Signs of malfunction of the air flow sensor on the VAZ 2114

VAZ 2114 engines are equipped with mass air flow sensors (MAF). The VAZ 2114 MAF sensor is one of the ECM (electronic engine control system) sensors of a VAZ car with a fuel injection system.

This device is designed to determine the amount of air required to prepare the fuel mixture. In other words, the sensor “counts” the amount of air entering the cylinders during operation of the vehicle’s internal combustion engine.

Of course, if the sensor fails or does not work correctly, mixture formation is disrupted and the engine runs intermittently. Next, using the VAZ 2114 as an example, we will analyze in more detail what the specified sensor is, what malfunctions of the mass flow sensor are, how diagnostics and repairs are carried out.

Operation of the DMRV sensor on a VAZ 2114

Next, we will analyze in detail the functions of the device, its malfunctions and causes, adjustment and diagnostics of the air supply mechanism.

As experienced drivers say, the sensor does not work in two circumstances:

there is nothing to burn;
nothing to light it with.

The MAF device gives a signal to the ECU (electronic control unit) about how much air is supplied; oxygen becomes the fuel of the working mixture. When receiving a signal from the ECU, it ensures absolute combustion.

The device consists of two resistors, made in different versions:

→ In the first option, the resistor is exposed to air.

If the flow changes frequently, then the resistor cools down, the resistance inside changes.

→ In the second option - if the resistor is not blown.

From the data shown by the two resistors, the size of the air supply is calculated. The volume of this air must be received by the cylinder.

Removal and replacement

If the VAZ 2114 air sensor was checked, and the check confirmed incorrect operation, then you should think about replacing it. Experts do not advise rushing to throw away a part, even if it is not working correctly. Sometimes it happens that after cleaning the contacts it starts working again. It is worth paying attention to this possibility if you would not like to replace the part.

When it is not possible to revive an existing part, you should go shopping. A new part will not be cheap, it is an expensive pleasure. That is why experienced technicians advise initially checking the functionality of the old sensor before spending your savings. To replace the product, you will need to prepare a flat-head screwdriver, as well as a 10mm wrench.

The sequence of actions should be as follows:

Initially, the ignition is turned off, the hood is opened, and the negative terminal is removed from the battery.
Now you have to determine where exactly the sensor is located. Usually there are no difficulties with its location. In the engine compartment you can see the air filter unit; it is made of plastic. This sensor is located on its rear part; it is usually mounted on the air filter pipe.
Next, the clamp made of metal is removed and the product is connected to a corrugated hose through which air is supplied.
You will need to pull off the corrugated hose.
Next, the contact block is removed, and it should be taken into account that there is a button on the bottom of the plug. When pressed, the spring wedge is released. This is necessary to freely pull out the block.
A pre-prepared 10mm wrench is needed to unscrew the bolts one by one; they are used for fixing. By the way, the second of them is located on the lower part of the case.
All that remains is to remove the sensor.

Features of the MAF sensor on the VAZ 2114

To operate satisfactorily, an engine will require a certain amount of fuel and air space.

If we talk about specific numbers, then work will require 14 parts of air and 1 part of gasoline. If these proportions are not observed, then the mixture will turn out either rich or poor.
A rich mixture will create excessive gasoline consumption and flood the spark plugs. A lean mixture will reduce engine power and simply prevent the engine from starting.
To avoid this, it is necessary to install a mass air flow sensor (MAF) between the air filter and the engine supply.
The air flow sensor is equipped with a thin platinum thread, which heats up at high temperatures and decreases as air passes through. The temperature of the cooled filament determines the volume of air that passes through it. The lower the temperature, the more current it will conduct.
When the air supply is correctly calculated, the device sends information to the ECU computer, which will calculate the required amount of fuel.
More air gets to the combustion engine damper if you press the gas pedal frequently. After that, the mass air flow sensor device sends data to the computer, which would increase the fuel supply through the injector. Fuel costs will decrease provided that the costs of air supply are equal.

Cleaning instructions

As practice shows, cleaning the mass air flow sensor is one of the most effective methods of restoring the functionality of the controller. Therefore, if the sensor breaks down, it is not necessary to change it, especially since such a pleasure today is not cheap. This procedure is necessary because over time it becomes dirty and shows other parameters.

