How critical is the replacement of a bad mass airflow sensor to the life of other engine parts?

Question

I've got a 00 Chev Monte Carlo with the 3.8L V6. Will not replacing the sensor cause further damage to other sensors or engine parts? Just dropped $500 on hail damage, don't want to replace right away.

Answer 1

Don't let some "mekanik" talk you into spending a lot on a maf sensor. If your vehicle is running ok you don't need it replaced. A shop with a computer that can graph hje operation of your sensors can tell you what is good or bad. Not all shops have this capability. Don't go on the "I think the problem is---" You will go broke and still have a problem.

Answer 2

The airflow sensor helps the engines computer know how to run the engine. This is an important piece to the cars proper operation.

With the airflow helping the computer I would get it fixed. If you have to hit the Junkyards in your area and look for the sensor on another chevy. But you need to get it fixed.

Answer 3

.it wont and it will . on some cars it will prevent the engine from starting . it meters the air going into your engine to measure fuel air ratio so you have better performance. if your car runs fine without it you can drive it for a while but replace as soon as possible.on my ford i ran mine without it for awhile till i could buy a new one .they are too expensive. air mass information is necessary for the engine control unit to calculate and deliver the correct fuel mass to the engine. Air changes its density as it expands and contracts with temperature and pressure. In automotive applications, air density varies with the vehicle's operating environment, and this is an ideal application for a mass sensor.

Answer 4

You would get poor gas mileage, unusual behavior (stalling, hesitation), incorrect air/fuel mixture (would also trip a number of other sensors) which could lead to internal damage.