Check Engine light - new air pump - codes

rwogs

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West coast - Seattle area
1995 MB E320 W124 90,000 miles
I had a bad pulley ( read completely eaten bearing) on my air injection pump and replaced it with a rebuilt pump. I drove it Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (approx. 150 miles). On Wednesday, the check engine light came on (yellow). I immediately started researching the OBD I system in the MB forums. I saw several posts that thought that the “button and LED” to pull your codes was not present on this model (post 1994). In fact, it has an X11/4 connector which has a button and LED that function to give you the codes!! (positions :2 = button-& 4 = LED). I pulled the code (only one code came up) and it indicated code 4:
“4 Air injection system faulty hot film mass air flow sensor with hot wire”
I cleared the code and the CEL (check engine light) went off upon restarting the car. I read somewhere that some of the codes only come on after several of the same faults accumulate. Does anyone know if that applies to this error code??

Is this indicative of a bad air injection pump or some other sensor in the emission system?? It appears that the air pump is working “mechanically” (the electric clutch engages when the engine is cold and the pulley spins) or is it likely a bad pump or something else in the emission stream?

Now that I’ve cleared the code, I intend to drive it and see if the same fault occurs

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

Code reading/clearing on analog system:
* (you turn the key on and hold the #2 button down for 3 to 5 seconds and then release it and see how many times it flashes. I did it three times to see if there were any different codes. You then clear the code by holding it down for about 8 to 10 seconds. You then turn the key off and start the engine and the CE light should be off)
 

kth286

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Your Mercedes
E320 Coupe 95
rwogs

I would look at your Air Mass Flow Sensor, in the trunking, after the air filter.

This is a key component which measures the mass of air being drawn into the engine.

The hot wire/hot film can get damaged by grit particles if the air filter cover is not secured properly or squarely, or if there is an aftermarket type air filter fitted.

There are ways to measure the voltages but it is very involved and ideally requires a rolling road as you need to simulate full-load conditions.

The best practical way is to borrow a known good unit and substitute for a trial run and ensure you drive at full-load conditons with various throttle openings.
The unit takes just a couple of minutes to replace and is easy to do, just two band clips each side of it.
So, ask someone on the forum that lives close by, if they would be willing to help out and lend you theirs for an hour.

Let us all know how you get on and the result.

Regards
 


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www.ckinsurance.co.uk
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