Short MAF sensor?

Tiny
MEBYMYSELF
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 NISSAN TRUCK
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 374,500 MILES
Long story but here is final result. Shut off while driving. Messed with and eventually started. Would not start later like no battery in it. No turn over nothing. Ignition switch had connection appeared melted loose. Replaced. Few days later again same problem. Wires on ignition switch melted. Located which wire short was on. Finally disconnected MAF sensor in process of disconnecting different things to locate short. After disconnected MAF sensor short went away and truck started. Runs rough on idle and check engine light is on as expected. Never seen a MAF sensor short before. Should I replace MAF or could problem still be elsewhere?
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021 AT 2:20 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
MEBYMYSELF
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Problem solved. Turns out a wire bundle was rubbing against valve cover bolt and creating intermittent short, taking out spark. Held wires together and moved wires under the hood until shirt reappeared. Really helped though when it sparked and I saw it!
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Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 AT 10:36 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
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That is great info and thanks for updating us. As I was reading that I was going to say that it was not the sensor that was causing the short, it was just completing the circuit for where the short was. Clearly you found it but the say to go about that is to look from the MAP to the PCM as the short is most likely in between the two.

Thanks again for supplying that info and let us know. That info will surely help others.
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Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 AT 5:55 PM
Tiny
MEBYMYSELF
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KASEKENNY1, I have a couple friends who are mechanics back in Wichita and neither had heard of a MAF shorting like that either. Since I found the melted wires at the two pigtails that connect incoming wires to the actual ignition switch I didn't initially think the shirt was under the hood. I also originally thought it wasn't getting fuel but eliminated that thought with a little burst of starting fluid and still nothing. Since I wasn't sure where the shirt was, and really am not any good at reading auto wiring schematics or familiar with much of the technical jargon, I began to disconnect different things to try and eliminate them as a problem. As my friends heard what happened they said sounded like intermittent short and was just lucky enough to move the right wires and it started leading me originally to think I had solved the problem. Wrong! When I was first able to recreate the short I saw smoke from the area of the valve cover bolt shown and went from there jiggling the wires around such. When it sparked I finally found it. It was my wife actually who was giving me a hand holding the ignition wires that actually spotted the bolt head as I was on the other side and could not see it from there.I didn't do a pro job repairing just wrapped it in electrical tape and zip tied it up and away from the valve cover. I was so worried I was going to have to take out the dash to find the short. That k goodness I didn't because, knowing me, I would never have gotten it finished. However I know that I didn't do it right because I didn't have any bolts or screws left over when I out stuff back together! Lol
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Thursday, February 25th, 2021 AT 6:33 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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That is even more great info. Thanks again for sharing this. I know for a fact that this will help others for many years to come as they visit the site and read this post.

No bolts left is always a good thing. Thanks again.
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Thursday, February 25th, 2021 AT 7:16 PM

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