Garage Cabinets, Garage Storage, and Garage Organization

Hey everyone..  So my check engine light goes off on me yesterday for the first time on my 2000 CL500..  I take the day off today and take the car in to the local shop.  The hook it up to the computer and the guy at the shop tells me it could be one of two things..  Either the Air Mass Sensor is faulty and or the filters need to be changed.  After a quick inspection he determined that the filters were fine and it was merely the sensor that needed to be replaced..  He told me it would be about 380 for the sensor and 80 for labor (which I really can't afford at this point).. After doing a quick search i found the Air Mass Sensors online for about $190 plus shipping.  

After looking at a picture of the sensor online it seems like the sensor is really plug and play like and now I'm considering just swapping the sensor myself.  (I know, it sounds a bit crazy).  I've never done anything like this before so I don't know where the sensor is and if it is really as easy as it looks..  I'm hoping someone here can give me some helpful tips or advice on how to swap the sensor, where it is, etc.. I guess I'm looking for a step by step tutorial on how this is done (maybe some pictures?)..  I know I'm asking for a lot, I just don't want to be out of a car for the next 2 to 3 weeks until I can save and get this problem fixed if I really do have to pay the $460  .  I would really appreciate it if you could give me some tips or advice.  If you think it's a bad idea and that I shouldn't touch it, please let me know and I won't..  It just looked rather simple enough to do myself.  

Please feel free to respond here or email me directly at: cthoughts1@tmail.com with any information that may be helpful.

Thanks!
-DA

the job is so easy that all you need is a little experience on DIY.

1/2- crankcase vent line
2/2- air intake connection
B2/5- hot film mass air flow sensor

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_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

okay, here's how you do it:

1. withdraw ignition key
2. remove cover on front side of the engine
3. take off air cleaner together with intake pipes
4. unplug plug of electrical connection of hot film mass air flow sensor (B2/5)
5. detach crankcase ventilation hose (1/2) at air inlet connection (2/2)
6. press down catch (arrow) of air inlet connection (2/2) with a screwdriver (avoid excessive pressure otherwise catch may break off)
7. take out hot film mass air flow sensor (B2/5) with air inlet connection (2/2) (before removing the air inlet connection (2/2), detach the cable (arrow) of electronic accelerator actuator.
8. install in reverse order


_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

here's the location of the sensor:

the hot film mass air flow sensor is mounted in the air intake duct between air cleaner and throttle valve actuator.

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_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

sir, the next time you have your car checked by a computer don't forget to list what kind of fault code did you have. it could be something like P0300, P0312, etc. in this way somehow we could do the troubleshooting ourselves.

goodluck and give us update here


_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

Windz, you are the best!  However I am still very slow at this.. LOL..  Do you have any step by step of how to remove the engine cover. air cleaner and intake pipes??  Maybe I can start with that..  I am going to order the Air Mass Sensor today.
Any other tips or advice that you would recommend?

I will do my best to take pictures and a step by step of everything I do and post it here so hopefully if anyone ever needs to do this in the future the information will be readily available.

i would like to ask you first where exactly the air mass sensor located. i'm just confused coz some 8 cylinder engines they put the air mass sensor near the throttle valve. is it on the left side or at the engines rear end???


_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

I have no Idea Windz.  I have a 2000 CL500.  I was hoping you could tell me..?  Maybe if i find a way to get the engine cover off I can take some pictures for you and you could tell me.  I also ordered an OBD2 code reader.. I was thinking maybe I could delete the error and wait to see if it comes back on?  I heard that sometimes the error comes up as a glitch and if you delete the error it may just go away all together?..  Any truth to that?

give me the VIN please


_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

deviilsadvocate wrote:

I heard that sometimes the error comes up as a glitch and if you delete the error it may just go away all together?..  Any truth to that?

the scanner reads different fault identifications like if the fault is permanently existing or loose contact faults. the fault storage that are detected for the first time are written to the fault memory first of all as "suspected fault" together with the fault freeze frame data. if the fault is not confirmed in the subsequent driving cycle, it is erased. if the fault is confirmed, it is stored together with it's fault freeze frame data. faults which no longer occur are erased automatically from the fault memory after a maximum of 40 warming up phase. also, the diagnostic trouble code memory is erased when the vehicle battery is disconnected.


_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

maybe this one will work for you...

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CL500 HFM 2.1.jpg
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_________________
W I N D Z
Once is enough, twice is too much, thrice is a disaster...

Thanks a million for all your help and advice.. Oddly enough the Check Engine Light (CEL) went off by itself.. lol..  Could it be the heat that made it go on in the first place?  The day the light went on it was about 100+ degrees (in NYC).. Now the temp is back down to about 80-90 and poof no more CEL.  These cars are like women (no offense ladies) one second your loving them, the next second they're giving you a head ache, and the second after that your back to loving them..    Anyhow thanks a million for your detailed help..