So, how to clean the mass air flow sensor at home with your own hands:

You will need a Phillips head screwdriver; use it to loosen the clamp securing the line from the air intake.
Next, dismantle the corrugation and visually assess the condition of the system. You may see condensation or traces of engine fluid under the corrugation.
Carefully inspect the inside of the controller. If everything is normal with the system, then there will be no traces of leaks or contamination. As practice shows, the sensitive element often breaks precisely due to an excess of contamination. In order not to avoid problems of this kind in the future, it is necessary to periodically replace the air filter. This procedure is carried out in accordance with technical regulations. Engine fluid may enter the controller as a result of an increased level of consumables in the crankcase. Accordingly, this occurs as a result of a clogged oil separator in the ventilation system.
The regulator itself is fixed with two bolts on the line. The removal procedure is carried out using an open-end wrench. At this stage, if you are sure that the device has failed, you can replace it.
You can see the entrance on which there will be a sealing rubber band designed to protect the device from the suction of dirty air flow. If you do not have a seal, it may have caught on the filter element. Accordingly, this will lead to the regulator input grid being contaminated.
Clean the mesh using available materials. To do this, you can use a regular toothpick or toothbrush. After cleaning, the seal can be put back and the regulator can be put back in place.

What does the VAZ 2114 MAF sensor consist of?

The VAZ 2114 MAF sensor consists of: a housing, a metal screen, a MAF circuit, an air deflector, and a power connector.

What does the VAZ 2114 MAF sensor consist of: 1 - block for connecting the wiring harness; 2 — sensor operation controller; 3 - measuring element; 4 - outer body; 5 — metal protective mesh; 6 — guide deflector; 7 — fastening the sensor body to the body; 8 — direction of air flow.

How to restore the mass air flow sensor?

The optimal solution for problems with the mass air flow sensor is to replace the faulty sensor with a new one. But since the cost of the device is about 2500-3900 rubles, many owners are trying to “revive” the old part.

There are four recovery methods:

installation of additional resistance;
blocking part of the air supply channel to the thermistor with aluminum tape;
updating the engine control unit firmware;
washing the sensor body and housing from dirt.

Installing additional resistance

Additional resistances are installed in the circuit connecting the sensor to the control unit. When an electric current passes, the voltage decreases, which can be brought to the required limits. The resistance value is selected experimentally. Most often, a 1 kOhm resistor is soldered to the yellow wire and a 15 kOhm element to the green wire.

Blocking part of the air supply channel

The repair principle is based on partially cutting off the air supply to the thermistor. Due to this, less intensive cooling is ensured and it is possible to bring the voltage value to the state of a working device. The cross section is selected experimentally with voltage monitoring using a multimeter. In some cases, owners block the supply channel by 70-80%. Aluminum tape is used for gluing.

Sealing the canal with tape

The photo clearly shows the area of the closed channel

Correcting the firmware of the engine control unit

An adjustment means a change in the calibration or operating schedule of the mass air flow sensor stored in the unit’s memory. The dependence graph is constructed in such a way that at a sensor voltage of 0.996 volts, the flow rate is considered equal to zero. But if the sensor fails and the starting voltage is 1.055 volts, then the control unit considers the air supply to be 1.8 kg when the engine is not running. Changing the graph using the MAF Corrector utility will allow you to set the flow rate to 0, which will improve engine performance. This method can be recommended to owners who are well versed in the control unit software.

Do-it-yourself cleaning of the air flow sensor

The air volume sensor is cleaned after it is detected that it is not working correctly. The procedure is performed by partially disassembling and removing the device body with active elements. At the same time, the body is washed and cleaned from remaining leaves and dirt deposits. In many cases, washing the air flow sensor on a VAZ 2114 does not help restore the device’s parameters.

Mechanical methods of cleaning the mass air flow sensor on the VAZ 2114 are prohibited, as is blowing dust with compressed air.

What products should be used to clean the sensor?

To clean sensors, there are special liquids supplied in pressurized aerosol cans. An example of such a product is a special air flow sensor cleaner Luftmassensor-Reiniger from Liqui Moly. There are similar liquids from other manufacturers. You can wash the sensor with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% distilled water, after warming the device to 60-70 ºС with a hair dryer.

When washing the mass flow sensor it is prohibited:

try to clean the sensor with cotton balls, hard objects and brushes;
use household cleaning products;
Use carburetor cleaners based on acetone or ether.

Cleaners based on heavy petroleum products, for example, WD40, will remove plaque from working parts, but will leave a greasy film that must be washed off with isopropyl alcohol. The use of ether-containing substances is not recommended due to the destruction of the compound filling and electronic components.

