Hesitation/Dragging just after startup - MAF sensor?

ComputernerdBD

Original poster
Member
Aug 24, 2014
189
Hey everyone. It appears I am having a slight issue which is baffling me a bit. It seems when I am leaving work at night which turns onto a fairly straight road and I simply just start the engine, put the AC on and accelerate, it feels like for a few seconds at a time mostly in second gear that someone all of a sudden connected a trailer to the truck and it is hesitating/ dragging but then it stops. It doesn't feel like slipping even when I add more power but then once I get to a cruise speed it isn't having an issue.

I cannot really reproduce it under much other conditions if I try. No check engine light, no weird noises, AC doesn't seem to be the issue itself, the extra drag just seems to be complicating the drag which is already there and even just had the system evacuated, checked and refilled with no problems found as it was slightly low (and the issue was there before that), transmission fluid is clean and some of it was changed out because of multiple cooler line repairs for the external cooler. It has been red throughout the issue.

It seems this issue started happening a few weeks or a month after I put in my K&N intake kit. At first the extra power was noticeable, but not so much anymore. Could it have done something like messed with the PCM programming or filter oil contamination on the MAF sensor?

EDIT: When this happens the trans has a bit of a harder shift also but I also found that the fluid is a bit overfilled. I am going to fix that by changing the fluid but this issue predates the hesitation.
 

RTTBLT1

Member
Jan 25, 2016
512
Louisburg, KS
Hello

I was experiencing some of your issues recently with my Impala that also has the K&N Oiled Filter.

That Oil on them Filters can do some nasty things to the engine components. The guys on here help me track it down to a dirty MAF Sensor and Throttle Body.

How long has it been since you cleaned/serviced the Throttle Body on it?

I would suggest starting with cleaning the Throttle Body and MAF Sensor and go from there.

Help this helps...and Happy 4th!
 

ComputernerdBD

Original poster
Member
Aug 24, 2014
189
Ouch.... so I was not crazy when thinking of the K&N...

Throttle body was just cleaned a month or two ago with the special throttle body cleaner and it wasn't that bad to begin with. Are the MAFs even cleanable with this design? Or should I be looking at a new one?

Thanks and Happy 4th to you also!
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
Yes, it can be cleaned. You just need to pull it out and clean it.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
Just to be more specific, you pull the MAF and spray it with MAF cleaner. Don't touch any of the internals and don't use compressed air. Just clean it out and let it drip dry.
 
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ComputernerdBD

Original poster
Member
Aug 24, 2014
189
Ok sorry to revive an old thread which I forgot to update, I ended up replacing the sensor because I was concerned about ruining it and it was already covered in oil. Got the issue again and got some more details:

I have been having issues with hesitation (like I am lifting off the pedal) in first or second gear especially on the first drive in several hours and even more so if the A/C is on (more drag). No check engine light and not sure how the transmission could be involved in this. Not sure how the A/C could be the issue on it's own since the low mileage, no compressor noise, fresh oil/recharge last year and ice cold operation tells me it is probably OK but feel free to disagree with me on that. I have noticed if I change the MAF sensor it went away but I am on my 3rd sensor and it seems it may be getting back to what it was again. I keep my throttle body clean using the cleaner on both sides of the throttle body and near the center. Is there a better alternative to oiled filters I can use with this tube or another intake system I can use with the cut breather hose that is connected to it? I originally attempted to use the Volant setup but I was concerned about the screws securing the MAF sensor to the tube and it popping out. Thanks
 

AWD V8

Member
Jan 12, 2015
463
I have noticed if I change the MAF sensor it went away but I am on my 3rd sensor and it seems it may be getting back to what it was again.........Is there a better alternative to oiled filters

It seems this issue started happening a few weeks or a month after I put in my K&N intake kit. At first the extra power was noticeable, but not so much anymore. Could it have done something like messed with the PCM programming or filter oil contamination on the MAF sensor?

^^^^ this here is your problem. Any filter element that uses oil will contaminate the MAF sensor. I've found that cleaning works less than 50% of the time.

Yes their are several good oil-less filters available. I'm using an AEM
 
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ComputernerdBD

Original poster
Member
Aug 24, 2014
189
Thanks, I understand you have a V8 but which AEM filter are you using and will it fit the tube on the I6?
 

Tiggerr

Member
Jun 6, 2013
1,324
Perrysburg, OH
Thanks, I understand you have a V8 but which AEM filter are you using and will it fit the tube on the I6?

There's a thread about this somewhere on here..I believe the general consensus was that "Green Filters" were among the best...
They're an oiled filter as well..IIRC

Sounds to me like you're over-oiling your element though...IMHO
Properly oiled filter shouldn't foul your MAF/TB
 

ComputernerdBD

Original poster
Member
Aug 24, 2014
189
I will look into that. Regarding oiling this is the original filter. I haven't applied oil to it. The oil contamination is the original coating, could they have overdosed it? Thanks
 

ComputernerdBD

Original poster
Member
Aug 24, 2014
189
Ok sorry to revive this thread but I would like to do some further research on this. Dealership did a global reset as part of a programming issue for the driver's door module recall by removing power from the truck and it is happening still.

I bought an OBD II Bluetooth adapter and Torque/Dashcommand on my tablet along with the extended PIDs on Dashcommand which includes some GM specific ones. I was monitoring to see if anything was showing erratic readings to account for the problem but I am not seeing anything weird especially with the MAF sensor. It seems fairly smooth and changes with engine RPMs/throttle movement. It seems this stumble/hesitation is only happening starting out when the truck has been sitting for a few hours even if it runs for a couple minutes. Coolant temp is around 170-180F and transmission temp is around 100F around that time and then it warms up to 190-200F and trans 130-140F.

Which sensors should I be setting to log and what type of activity should I be looking for? If it was the MAF would I be seeing a sudden drop or spike in the numbers on acceleration? What else could potentially cause this but not set a check engine light that I should monitor? Thanks
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
I vaguely remember somebody else having a similar issue and clearing it with a new MAP sensor.
 

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