Air Filter throws CEL

[Driv'n EZ]

Took my Piper Cross airfilter out for a good cleaning the other day, and wanted to put it back in bone dry. So I picked up an aftermarket Fram airfilter to throw in the airbox for a day.

All went well for about 1/8 mile. When I floored it my Check Engine Light came on. What? Hard to believe a new air filter would cause that problem. Turned off the car and restarted. Same problem. A day and a half later (I'm slow) I was getting ready to call someone with a Vag-Com, and then it dawned on me. That POS airfilter.... I swapped out filters and haven't had the CEL problem since. Car breathes again. So do I.

Sure am glad to have that PiperX back in the box again.

 

[car54]

are you sure you didnt tap the maf wires and somehow they got tapped back into place? very hard to believe a paper filter caused a cel.

 

[Driv'n EZ]

Yup, I'm sure. And this is not the VW filter. It was an aftermarket Fram unit.

 

[Turbo Steve]

"When I floored it my Check Engine Light came on."

If your connections were tight, I suspect that something else caused the CEL. Your ECU will probably reset the CEL in a couple of days and all will be well again.

 

[valois]

Perhaps the moon was not in alignment properly with Mars, and this caused the CEL?

ROTFLMAO
I have seen this before EZ, when you have a dirty filter the MAF becomes used to the diminished airflow readings and when a new filter is fitted the increased airflow confuses the MAF into generating an implausible signal error and the corresponding CEL, it will reset on it's own.

 

[Driv'n EZ]

Yes, The CEL light reset itself. I just found it so hard to believe. I removed the PiperX to clean it and installed this new Fram. It ran excellently for a brief time and then shut down to what seemed like "limp mode" with the CEL turning on. When I restarted the engine, the car would run OK again and then go back CEL.

Not sure why, just that the PiperX is back in the box and the car runs great.

 

[BoraTdi]

Valois, that was going to be my guess! I would say there was such a change in airflow that the ECU was confused. About CEL reset, once I replace my MAF will the CEL go away, or will it be necessary to clear out the codes beforehand?