TDiddy532

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forum but have already seen some great insight through google searches of my issue which brought me here. Hopefully you guys can help.

2 months ago, I installed a Weapon-R Secret Weapon intake on my 2007 Lexus ES350. Upon installation, my car flashed a check engine light and a check VSC warning, which then went away over the course of my 15 minute drive home. About 2 weeks later, the check engine light came on again and stayed this time until I had the codes cleared by a mechanic.

The codes that popped up were:

P0101 - Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance

P0102 - Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Low Input

P0113 - Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit High Input



Now the check engine light came back on a few days after the codes cleared and stayed that way for several weeks until randomly it went off again last night and I hoped everything would just clear itself up. Unfortunately, the check engine light flashed once again this morning.

My mechanic wants to charge me $825 to replace two O2 sensors and the mass air flow sensor, but I think the cars computer is just reading the air flow incorrectly after putting the intake on.

Has this issue popped up with anyone else? Is there a way to manually reset the check engine light and check vsc warning without going to a mechanic and getting the codes cleared every time?

Thanks in advance,

--Teddy

jcat_350

None of that says anything about O2 sensors. I'd find another mechanic. He's clearly trying to take advantage of you.

The reason this is happening is because you bought a weapon-R intake. The pipe diameter is probably different than the OE intake, causing a different volume of air to be presented to the MAF sensor and changing the pressure values. Example: with smaller tubing diameter, between 500-3000 RPMs there is probably significant variation in the volume of air coming into the system due to the pressure and restrictions in the factory intake. You slap a weapon-R on there and it's being bombarded with a high volume of air constantly. Also realize the factory system does not agitate the air going through like the weapon R does.

The VSC light will come on with any CEL. Even if the lights go away, the code is stored in the computer. Even if you clear the codes constantly, it won't improve or fix the problem and the light will come back during the next drive cycle.

This happens on a lot of cars with Weapon R intakes. they're one-size-fits-all intakes that don't have any consideration for the design of your car. Unless you damaged something on the MAF during your install, it's probably not going to go away.

TDiddy532

Thanks for the info bud. Is there anyway to adjust the car's system to accommodate the additional air flow?

Would you recommend I put the factory intake back in?

I sent the codes to Weapon-R with some pictures of my installation (per their request) to see if they have any insight on the issue. The engine definitely sounds more throaty and I think there is some additional throttle response, but if I'm going to drive with a check engine light forever, I'm not sure its worth it.

I really appreciate the response, thanks jCat

SICK350

iTrader: (1)

I had a weapon r intake on my 02 es300 for a couple days then I took it off and put it in the garbage where it belongs! A Lexus intake has to be much better quality then a cheap intake manufacture. I'd put your old intake back on reset the codes and see if the light comes back. A $200 intake isn't worth wrecking any OEM part on a Lexus IMO.

jcat_350

I would recommend you get your money back on the weapon-R and install the factory intake.

The only way to account for the extra air would be to tune the car. It's expensive and complicated and with extremely limited benefit on the ES.

TDiddy532

Will driving with the check engine light on and the intake still installed do any damage to my car? Or is it just a warning light since the system is not equipped to handle the air flow?

I have no problem putting the factory intake back on, I just wish I knew this would be an issue before buying the damn thing.

jcat_350

you should try and get the factory box back on asap. Driving it back home from work to do so won't kill the thing. I would not drive it for an extended period of time given that with a MAF malfunction the car won't properly allot fuel with a bum air reading.

TDiddy532

I just got this response from Weapon-R:

You can try a couple things. The Toyota/lexus are sometimes touchy.

#1 Clean the MAF sensor with some electrical contact cleaner spray. Let it fully dry.

#2 check that the O ring on the MAF is tight when inserted into the pipe.

#3 Try to pull the rubber coupler farher away from the end. So maybe the filter isn’t too close to the MAF.

We have a 2008 Rav4 that our accountant drives and actually had the same thing happen. We did the steps above and its been clear for a while



Chris Wanstrath
Weapon-R Sales Manager
180 Sylvester Rd.
South San Francisco CA, 94080
Tel: 650-877-8280 Fax: 650-877-8290
AIM: Weaponrcs










What do you think?

jcat_350

You could try it, but I have an issue with a couple of their suggestions.

1.) Why clean the maf? Did it get dirty during install? Obviously it was working fine before the intake installed

2.) I'm assuming they mean the o-ring on the maf sensor element itself. DId you transfer this into the new pipe or does the new intake just attach to the existing maf sensor housing?

3.) Based upon the pictures, I don't see you being able to gain more than about an inch of intake length between filter and MAF sensor. Three inches? Sure that could make a difference. However, I don't know that one inch would matter much.

You can try it if you're set on keeping the intake on there. I wouldn't bother cleaning the maf sensor unless it definitely got dirty in the process.

TDiddy532

Some additional back and forth with my contact at Weapon-R:

Q: Will driving my car with the check engine light and check vsc warnings do any damage? It sounds fine great and runs smooth but I'm worried that the car won't be able to account for the denser air.

A: When that happens the vehicle goes into safe mode. It runs safe parameters so the car will drive fine

Q: I assume safe mode entails a decrease in performance though?

A: It could





I think I'm leaning towards just re-installing the factory box.

jcat_350

those guys don't know each individual car well enough to make a claim like that. The car does not go into safe mode. The safe mode they talk about is 'limp mode' where you see a significant decrease in performance (such as not being able to get much above 35mph). This is not the case.

Put the stock one back in and get your money back. 2 horsepower at the front wheels (IF any at all) is not worth the headache.

chuyrobles

Ask Weapon-R for some input, customerservice@weapon-r.com

Autozone has a code reader on sale (at least here in Cali) - $50. It erases the codes at will. I bought one for my little problem.

vinlogic

jcat_350 You must be absolutely retarded to say it is in limp mode and have significant decrease in performance. An O2 sensor lets you know that something isn't properly connected, on the ES 330 the air box is to make it quiet and sacrifices performance and efficiency to do so. If you bothered to look underneath the hood, you can see the air box is electrically controlled and every time you give it gas, it opens up. This is a design for older, wealthy people who want to hear very little. So for you to make ANY statements without getting you hands dirty is like a monkey explaining calculus derivatives to a Harvard Graduate. Open the hood before you open your mouth moron.

LexBob2

You do realize that the last post in this thread was over a year ago. Right?

vankiz

yeah good point lol , i was going to suggest to throw away the weapon r intake and drop in back the original...but the thread is old, maybe OP isnt driving thst car anymore