Help? CEL after HID install, engine now runs rough over 4k?

[Airman Jack]

I just (re) installed my HID kit. Initially, no problems with the car. On the drive to work today, the idle seemed a bit rough. When I accelerated and the engine passed 4000rpm, it felt like the motor started missing and bucking. Then the CEL came on. I pulled over, checked the connections, nothing seems amiss. I started it back up, the idle seemed to smooth itself out, and the car feels pretty much normal as long as I don't rev it over 4k. I'm at a bit of a loss, any thoughts? My local Partsource (in Kingston) doesn't have a code reader to lend out either.

Car just passed 172000km on the clock, only engine mod is a CAI (with a water bypass valve installed) which has been on the car for almost a year without any trouble.

[Default User]

Very off - its like diagnosing a burnt out headlight bulb to be the source of a rough idle - it doesn't add up

Unless of course you accidentally caused a vacuum leak when you were under the hood. Maybe bent/leaned on a hose. Perhaps stretched a wire on the MAF when working around the battery box?

[Airman Jack]

I guess thats possible, but I didn't touch any of the MAF wires?
I always get some small contact sparking every time I disconnect my battery, I assume this is from the computer being in a low power state to run things like the alarm system and door locks?

[Default User]

you know with a CAI you're prone to MAF issues at any given time.

And often enough - it goes when something totally random happens.

Pretty sure the threads start off like "ran over a cat - now CEL is on" or "Filled with 94 octane when it was raining and now CEL is on"

[Airman Jack]

Borrowed a code reader... P0103.... MAF... Damn you and your foresight!
I'll clean the MAF this weekend and hopefully that fixes it. Happy to know what it is, and impressed that you guessed right!

[McGuyver_3]

This fault code sounds more like a faulty MAF sensor as I have been through this and I remember this code.
If I remember correctly p0113/P0114 is more related to broken wires

Quick way I confirmed my suspicions as I had already repaired all damaged wiring was by swapping my sensor with the other cars sensor cleared the code and the results were instant. The sensors are cheap and easy to change

[TheMAN]

make sure the wires are good, but if it's really the MAF replace with a new one... these things are just crap and they've been redesigned several times, even during the production of the genwons

[Airman Jack]

When I installed the CAI I cut back the wire loom a bit and got some extra slack in the MAF wires, so luckily that wasn't the problem. Turns out the MAF was filthy! Cleaned it with MAF sensor cleaner (yes, there is such a thing) and now the code is cleared and the car purrs like a kitten.

[cwp_sedan]

:thumbsup