of air entering the engine. It then reports that amount to your power train control module, which in turn uses the input to calculate the engine load and adjust the air to gas ratio as needed. The most commonly used MAF uses two wires for sensing. One wire is heated and the other wire is not. The MAF computer determines the amount of air entering your engine by how much current it takes to keep the hot wire 200 degrees hotter than the unheated wire. As the temperature changes between the two wires, the MAF will increase or decrease current to the heated wire to move more air into the engine or less air into the engine as needed for combustion.
There are some signs to alert you to needing MAF services. Your engine may run rich when it’s idling or it may run lean under a load. These items indicate that your MAF has a faulty hot wire from many different items. If you have a noticeable change in fuel economy, your MAF may continually be reporting the wrong information to your power train control module and it will need replacing. If your MAF has completely failed, it will not send any airflow information to the power train control module and the fuel won’t be controlled properly. This results in a very rough idling engine or an engine that won’t idle at all.
You should schedule service with a certified dealership, such as Gregg Young Chevrolet of Norwalk for your mass airflow sensor services. We have certified technicians and a large inventory of Chevrolet parts in stock at all times, which translates into experienced and quick services for you. We also offer many other services at our Service Department. Conveniently located, we are your trusted dealership in Norwalk, Des Moines, West Des Moines and Indianola, IA. We have been family owned and operated since 1989 to proudly serve our communities.