Algorithm of actions

Sequence of steps when washing the mass air flow sensor:

Remove the sensor together with the housing from the engine air duct. The device is attached with a clamp to the channel and two bolts to the air filter housing.
Unscrew the two screws securing the sensor to the housing. The bolts have a star head, but many owners unscrew them with pliers.
Wash the measuring thermistors and the air passage channels with a cleaning agent. If the cleaning method with alcohol is used, the removed sensor is heated with a stream of warm air and placed in a container. The alcohol-water mixture is also heated to 60-70 degrees.
Dry the sensor.
Wash the sensor housing with warm soapy water. Rinse under running water and dry.
Assemble the sensor and install it in place.

Photo gallery

The photographs show some of the steps for flushing the air flow sensor of a VAZ 2114.

Unscrewing screws with pliers

Disassembled mass air flow sensor

Work Item Appearance

Sensor from a different angle

The second element is clearly visible in the channel

First flush point

Second flush point

Third flush point

The inside of the washed body

General view of the case

What are the causes and signs of a malfunction of the mass air flow sensor on the VAZ 2114

Unstable engine operation at idle is the main sign of a mass air flow sensor failure. The device itself is reliable in operation and cannot simply fail. Often, problems with the mass air flow sensor occur due to improper maintenance of the device.

Often, when it becomes necessary to clean the mass air flow sensor, car owners (including VAZ 2114 owners) do not know how to properly clean it. And they begin this task using cotton wool or rags. But this should not be done under any circumstances. Cleaning with cotton wool will lead to damage to the device; this matter must be approached delicately. Due to the fact that the device is equipped with thin threads, such cleaning will definitely damage them. The fact is that the sensor threads tend to become dirty; this can happen due to dust breaking through the filter. Or crankcase gases enter through the intake tract, then not only a layer of dust will appear on the threads, but also an oil film. If you have already decided to clean the device, then it would be best to use a special aerosol for cleaning the carburetor and fuel system. Because this sensor cannot be restored and you will have to replace it with a new one.

The flow meter is tricky in its operation; without a computer it is impossible to accurately determine whether the sensor is suitable for operation or not. Without a computer, the injector with a “check” sign will light up on the panel. This indicates that problems have arisen in the operation of the electronics, including the air flow sensor.

An increase in fuel costs will occur due to a defect in the manufacture of the fuel mixture. The reason for this is a malfunction in the operation of the mass air flow sensor.

If the failure is not resolved urgently, it may worsen the performance of the internal combustion engine.

Defects in the operation of the mass air flow sensor often occur for the following reasons:

blockage on the threads that “read” the amount of air. A layer of deposits forms on them, which leads to poor sensor performance.
thread wear. The lifespan of the threads is 150,000 miles; beyond these numbers, the threads lose their functionality.

To identify a flaw in the operation of the mass air flow sensor, a multimeter tester will help. Thanks to it, it is easy and quick to check the mass air flow sensor device, without necessarily contacting a service station for the help of specialists. You just need to learn how to use a multimeter and understand the pinouts of contact groups. But there are also other methods.

For example: you need to disable the air mass flow sensor.

Below is a detailed description:

with the sensors turned off, try to start the engine;
in emergency mode the controller should work;
the electronic control unit receives a signal that the working mixture is being prepared;
The engine speed should be at 1500 rpm. If the car begins to pick up speed better, and in principle the dynamics of the car have become better, then the sensor cannot be repaired.

You can also do it another way:

remove the clamp from the corrugation that is attached to the air collector.
check for traces of oil and condensation on its surface and sensor.

Checking the air flow sensor on a VAZ 2114 with a multimeter

And the third way, checking with a multimeter:

Insert a multimeter into the system to measure the current flow. The mode should be up to 20 watts;
connect the red cable to the yellow one (pin 5), and the black cable to the green cable (pin 3);
insert the key into the ignition and turn over, but do not start the car;
The multimeter will show readings, look at them.
when starting the car, the speed fluctuates sharply, and when you press the gas pedal, the engine stalls;
Relieving the gas completely, the speed is held at 2-3 thousand for a couple of seconds.
the car cannot gain speed due to lack of traction;
The “check engine” injector lights up on the control panel.

If the engine and the car itself work without interruption, drivers of a VAZ 2114 rarely associate a lit “check” light with the operation of the mass air flow sensor. Therefore, you should not ignore the illuminated “check” indicator and consider it a computer error. If the manifestations described above are identified, then it is necessary to conduct a diagnosis. After all, a malfunction of the mass air flow sensor system may be similar to other car breakdowns.

How to decipher multimeter information?

