i've searched and searched, couldn't seem to find this problem, so maybe i'm just clueless. just bought this 86 rx7 gx. air filter was clogged, so i went to buy a new one...$60 cdn. so i figured i'd just buy a cheap cone filter and rig something up. well, i took the air box out, found the air flow sensor. stuck the cone on, obviously there's nowhere for that sensor to plug into now, so i tried to start it...starts then stalls after about 3 seconds. removed the cone, set it all back to the way it was...same problem. does the cpu need to be reset? will this solve my problems? lol, help!

 

the air flow sensor (air flow meter or mass air flow sensor- 2 other words for it), this needs to be plugged in for the car to read how much air is coming in , if its not plugged in the car wont run .. u need to have that sensor plugged in

 

Whoa. Okay, look. When you remove the stock air box, and the bottom of the air box, that square thing it was attached to that connects to the piping that goes up the throttle body is the Air Flow Meter. That's the only thing down there. That MUST stay on the ducting, and the plug that goes into it MUST stay plugged in. What you need to do is reattach the AFM (square thing) and then plug that harness back into it. Get a cone filter adapter (I think MazdaTrix sells one) and then put that on the AFM, and attach the cone filter to the adapter. Problem should be fixed. Make sure that the AFM is installed level, and right side up.

 

i'm sure everything is hooked up properly...with the original filter. the harness is plugged into the air flow meter. i here a lot of beepbeepbeepbeepbeep in the car. i'm assuming a computer code. beeps for about 5 seconds...how do i reset the computer? disconnect the battery for a few hours?

 

bah i could probably make you an adapter....

and the best part yet, i live in calgary aswell....

 

well now...you're the guy i'm looking for!

 

Any other ideas on what might be going wrong? is the computer holding a setting that the sensor isn't plugged in? or did it mess something up

 

you need the MAF installed, without it your car will run like **** or not at all....

making an adapter is basic, flat metel plate, drill holes, weld little tube onto it and drill a hole out....

easy peasy....

:P

 

or buy one at autozone for like 10 bucks.

 

i didnt think they sold those, then again we dont have an autozone up here, good 'ol canadian tire and/or part source....

 

but like i said...everything that i took apart, i hooked back up again. and it's not running. starts for 5 seconds tops, then stalls. over and over.

 

If you really think its necessary, reset the CPU. I'm not sure how to do it, but I'm sure a search will find a good thread on it.

 

ok, i'm going over to try the car. if resetting the cpu doesn't work, what else should i do? could i have "broken" the part where the harness plugs into the air box?

 

If you're going to do something do it right in the first place. And also make sure you know what you are doing. I say check http://www.iluvmyrx7.com and read their FSM and make sure you're putting it all back together right. Or ask the local guy to help.

 

Have you reconnected the connector going to the AFM? It's rather important.

-=Russ=-

 

make sure all the air hoses are connected correctly also

 

well, resetted the computer. still doing the same thing. right before i attempted to install the cone filter, the car was acting a little strange...the rpms were bouncing in between 3 and 4000 rpm. over and over. i took it for a burn, and it seemed to straighten out. so i began installing the filter. i put it all back together properly. the only thing that might have gone wrong is...the connector (not the part on the harness, the part the harness plugs into) i took the screws off of that, pulled it apart "carefully", realized there was a bunch of snug wires in there, so i screwed it back together. is it possible that those wires could have pulled loose, or could all this be fine, and should i be looking somewhere else? what about that "constant" beep. it's like, 15 beeps, really fast. almost sounds like a constant beep. i'd hate to have to tow it to a shop.

 

You probably screwed up the airflow sensor when you unscrewed the connector.....

 

so i should start by replacing that sensor?

 

i'm sure that sensor's not cheap, let alone easy to come by. how difficult would it be to fix?

 

ok well, guess i'm gonna take it to a shop tomorrow. woulda been nice to have money for my long weekend.

 

it ended up being a faulty air flow meter. 90 bucks if i woulda known that. ended up getting a starter at the same time. $360 total.