CEL On and Off

[azzar0]

Hello,

I was driving today on the highway and the CEL came on. Steady, not flashing. I stopped at AutoZone and it read 2 codes: P1123 and P1125. Reading the forums indicated a MAF cleaning issue, so I drove home, searched the forums, and went back to PepBoys to get the electric connection cleaner. When I left the store the CEL didn't come back on... I haven't cleared the codes or the MAF or anything else for that matter.

Knowing this, my question now is: Should I go ahead and clean the MAF anyway or leave it alone until (if) CEL comes on again?

Thanks!

Julian.

[986Jim]

No clean it.. Its easy to get to and easy to clean, just follow the steps on mike focke's page and you'll be fine. I got the same thing, cleaned it and a year later and many km it has been just fine.

[azzar0]

No clean it.. Its easy to get to and easy to clean, just follow the steps on mike focke's page and you'll be fine. I got the same thing, cleaned it and a year later and many km it has been just fine.

Hi 986Jim,

I saw your earlier posts where you mentioned that you've been running the car for a year since cleaning the MAF without problems and it gave me hope :)

I just wasn't sure if I should clean it now or wait until the CEL comes back on. I am not sure why it went off to begin with, since I haven't cleaned anything.

Basically my dilemma is this: clean the MAF now or follow the wise-man saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it"?

I suppose your advise is appropriate, though, because it won't cost me anything to clean the MAF, unless it makes it worse, in which case I will need to replace it (which would have happened anyway, in the near future).

Did your CEL come on and then went off on its own (and then you cleaned the MAF anyway) or you had to clean your MAF for the CEL to go off?

Thanks!

Edited September 5, 2007 by azzar0

[Chris_in_NH]

No clean it.. Its easy to get to and easy to clean, just follow the steps on mike focke's page and you'll be fine. I got the same thing, cleaned it and a year later and many km it has been just fine.

Hi 986Jim,

I saw your earlier posts where you mentioned that you've been running the car for a year since cleaning the MAF without problems and it gave me hope :)

I just wasn't sure if I should clean it now or wait until the CEL comes back on. I am not sure why it went off to begin with, since I haven't cleaned anything.

Basically my dilemma is this: clean the MAF now or follow the wise-man saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it"?

I suppose your advise is appropriate, though, because it won't cost me anything to clean the MAF, unless it makes it worse, in which case I will need to replace it (which would have happened anyway, in the near future).

Did your CEL come on and then went off on its own (and then you cleaned the MAF anyway) or you had to clean your MAF for the CEL to go off?

Thanks!

i would leave it alone. but that's just me...

by the way, it really helps if you tell us the model year and mileage. ;)

*most* 1123/1125 and 1128/1130 codes at first glance point to the MAF, but it is RARELY the MAF that is causing them. but *sometimes* it is. just make sure that you KNOW it's the MAF before you buy another one. i can't tell you how many people have purchased MAFs because of these codes, only to find out that it wasn't the MAF to begin with - and they're out $300+.

[azzar0]

i would leave it alone. but that's just me...

by the way, it really helps if you tell us the model year and mileage. ;)

*most* 1123/1125 and 1128/1130 codes at first glance point to the MAF, but it is RARELY the MAF that is causing them. but *sometimes* it is. just make sure that you KNOW it's the MAF before you buy another one. i can't tell you how many people have purchased MAFs because of these codes, only to find out that it wasn't the MAF to begin with - and they're out $300+.

Hi Chris,

Sorry about not posting the year / mileage - I assume everyone knows that information by now :)

MY98 2.5L Boxster, 64,000 miles

The CEL went off after a day or so without me doing anything. Today it's back on, after almost a week. The car runs fine, I can't see or feel any difference. I am not about to spend a bunch of money getting a new MAF, but I may clean it given that the light came back on. If that doesn't solve the problem, then I don't know... I guess I'll have to take it to a mechanic and find out what they say. I spoke with an independent shop and they charge $80 to read the codes (Porsche reader, not the generic ODBII codes). Would that be enough to know where the problem is? I would gladly spend $80 to diagnose the problem properly, but I would hate to start changing things left and right and still have problems.