The multimeter shows from 0.006 to 1.01 V - this means that the sensor is still new. In a few weeks, the data will increase by a couple of hundred units.
If the multimeter data is in the region of 1.01, 1.02 V, they indicate that the sensor is in use mode, this is its operating state.
The sensor shows 1.03 - 1.04 V, - such readings will indicate that the working reserve is half used.
Sensor readings 1.04V -1.05V - such readings indicate that the sensor should be replaced with a new one.
Sensor readings above 1.05 V sent to the ECU are incorrect. Most likely, it does the work incorrectly, or does not do the work at all.

DMRV pinout

a pink-black cable is responsible for sending data from the mass air flow sensor device to the relay. Designated as contact No2;
for grounding, green cable. Designated as contact No3;
white, responsible for powering the mass air flow sensor device. Defined as pin No4;
The yellow cable is defined as contact No5 and is responsible for transmitting an impulse from the ECU (electronic control unit).

MAF pinout for VAZ 2114

But it is worth considering that the colors may differ from those described above. Sensor manufacturers may replace the described colors with others. Be careful!

Based on the readings of the device, you can easily determine what exactly the problem is. And don’t waste time identifying the breakdown. Also, based on the readings of the multimeter, you can carry out the necessary work, such as cleaning, checking contacts, or replacing a new device yourself. But it’s also worth considering that the tester can overestimate its readings. This is a risk of replacing a completely working sensor with a new one when it does not need it. The sensor parameters depend on the purity of the masses in the circuit.

The main causes of failure of the mass air flow sensor

The most common causes of sensor failure are:

dust ingress;
oil contamination;
short circuit of the wiring due to damage to the insulation or plug;
mechanical damage to active elements.

A common cause of incorrect operation of the mass air flow sensor is the failure of electronic components, which increases the sensor’s response time to changes in air flow. A working sensor monitors changes at a speed of 0.5 ms, and if it breaks down, the response time increases by 20-30 times. The defect is detected only by recording the operation graph with an oscilloscope. Such a sensor cannot be repaired; it must be replaced with a new one.

What factors disable the mass air flow sensor?

Factors causing failure of the air flow sensor:

Dust may be caused by improper installation of the sensor on the filter, which causes the sealing ring to become distorted. With this defect, a thin coating of contamination will be present on the sensor input grid. Another cause of dust is a clogged air filter, so regular maintenance will prolong the life of the air flow sensor.
Oil is thrown onto the sensor if the level in the crankcase is high or if the oil separator in the ventilation system is clogged. An additional negative factor is engine wear, which causes lubricant to actively enter the crankcase ventilation.
Contact with sharp objects on the insulation, oiling. Such impacts are the result of careless repairs.
Damage to the sensor is possible during vehicle maintenance (impacts to the body) or during improper cleaning of the active part.

Is it possible to do without a mass air flow sensor?

Of course, you can refuse, but the “check” indicator will work constantly, and the engine will continue to work. If the ECU firmware program is new, it may not see the signal and will increase the idle speed. The program for ensuring damage to the sensor entails either a drop in dynamics or high fuel consumption. But this happens on relatively recent versions of the program. If an error occurs, this is an important reason to check the sensor. First you need to measure the voltage.

At the first manifestation of a problem with the mass air flow sensor on a VAZ 2114, there is no need to run to the store and purchase a new device. After all, the price of a new sensor fluctuates around 4,000 rubles. But postponing inspection and repair until later is also not an option. Make sure that the engine is running poorly due to air flow and try to repair it or send it for service. The sooner you identify the causes, the greater the chances of avoiding serious damage. Buy a multimeter; it will help you diagnose yourself much faster. Do not forget to regularly check the ECM and do not ignore any malfunctions in the operation of the mass air flow sensor.

What's the result?

As you can see, if there are signs of problems and the first symptoms of the DMVR VAZ 2114 or another car appear, you should check the device as soon as possible for possible breakdown. In this case, you can quickly diagnose the air flow sensor with a multimeter in a regular garage.

We also recommend reading the article about what a car engine knock sensor is. From this article you will learn about the purpose, design, as well as signs of malfunction or malfunction of the engine knock sensor.

Based on the readings obtained from the device, it is possible to determine the malfunction (if a breakdown is confirmed) or to exclude the mass air flow sensor from the list of possible problem elements. One way or another, it is important to understand that this sensor is actively involved in mixture formation and affects the operation of the engine as a whole.

For this reason, it is necessary to perform regular checks of the ECM, scan for errors, and also pay attention to any failures and symptoms of malfunctions of the sensors of the electronic engine control system (TSP, DPKV, etc.).