Help me out please!

[ashton]

I have an 88 325i. When it warms up the check engine light comes on and it throws the mass air flow code. But when the check engine light comes on the car runs better than it did before the light came on. If you have an idea what is going on, will you please let me know. Thanks!

[jlevie]

Exactly what code does the DME report?

[ashton]

Exactly what code does the DME report?

Code 2.

[jlevie]

That means nothing to me. OBD codes from the DME on this car would be between 1211 and 1283.

[ashton]

That means nothing to me. OBD codes from the DME on this car would be between 1211 and 1283.

It has a 158 dme, not a 173. Therefore it throws code such as blink blink and that's it.

[jlevie]

So it isn't an 88 325i and instead is a SuperETA. In that case the logical suspects would be intake leaks and/or an aged O2 sensor. The useful life of an O2 sensor is 100k, at which point it requires replacement. The only real way to find intake leaks is to have a smoke test run on the intake. Other possibilities exist, but it makes no sense to investigate those until you have a new O2 sensor and no intake leaks.

[ashton]

So it isn't an 88 325i and instead is a SuperETA. In that case the logical suspects would be intake leaks and/or an aged O2 sensor. The useful life of an O2 sensor is 100k, at which point it requires replacement. The only real way to find intake leaks is to have a smoke test run on the intake. Other possibilities exist, but it makes no sense to investigate those until you have a new O2 sensor and no intake leaks.

The O2 sensor is brand new. And I've already had smoke test ran. No more leaks.