URGENT HELP NEEDED RE AIR FLOW METER!! :shock:

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:45 pm

fitted the mania cold air intake with a friend today but something went wrong.... we unplugged the cable attached to the AFM to get more acess to what we were doing, when we fitted it bck on the car starts but conks out after 3 or so seconds or as soon as you touch the throttle. there is a little contact inside the afm that when touching a little piece of metal the car runs like normal and throttle works fine.

here is a pic of the contact, and the whole afm.

help most appreciated guys.

cheers,

cheyne

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:07 pm

sounds like you've got a loose or broken connection or wire somewhere. you may have cracked one of the pcb / solder tracks while unplugging it... i've heard this can happen.

have a good look for any cracks in the solder etc...

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:11 pm

we have already done that, we soldered the connections back in place but the one up the end (in the red circle) does not look like it has ever been soldered.

here is a bigger version of the pic
contact area wont touch by itself(in red ring) you have to hold it manually to keep car going

cheers.

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:29 pm

aaaah, hang on a sec. that is your fuel pump cut / safety switch if i'm not mistaken. something has gone awry here....

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:25 pm

i think i may just buy a new afm, does anybody know a good place to get one and how much they would be?

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:31 pm

nah i reckon it's just a simple fix... like maybe there is meant to be a spring or something holding the switch against the contact. just be patient, someone will see this and know the answer for sure.

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:33 pm

cheers thanx, i'll wait and see...

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:55 pm

hmm i'm just looking at the pic again, after googling afm pics. was your switch pin always bent like that? it seems like it should be straight. maybe just try to bend it straight so that it rests against the contact when there is no ariflow. it should probably have a bit of springiness inbuilt anyway... so it springs back against the contact ones the flapper stops moving.

i should add to that - do so at your own risk! just an idea.. don't blame me if something breaks :lol:

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:01 pm

can you send these pics? it looks like it is factory bent and there is no sign of a spring

NMX516 · Postby **NMX516** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:38 pm

Silly q maybe, but is the afm installed so that the air flow is in the correct direction? Put it in the wrong way and the car won't run for very long at all, if it even manages to start...

ampz · Postby **ampz** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:41 pm

The contact should be open (not touching) without any airflow through it...

I have a feeling you may have an air leak post afm that is less resistive than the flapper in the afm.

At idle the flapper door opens just uneough so that those contacts touch...

CheyneX5 · Postby **CheyneX5** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:49 pm

i took into account what fatty said and i bent the wire a bit so that the contacts touch when the car turns on and........ (drum roll) :shock:

it works!

not sure for how long though, i will take it to be looked at in the morning as i am in rosebud on the mornington peninsula right now.

i am thinking dick @ mx5 factory but he will instantly say \"buy a new one\", so i might take it james at mx5 center 1st.

pics up soon guys.

cheyne

Ps: i will let you all know how it goes when i get quotes and it sounds GREAT!!!

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:51 pm

yep, i got that arse about *slaps forehaed*. but what i as saying still stands, it should be bent straight so that it makes contact when air *IS* flowing. at the moment, this is not happening.

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:53 pm

Sounds like you're all right now.

That switch is the fuel pump shutoff.
If the AFM vane is fully closed, the switch will be open.
As soon as the vane moves, the switch closes (the contacts touch) and the pump can run, otherwise it dies in 2 seconds as you found out.

The flexible arm just needs bending back straight again.