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Check Engine Light - Tried everything, double check my install?

11K views 52 replies 29 participants last post by  tshay 
#1 ·
I installed my AEM CAI on my R18 two nights ago. Everything seemed fine that night - no problems and no check engine light. It wasn't till this morning that I noticed the CEL came on shortly after I had pulled out of the garage. By shortly, I mean like 0.1 km. I was originally going to pickup my contacts but I figured that could wait so I backed up into the garage and disconnected the negative terminal of the battery, let it sit for 30 minutes and then started it up and let it idle for 15 minutes. At no point in time did I move the car or even come near the gas pedal. I then drove to the store and parked my car (turned it off completely) so I can pickup my contacts. There was no signs of a CEL on the way there. Once I had got in the car again, it came up again. Fine, I figured this time I will disconnect the battery before I take a nap (2 hours), come back, let it idle completely OUTSIDE for 20 minutes but after driving, it came back again.

Any ideas here? I REALLY don't want to put the stock air box in because of something as stupid as a CEL!
 
#4 · (Edited)
the cel came one twice when i had my aem cai on my ex coupe. the first time (a day after i installed it) i disconnected the battery and let it idle for a few minutes. couple of days later it came on again and i let it idle for ten minutes, later that weekend i took it for a road trip and drove the car like i normally would and never had a problem after that. just drive the car the way you normally would and just keep disconnecting the battery and let it idle. maf sensor isnt use to all of the extra air flowing in but it will get use to the new settings eventually…
 
#6 ·
rippars said:
the cel came one twice when i had my aem cai on my ex coupe. the first time (a day after i installed it) i disconnected the battery and let it idle for a few minutes. couple of days later it came on again and i let it idle for ten minutes, later that weekend i took it for a rode trip and drove the car like i normally would and never had a problem after that. just drive the car the way you normally would and just keep disconnecting the battery and let it idle. maf sensor isnt use to all of the extra air flowing in but it will get use to the new settings eventually…
Hmm, I'll keep driving it and see what happens. I hope it works because it's a really tedious process to keep disconnecting and letting the car just idle. I look crazy when I have two sets of keys, start my car and lock the original keys in there!
 
#10 ·
rippars said:
the only other thing i could think of is to check your hoses and clamps and that their all on correctly and held together tight.
I agree. Try disconnecting the battery for like 2-3 hours and then letting it idle for 15-20 minutes without hitting the gas. Then turn the car off. Then try it and see if that works.

Thats my .02 worth a try at least...
 
#11 ·
Hey Kurt, do you still have the light after the installation of your new mods?

Well, I'm still getting it and it's gotten to the point beyond annoying that I don't even care about it, however, I'd still like to remove that ****. :Mad: I've tried resetting the ECU by disconnecting the battery and letting it idle and driving it really conservatively for the first 50km but that didn't seem to work. When it hit 58.4km, the damn light went on.

I had someone use a scanner last Friday but the light still came on, any thoughts?

I know for sure it's the MAF sensor. I'm not sure why it's coming up like that though... I remember forgetting to plug in the MAF after a reset and the CEL came on immediately. Then I resetted the ECU, plugged the MAF back in and it didn't come on till those 58.4 km... something funky is going on. :Mad:
 
#14 ·
It seems like more people are having problems with the aem intake. In my opinion you should have went with the Injen, it seems like they spent more time R&D than aem did concerning the air flow sensor, as the injen intake uses their "MR" technology......good luck with your problem! Hopefully you can get it figured out, since aem does have a pretty good reputation and all the good colored intakes :D
 
#15 ·
aznives3 said:
It seems like more people are having problems with the aem intake. In my opinion you should have went with the Injen, it seems like they spent more time R&D than aem did concerning the air flow sensor, as the injen intake uses their "MR" technology......good luck with your problem! Hopefully you can get it figured out, since aem does have a pretty good reputation and all the good colored intakes :D
Yep. I'm definitely smacking myself on the head for going with an AEM. :pat:

Ah well. I'll see what I can do, but I've pretty much pinpointed the problem to the MAF.
 
#19 ·
Make sure all your clamps are on tight, and that everything is in place as it should be. I let it idle for the second time (first didn't get rid of CEL) a few days after installing and it went away.
 
#21 ·
Your best Best is to...................

What you have to do is hook up an OBD II tester to it ....find the code and erase!!!!!!!!! I run a Jiffy Lube it happens all the time ...figure it like this if you do the OBD II test then Erase..and it comes back.... then you have a problem... The negative disconnecting technique...works but you onky need about 15 sec for it ...it wont do more if you disconnect and wait 15...30...60...min.,.. etc...Just trying to help!...if you have a place(quick lube).(mechanic garage) etc... to reset it through OBD...that is your best chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Your Si Bro:driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving:
 
#22 ·
cojaro said:
Make sure all your clamps are on tight, and that everything is in place as it should be. I let it idle for the second time (first didn't get rid of CEL) a few days after installing and it went away.
I had a shop double check my install and he changed the way it was installed a bit. He said my first tube was angled wrong and he tightened things up. He also used a scanner to remove the code but it seemed to have come back that very day.

Is it possible a hose clamp that was screwed too tight may cause this? One of my clamps is like this.. you can see it digging into the hose and you can see a bit of it coming through.. but I mean, I'm pretty sure it is that damn MAF sensor on the AEM...

"Shoulda bought an Injen...."
 
#25 ·
Lucky13 said:
What you have to do is hook up an OBD II tester to it ....find the code and erase!!!!!!!!! I run a Jiffy Lube it happens all the time ...figure it like this if you do the OBD II test then Erase..and it comes back.... then you have a problem... The negative disconnecting technique...works but you onky need about 15 sec for it ...it wont do more if you disconnect and wait 15...30...60...min.,.. etc...Just trying to help!...if you have a place(quick lube).(mechanic garage) etc... to reset it through OBD...that is your best chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Your Si Bro:driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving: :driving:
That's what I did today. Got the shop to hook up the OBD II to it and he erased the code. He was kind of surprised to see it come up at 19 mph... I'll keep my fingers crossed.
 
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