[Topless]

A little history.

Last year I had the same codes on the same yr car with the same mileage. I took it to a certified Porsche mechanic who has been working on P cars since 1980. he ran the codes, tested the car and was certain that I needed all new O2 sensors at $1200 installed. No problem with your MAF sensor he says. I paid the $120 "choke" for the diagnosis but didn't bite on the O2 sensors. Instead I used the search function on this forum and learned a thing or two about these codes. I cleaned my MAF sensor and my car ran great, no codes for 6 mos. When my CEL returned with the same codes after about 3000 mi. I figured the MAF was finally kaput so I changed it myself along with a new air filter element and cabin filter. Car runs great, no CEL, going on 6000 miles now.

I am now my new favorite Boxter mechanic. The other guy still gets good reviews from the old school air cooled set. Maybe he just doesn't understand the Boxter so well. The answers are in this forum if you take the time to look.

[1schoir]

A little history.

Last year I had the same codes on the same yr car with the same mileage. I took it to a certified Porsche mechanic who has been working on P cars since 1980. he ran the codes, tested the car and was certain that I needed all new O2 sensors at $1200 installed. No problem with your MAF sensor he says. I paid the $120 "choke" for the diagnosis but didn't bite on the O2 sensors. Instead I used the search function on this forum and learned a thing or two about these codes. I cleaned my MAF sensor and my car ran great, no codes for 6 mos. When my CEL returned with the same codes after about 3000 mi. I figured the MAF was finally kaput so I changed it myself along with a new air filter element and cabin filter. Car runs great, no CEL, going on 6000 miles now.

I am now my new favorite Boxter mechanic. The other guy still gets good reviews from the old school air cooled set. Maybe he just doesn't understand the Boxter so well. The answers are in this forum if you take the time to look.

Pretty outrageous story.

Considering the cost of all new 02 Bosch Brand sensors (i.e., no wiring modifications of any kind needed) is about $150 X 4, or about $600....

The really outrageous part is that he would be charging you $600 more dollars to essentially unscrew and rescrew the equivalent of four threaded bolts. I guess screw is the operative word.

It sounds like this certified Porsche mechanic has not only been working on P cars since 1980, but that he has been working them over as well.

Good job on figuring out and doing the repair yourself.

Regards, Maurice.

[azzar0]

A little history.

Last year I had the same codes on the same yr car with the same mileage. I took it to a certified Porsche mechanic who has been working on P cars since 1980. he ran the codes, tested the car and was certain that I needed all new O2 sensors at $1200 installed. No problem with your MAF sensor he says. I paid the $120 "choke" for the diagnosis but didn't bite on the O2 sensors. Instead I used the search function on this forum and learned a thing or two about these codes. I cleaned my MAF sensor and my car ran great, no codes for 6 mos. When my CEL returned with the same codes after about 3000 mi. I figured the MAF was finally kaput so I changed it myself along with a new air filter element and cabin filter. Car runs great, no CEL, going on 6000 miles now.

I am now my new favorite Boxter mechanic. The other guy still gets good reviews from the old school air cooled set. Maybe he just doesn't understand the Boxter so well. The answers are in this forum if you take the time to look.

Hi Topless,

I completely agree with you, that's why I spend a lot of time reading these forums :)

Last night I pulled the MAF out, cleaned it, and put it back in. I noticed that the MAF was a BOSCH part, NOT a PORSCHE part, which makes me think that the MAF was changed not too long ago, but I can't verify that assumption.

In any event, I cleaned the MAF, screwed it back in, reset the codes (disconnected the battery for 40 seconds and it actually retained my radio code), and it's as good as new, at least for the time being.

I should also mention that I performed the de-snorkel procedure a couple of weeks ago. I didn't pay much attention to that, but since the light came on again yesterday, I decided to revert the process and plugged the pipe back in. I am not sure if CEL and de-snorkel is coincidence, but I have read that other people experienced CEL after de-snorkel as well. Many argue that de-snorkeling doesn't have anything to do with the CEL but I have my doubts now. We'll see what happens later on.

Thanks for your input