Cross-winds, idle stall

[Tomcat]

I was sitting at a stoplight with a rock solid idle in my 2006 Ford GT (45,000 miles, pulley/tune). A solid 30-40 knot crosswind blew and I swear it "blew out" my idle (and the car stalled). I have no codes and I am reviewing other threads about stalling at idle BUT at least one other owner attributed a strong crosswind to an idle stumble.
Anyone else out there notice this as a potential cause/affect?
Stick into/rudder opposite does not work

 

[HighHP]

Take your compressed air nozzle and blow air in the vicinity of the clamshell air intakes, aka: like you are blowing dust off the clamshell. You will clearly see how gusts of air will affect the engine idle.

 

[nota4re]

This is not that uncommon and it happens when the MAF sensor gets fooled about the amount of air getting ingested into the engine. The ECU doesn't think it did anything wrong and typically will not set a code. To remedy, I would look at 3 things. First, make sure your MAF sensor is clean or maybe even swap it out. (They're still not that expensive.) Also, what kind of air filters do you have? I've seen this happen most often with K&N filters as they are the least restrictive and will more easily "pass" a gust of wind through to the MAF which is obviously downstream of the filters. If you have K&N's, switch them back to a paper filter will likely resolve. Finally, if you've looked at both of these (MAF &filters) and all is good, then work with Torrie to get a revised tune that would mitigate this occurrence.

To be thorough, I should add that some tuners used a MAFia device in conjunction with their pulley/tune. If you car is using a MAFia, I would recommend getting a tune that doesn't require it and permanently removing the MAFia.

 

[Tomcat]

A

This is not that uncommon and it happens when the MAF sensor gets fooled about the amount of air getting ingested into the engine. The ECU doesn't think it did anything wrong and typically will not set a code. To remedy, I would look at 3 things. First, make sure your MAF sensor is clean or maybe even swap it out. (They're still not that expensive.) Also, what kind of air filters do you have? I've seen this happen most often with K&N filters as they are the least restrictive and will more easily "pass" a gust of wind through to the MAF which is obviously downstream of the filters. If you have K&N's, switch them back to a paper filter will likely resolve. Finally, if you've looked at both of these (MAF &filters) and all is good, then work with Torrie to get a revised tune that would mitigate this occurrence.

To be thorough, I should add that some tuners used a MAFia device in conjunction with their pulley/tune. If you car is using a MAFia, I would recommend getting a tune that doesn't require it and permanently removing the MAFia.

All good advise! I am already in touch with Torrie

 

[NorthwoodGT]

yep

 

[2112]

To be thorough, I should add that some tuners used a MAFia device in conjunction with their pulley/tune. If you car is using a MAFia, I would recommend getting a tune that doesn't require it and permanently removing the MAFia.

A MAFia is an add-on to the OEM MAF sensor or a replacement altogether?

I thought they were necessary on builds bigger than the OEM pulley/tune combination.

 

[HNS]

Where can I order some wind shear indicators and sensors for my cars?

 

[nota4re]

A MAFia is an add-on to the OEM MAF sensor or a replacement altogether?
I thought they were necessary on builds bigger than the OEM pulley/tune combination.

The MAFia is on add on device that plugs in between the MAF and the ECU. Essentially you plug the MAF connector into the MAFia and then the pigtail on the MAFia plugs into the MAF sensor.

Like many engine sensors on the car, the MAF communicates to the ECU using a voltage range of 0-5v. The more voltage, the more air it is measuring coming into the engine. When you have a lot of boost - several psi over OEM, you risk the chance that the MAF sensor can send a signal greater than 5v to the ECU. When/if this happens the ECU determines that the MAF has lost its mind and is no longer reliable. The ECU will toss a CEL and then - because it no longer believes the credibility of the MAF, it will usually go to limp mode where it runs the engine off of very conservative (and reliable) internal tables.

A MAFia takes the voltage signal from the MAF and scales it down before passing it along to the ECU. So, at the higher end of boost pressures, the MAFia may pass a 5.2v signal but the MAFia will scale that back to less than 5v so the ECU remains happy. When tuners like Torrie develop their tunes, they account for the fact that they are getting scaled MAF counts from the MAFia and can build tunes around it. However, most pulley/tune configurations do not require a MAFia because they don't generate enough boost to cause the MAF to send a signal above 5v. Now, if you've got headers, cat delete, and a very small pulley, a MAFia *may* be needed. With the amount of air that the Whipples generate, a MAFia is typically needed.

In no circumstances should you either add or remove a MAFia with also changing the tune in the car. The tune files need to know whether they're getting scaled values or not.

Hope that helps...

 

[2112]

Hope that helps...

It does, thank you

 

[twobjshelbys]

But be aware that if you have a pulley/tune you might also have a different MAF sensor. The setup I got from the GT guys used a MAF from an older Ford or maybe the part tracked back to a Mercury. The car wouldn't run the factory tune with that MAF. They can be cleaned (carefully) but if you have a pulley/tune verify the MAF part number before you replace it.

 

[Tomcat]

But be aware that if you have a pulley/tune you might also have a different MAF sensor. The setup I got from the GT guys used a MAF from an older Ford or maybe the part tracked back to a Mercury. The car wouldn't run the factory tune with that MAF. They can be cleaned (carefully) but if you have a pulley/tune verify the MAF part number before you replace it.

Roger...man this is all good information.

 

[RPM217]

Roger...man this is all good information.

Leave me out of this!!!!

 

[Cobraguy]

I was sitting at a stoplight with a rock solid idle in my 2006 Ford GT (45,000 miles, pulley/tune). A solid 30-40 knot crosswind blew and I swear it "blew out" my idle (and the car stalled). I have no codes and I am reviewing other threads about stalling at idle BUT at least one other owner attributed a strong crosswind to an idle stumble.
Anyone else out there notice this as a potential cause/affect?
Stick into/rudder opposite does not work

Exact same thing happened to me twice right after I bought my car in ‘09….. very unnerving…..both times at a stop light with gusty crosswinds…..hasn’t happened since so I guess it’s cured!

 

[Tomcat]

Leave me out of this!!!!

"Can I be Frank with you?" MASH
"Roger Roger, Vector Victor" Airplane, The Movie

 

[mmlcobra]

Lol!
Mark